Some of the most common domain extensions you’ll see are: .com – The most popular TLD around, this was originally designed for commercial businesses, but can now be used by any individual or organization on the Internet. .biz – Designed for use by businesses. .org – Most commonly used by nonprofit organizations, this domain extension has since grown to be nearly as ubiquitous as .com. Anyone can register a .org domain name. .net – Like a lot of TLDs, this one was intended for use by networks (think Cox Cable), but can now be used and registered by anyone. .gov – Unlike the domain extensions above, the .gov TLD continues to be restricted, meaning only government organizations are permitted to use it. .mobi – Oftentimes a company or organization registers their domain name using .mobi if they’re showing a mobile-only version of their website. .ng (or other country specific domains) – You’re likely to only see ccTLDs that match your home country. These are restricted, and may only be registered by a company or organization that resides within the same country. For example, only NG companies may register a .ng domain name.

Domain names can be used in a number of ways. Direct visitors to your website’s home page or use complementary domains to send them to specific areas of your website ( e.g. yourcompany.jobs for a careers page). Or, forward a custom domain to an existing social media account, like your Twitter profile or Periscope channel. With a domain name you can even set up custom email addresses like yourname@yoursite.social, which can be used to conduct business or communicate with your followers. More.