What is the Difference Between My URL, Domain Name, and Website?

This can be technically confusing, but in most cases, the answer is simple.  Chances are when someone asks for your URL, domain name, or website, they are all asking the same question; how do they get to your website?   In our case, the answer is www.lookmaimonline.com.  It’s that simple. 

You can register a website from resellers like www.lookmadomains.com.  It should cost about $12.00 a year (or less).   Just make sure the reseller you choose, has a feature to remind you when your website registration is about to expire.  There have been many sad stories about businesses losing their registration because someone let it lapse.

All websites are unique.  Most people are familiar with the .com portion of the website.  This is called the top level domain (TLD), but there are many others, including:   

.co     .info     .net     .me     .biz     .org     .gov    .us   and so many more…

In the case of businesses, the second level domain (SLD) is the whateveryoupicked.  This usually represents your company or organization, but means nothing without the rest of the information.

The top level domain plus the second level domain create a different and unique website.  Therefore, the websites www.lookmaimonline.com, www.lookmaimonline.net, and www.lookmaimonline.biz are each unique and may be registered by the same OR different companies. 

So the next time someone asks for your URL, domain name, or website, you can respond:

www.whateveryoupicked.com

If you would like to get more technical on this subject, please read the article, “Technically Speaking: What are the Components of a Website Address”.  Just a warning, the article does get technical and you will NEVER need to know most of the information.

Technically speaking: What are the Components of a Website Address?

We discuss the similarities of URL’s, domain names and website addresses in our no-nonsense non-technical article ‘What is the Difference Between My URL, Domain Name, and Website?’  You are about to read a technical article on a similar subject.  It includes information that you probably never need to know.  We are writing this article for those that just need to know more.

So, technically speaking, a fully qualified business website address consists of the following:

   Access Protocol+Host Name+dot+Second Level Domain+dot+Top Level Domain

   http://+www+.+lookmaimonline+.+com

Or in our case, http://www.lookmaimonline.com

The dot separates the components of the website address.

The Access Protocol of your website address can be either:

            http:// = hypertext transfer protocol

https:// = hypertext protocol secure, used when the website is secure, usually an online retailer where one is giving credit card information.

The Host Name of your business website address will be:

www = World Wide Web

Additionally there are other host names including:

ftp = file transfer protocol

The Second Level Domain (SLD) of your business website address will be:

            whateveryoupicked = usually your company name without spaces

Although there are third level domains and fourth level domains and lower level domains, they are usually not used in a business website address.  Therefore, the definition of second level domain is appropriate for this discussion.

The Top Level Domain (TLD) is after the last dot in the URL and can be:   

.com    .co     .info    .net    .me    .biz    .org      and many more…

A domain name is like a nickname for the address of the server where your website is hosted.  The actual address is a bunch of numbers and dots, so a domain name is much easier to remember.  It does not need to include the access protocol.  It would be:

             www.whatereveryoupicked.com

The Uniform Resource Locator (URL) includes the access protocol and the domain name and would be:

             http://www.whateveryoupicked.com

There are many other articles on the internet that get much more technical.  This is as far as we go, but we invite you to search on any of the terms above to find out more.