What are all these terms
Domain name/Domain
Your domain is the name of your website. It’s what comes after the www. in a URL and what comes after the @ in an email address. Studio 8E8 will need shared access to your domain, and your account strategist will send instructions when the time is right. Examples: s8e8.com, wikipedia.org, domino.dental
Domain Registrar
This is the company that holds your domain name registration. When you purchased your domain, you did so from a domain registrar. Examples: GoDaddy, Name Cheap, Google Domains.
DNS
This is what connects a domain name to various services, most commonly email and websites. Think of it as the "glue" that holds the domain and website together. S8E8 will need access to the DNS settings to launch your new website, and your account strategist will send you instructions when the time is right.
Website Host
Your website host is the company that provides your website and controls your DNS settings. This could be a company that created your website (like Studio 8E8). Sometimes your website host is also the registrar (like GoDaddy). Studio 8E8 will be the website host for your new site that we build.
Website builder
There are DIY website-builders, like SquareSpace and Wordpress, and there are website companies like Studio 8E8 that build it for you.
What if i don't have a domain?
If you don’t have a domain for your dental practice, you can purchase one from a domain registrar. If you are working with S8E8 to build and host your website, the best place to purchase a domain is GoDaddy.com because this is what we use, and sharing access to your DNS records is easy that way.
Most clients prefer to own their domain outright (register it themselves for a typically-small annual fee). But if you want S8E8 to purchase your domain for you, we will for any reasonably-priced domain ($100 per year or less).
Will S8E8 choose my domain for me?
Your domain name is ultimately your decision, but your account manager is happy to make suggestions and check on availability.
How do I know if the domain name I want is available?
You can check on a domain’s availability using a registrar’s website, like GoDaddy.com.
What web domains are good for SEO?
Having a domain that includes important search keywords actually does help with SEO (i.e. dallasdentalcare.com will be better than smilestudio.com). However, having multiple domains pointing to the same website does not help. Only the primary domain influences the search positioning for the website.
What do I do with this old domain?
If you changed the name of your business (whether you acquired it or rebranded) and want a new domain to match, you’ll be left with your old domain. The domain that has been in existence the longest has acquired the most SEO value, so there’s good reason to hold onto it, at least until the new domain has gained some traction. You will have to decide which domain you want to be primary, and which one secondary. S8E8 will be able to direct any traffic from the secondary domain to the primary one.
Should I have more than one domain?
There’s really no reason to have multiple domains. The only reason to purchase a domain you won’t be using as your primary domain is so that someone else won’t use it.
What if I have multiple domains?
If you have multiple domains, you will have to choose one to be your primary domain. This will be the one you use most frequently, like on business cards and online links. The other domains can be set up to redirect to the primary domain as long as S8E8 has access to the DNS settings for those domains.
What about my email?
Studio 8E8 offers business-class email included with your website hosting. If you are using your previous website company for email, you will probably want to transfer that email to us and cancel with your previous company. However, clients who own Google Workspace or Office 365 (Outlook) accounts typically choose to stay with their current email system.
