What is a domain name?

Why domain names exist

Every computer on the internet has a numeric address, an IP address such as 192.0.2.24. Numbers are hard to remember, so the internet uses names that point to those numbers. When someone types yourbusiness.co.ke, their device looks up the number behind it (this is DNS) and loads your website.

The parts of a domain name

Take shop.yourbusiness.co.ke:

Part	Example	What it is
Extension (TLD)	.co.ke	The ending, chosen from a list. See domain extensions
Name	yourbusiness	The part you choose
Subdomain	shop	Optional, created by you for free. See subdomains

What a domain gives your business

• A website address customers can remember and trust.
• Professional email: [email protected] instead of a free Gmail address.
• A brand you control: social media pages can be closed or change rules; your domain is yours as long as you renew it.
• Local trust: a .co.ke tells customers you are a Kenyan business.

Do you own a domain?

Not quite: you register it, which means you hold the right to use it for as long as you keep renewing it, usually yearly. Stop renewing and it is eventually released for anyone to register. That is why auto-renewal matters (see renewal and expiry).

Domain name vs website vs hosting

The domain is the address, the hosting is the space where the website’s files live, and the website is what visitors see. You need both a domain and hosting for a website; read domain vs hosting for the full picture.

What a domain costs in Kenya

A .co.ke costs Ksh 1,300 a year and a .com Ksh 1,780 a year at Hostnali, and every web hosting plan except Starter includes a free domain for the first year. See domain prices for every extension.

How to get one

1. Search for your name on the domain registration page.
2. Pick an available extension and add it to your cart.
3. Pay by M-Pesa, card or bank transfer. Registration is usually done in minutes.

Not sure which name to choose? Read choosing a domain name.