Domain Names Explained for UK Businesses

The parts of a domain name

In www.example.co.uk, example is the name you choose, .co.uk is the extension, and www is a subdomain. You do not buy a domain outright; you register it for a period, usually one or more years, and renew it. Three parties are involved:

• The registry runs the extension. Nominet runs .uk, including .co.uk.
• The registrar is the company you pay to register and manage the name.
• The registrant is the legal holder. This should be your business.

Which extension should a UK business use?

• .co.uk is the most recognised extension for UK businesses and signals that you trade in the UK.
• .uk is shorter. Many businesses register both and redirect one to the other.
• .com suits businesses selling internationally, but good .com names are scarce.
• Niche extensions such as .shop or .studio can work, but some customers mistype or distrust them.

Choose a name that is short, easy to spell when said aloud, and free of hyphens if you can. Check it does not infringe someone else's trade mark. Register common misspellings and the other main extension if budget allows, and redirect them to your main domain.

DNS: how a domain finds your website and email

DNS records tell the internet where to send traffic for your domain:

When a website moves, usually only the A or CNAME records change. Get MX and TXT records wrong and email stops, so changes should be checked by someone who knows what each record does. See website hosting explained.

DNS changes are not instant. Each record has a time to live (TTL), which tells other servers how long to cache it. Lowering the TTL a day before a planned move makes the switch spread faster. Many modern hosts and platforms such as Shopify give you the exact records to add, so copy them carefully rather than typing from memory.

Ownership and transfers

Make sure the registrant is your business, with an email address you control. If a designer registered it in their name, ask for it to be transferred. For .uk domains, registrant changes go through Nominet. Moving a .uk domain to a different registrar is done by asking the current registrar to change the IPS tag to the new registrar's tag. Other extensions such as .com usually use an authorisation code instead. Read do I own my website? for the wider picture.

Keep a simple record of your domain setup in a safe place: registrar, account email, renewal date, where DNS is managed and who has access. When something goes wrong at short notice, such as email failing or a site move, having this to hand saves hours. If staff change, update the registrar contact email so renewal notices keep reaching someone who acts on them.

Do not let it expire

An expired domain takes your website and email offline. If it lapses for long enough, someone else can register it. Turn on auto-renew, keep the card details and contact email up to date, and watch for renewal emails. Be wary of letters offering "domain renewal" from companies you have never dealt with; check who your real registrar is first.

Renewal prices vary between registrars, and some charge far more in later years than in the first. Check the renewal price, not just the introductory one, before you register.

When to call us

We can help you choose and register a domain in your name, connect it to your new website, and set up DNS without breaking email. Domain registration is listed separately in our quotes. Get in touch or call 01623 650333.

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