{"id":23379,"date":"2019-09-06T06:23:03","date_gmt":"2019-09-06T11:23:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/?p=23379"},"modified":"2019-09-05T11:56:16","modified_gmt":"2019-09-05T16:56:16","slug":"second-level-domain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/second-level-domain\/","title":{"rendered":"What Is a Second-Level Domain?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you\u2019re actively searching the web, you probably don\u2019t think twice about domain names. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s just the name you type into your web browser, or the link you click on from the search results.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, when you start to investigate domain names<\/a> for your new website, you\u2019ll see that there\u2019s a lot that\u2019s going on behind the scenes. Plus, there are a lot of technical terms and questions you\u2019re going to have to sort between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What\u2019s a second level domain? A top-level domain name? How do I use domain name registrations? A domain extension? A subdomain? The questions go on and on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luckily, these terms aren\u2019t as complicated as you might initially think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Below we dive deep into the question what is a second level domain? By the end of this post, you\u2019ll understand exactly what a second level domain is, why it\u2019s important, how it relates to other parts of a domain name, and finally, some tips on choosing the perfect domain<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Domain Name?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, we\u2019ll start with a term you\u2019re probably familiar with-a domain name. A domain name<\/a> is what you type into your internet browser to access a website. Think of it as the address to your home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For people to get to your house, you\u2019ll need to give them your home\u2019s unique address. The same goes for your website. For people to access your site, they\u2019re going to need the domain that\u2019s associated with your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a technical level, your domain name stands in place of an IP address<\/a>. Before the domain name system was created, you\u2019d have to type in a complex series of numbers to access a website. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the IP address is still technically there. However, instead of having to remember that string of numbers, you only have to remember the domain name. So, instead of typing in something like 32.55.76.77 you just type in '\u02dchostgator.com\u2019, and voila, you’re transported to the site. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a URL?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ve probably heard the term URL<\/a> before. It\u2019s often used synonymously with terms like domain and domain name. But, it\u2019s not actually the exact same thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator, and it refers to the entire string of letters and numbers within a web address. So, it can be simple like 'https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/domains<\/em>,'\u009d or it can be more complex like 'https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/how-to-create-a-website\/<\/em>'\u009d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The URL spells out the entire location of a page, post, or media file located on your server. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019ll soon learn, the second level domain is a small part of the overall URL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Second Level Domain?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are multiple parts to a domain name (we break this down in more detail below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, now let\u2019s focus on arguably the most essential part of a domain name-the second level domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you\u2019re browsing for a domain name here at HostGator<\/a> (or any other domain registrar<\/a>), you\u2019ll actually be searching for a second level domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"register<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This is the most memorable part of your domain name and is the aspect you\u2019ll be building your brand around. In '\u02dchostgator.com\u2019, '\u02dchostgator\u2019 is the second level domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second level domain is the part of your domain that people will remember the most. It will become the hub that you build the rest of your online brand around. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understanding All the Parts of a Domain Name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As you\u2019ve hopefully gleaned so far, there are a few moving pieces you\u2019ll have to sort out before you do a domain registration.. The most crucial part is your second level domain, but you also need a top-level domain<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In some cases, you also might want to add a subdomain to your primary domain, so we\u2019ll highlight this relationship as well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. The Second Level Domain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The second level domain is the '\u02dchostgator\u2019 in '\u02dchostgator.com.\u2019 It\u2019s arguably the most critical part of website names, but it won\u2019t work on its own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if you just type in '\u02dchostgator\u2019 into your web browser, this will be treated as a search keyword, instead of a domain name. Only with the addition of a top-level domain name does it become an actual domain name. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Top-Level Domain Names<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The top-level domain (TLD) is the part of the domain to the right of the second level domain. With '\u02dchostgator.com\u2019 the top-level domain would be '\u02dc.com.\u2019<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You might be a little confused about why the part is called the TLD. But, it makes sense when you think about how web browsers read the domain name. When we read English, we read from left to right, so we assume that browsers do the same. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, when reading a domain name, the web browser reads it from right from left, so the top-level domain is the first thing it reads. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, choosing a top-level domain is also very important, you\u2019ll have dozens of different top-level domains to choose from. Some of these are country-specific, like .co.uk or .co.au. While others are geared towards specific organizations, like .org and .edu, and some are just plain fun, like .bike or .beer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you search for a domain name here at HostGator, you\u2019ll be able to choose from a variety of different domain name extensions<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"examples<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Even if the extension you desire isn\u2019t available, you might be able to find one that\u2019s a better fit!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. The Subdomain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A subdomain is<\/a> an aspect of your domain name that\u2019s related to your second level domain. For example, if you wanted to create a subdomain for your company blog, it would look like this 'blog.mysite.com.'\u009d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Subdomains are created<\/a> for a variety of purposes, but here are some of the most common:<\/p>\n\n\n\n