Want to establish an online store, blog, or local service website? If so, you need to understand the fundamental concept of domains, including top-level and second-level domains. These two are the key elements of a website address, helping you organize your content and improve accessibility.
This post answers the burning question, “What is the difference between TLDs and domains?” Understanding these fundamental concepts will help you enhance your website’s security and functionality and make better decisions about your digital presence.
It’s hard to understand or remember numeric IP addresses. Comprising of alphabets (mostly), a domain converts those complex codes into human-readable web addresses, also known as domain names.
This is why we only have to type a domain name to open a website instead of the complex numeric addresses. The system that maps every domain to its respective IP address is called Domain Name System (DNS).
In simple words:
So, besides the human-friendly access, domains also give your brand a unique identity on the internet. It’s what users remember and associate with your business.
Every URL contains a dot, dividing the domain name into:
A TLD is the last portion of a domain name, located after the dot. This is why it is also called domain extension. It is the top tier of name resolution in the DNS.
TLDs are divided into different categories based on purpose and location. For example:
The second part of a domain name is known as second-level domain (SLD). Located at the left of the dot, SLD occupies a relatively larger portion of a domain name. For example, in freename.com, “freename” is the SLD.
In a domain name, SLD acts as the main identifier, distinguishing one domain name from another. Therefore, the purpose of SLD is to represent the brand with a unique name.
SLDs usually contain any one (or more) elements:
For example, the SLD “GreenThumbLawncare” in www.greenthumblawncare.com contains all three elements.
Some of the most common examples of SLD include:
Consider URLs like “en.wikipedia.org” and “www.facebook.com”. Here, .org and .com are TLDs, while “Wikipedia” and “Facebook” are SLDs. The extended parts, such as “en” and “www” that indicate the purpose of these URLs are third-level domains or subdomains.
In a URL, a third-level domain precedes the second-level and top-level domains, making it easier for the DNS to fetch the desired results in the shortest possible time.
A third-level domain helps streamline the content, making the website well-organized and navigable. It can be used to create distinct areas for different services or functions within the same domain.
The subdomains need not end at the third level; using the same reasoning, they can expand to include the fourth level, fifth level, and so on subdomains.
Some users are confused between domain, URL, and website, and most use ‘domains’ and ‘URLs’ interchangeably. If you’re one of them, find out what makes them different.
As we all know, a domain name consists of a TLD and an SLD that help online users access a website, an app, a digital wallet, or NFTs. For example, Satista.com, Amazon.com, Freename.io, Wikipedia.org, and more.
Each domain helps identify the business. Users can type domain names to access their desired websites. After landing on the homepage, users can access other resources by clicking on the available tabs.
Suppose you want to find out about the web3 domain registered by Freename. You can access Freename. to land on their homepage. From there, you can access the Explorer page by:
In this example, you can see that the domain name (Freename.com) serves as an anchor. It remains the same for every page you access, except the path changes according to the page.
Note: A domain name may or may not contain subdomains. Most modern websites use a forward slash (/) after the actual domain name to define the path to a specific page.
By definition, a URL is the complete web address of a webpage that can be a landing page, an app, a contact form, or any other resource. It offers every information necessary for the DNS to return precise results.
In general, a URL consists of a protocol and domain name to be able to open a particular website or webpage. Other components, such as subdomain or path may or may not be present.
Let’s find out why URLs are not domains by analyzing a URL: “https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet”.
Its basic components include:
A website is a virtual space to store and showcase your digital content. To make this content easily accessible, a website is divided into different pages. Each page has a unique address, which serves as a designated path for users to access desired data smoothly.
This is why a single website may have multiple URLs leading to different pages, but its domain name (SLD and TLD) remains the same throughout.
Every page on that website should have a unique URL. For example, you can access the Freename contact page in this manner:
Similarly, every media (video, image, and form) also has a different URL, ensuring quick and smooth access.
One major benefit of the new TLDs is the reinstatement of shorter names and forms that had previously been prohibited by the older TLDs. Thanks to the availability of these new extensions,
Older TLDs have saturated the Web2 space, making it even more difficult for new businesses to find relevant domain names. So, instead of complicating matters for yourself, you can try new TLDs.
Investing in new TLDs can help you avoid complex URLs and confusing domains. This will also help you create shorter names for your website and its multiple resource pages.
New TLDs offer several benefits over traditional ones, including:
Some Examples of new TLDs include:
A domain name can make or break your brand’s reputation, hence a crucial aspect of your business. You need to understand how the IP address structure functions so that you refrain from creating contradicting domains. In sum, a domain name should be convenient for both, users and search engines.
Follow these tips:
TLD is an integral part of your domain. With the right TLD in your domain, you can easily attract your target audience. For example, a .token TLD will attract medical practitioners, researchers, financial forecasters, and data analysts looking for a DeFi platform to tokenize their data.
Below are some considerations to help you select the right TLD
Businesses can consider registering multiple TLDs to protect their brand identity. While some might conceive this move as removing competition, it’s more about preserving a domain from scammers.
In this context, trademarking a TLD would be an ideal solution, protecting brands from impersonation, counterfeiting, and identity theft.
Over the years, Freename has strengthened its place in Web3 and Web2 spaces. It’s not your average Web3 domain hosting platform but a dynamic solution for both traditional and decentralized web users.
Here are some noteworthy services making Freename your go-to TLD registrar and domain hosting provider:
In connection with the above, Freename has become the first Web3-ICANN accredited registrar, offering domain mirroring and single-click DNS resolution services to traditional domain owners.
Other benefits include:
TLDs and domains are technically different. The former acts as a segment to complement the latter. Together, they create a unique identity for your digital space. A domain name is an integral part of a URL (Universal Resource Locator) that helps DNS to identify every page or media on your website.
Understanding these distinctions is vitally important for smooth domain management. In connection, you need to find TLDs that reflect the true purpose of your business. Your domain must resonate with your audience and meet search engine guidelines to get loads of online traffic. It must provide value to your audience.
If older TLDs fail to meet your expectations, leverage new TLDs with better SEO potential. Moreover, consider registering a handful of TLDs to ensure brand integrity. Doing so will also help you generate passive income when new SLDs will register with your TLD.
You can work with Freename to make this process smooth. Register with Freename to buy profitable TLDs and domains. Even better! Get Freename’s TLD trademark service to turn your domains into protected domains.