Second Level Domain
SLD is the acronym for Second Level Domain and represents the portion of the URL that identifies the specific and unique owner. The SLD is the actual website's domain name.[1]
Overview[edit | edit source]
Simply put, the second domain level is the domain directly below the top-level domain (TLD). In the same way, the SLD represents the portion which is located exactly in the right part of the domain name extension. The SLD includes the TLD and helps during the identification process of a the owning organization of a specific URL.[2] For example, in www.domainname.com, “domainname” represents the second level domain.
Usually, the SLD is being determined and defined upon registration of a domain name. Within the same IP Address one can use more than one SLD. [3]
Furthermore, a TLD can bee separated into more SLDs. Registrants are advised to register the domain names within the necessary SLD which corresponds to the type of activity. However, second-level domains are being divided into sub-domains which can be even different computers within an organization or different aliases.
Types of SLDs[edit | edit source]
The SLD can be represented by short names or longer names - depending on each business needs. However, the short names are easier to remember. In the case of longer domain names, the best solution would be to choose representative keywords because the user will not type in the whole domain name, will most probably look for the most relevant keywords and then click a link.
When determining the right SLD,one should know about:
- Second level domains which are directly managed
- Second level domains which are delegated to other organizations to manage [4]
Choosing the SLD[edit | edit source]
In order to choose and determine the right domain name, besides choosing the TLD it is also important to carefully choose the SLD because this portion is the actual website domain name. Having this in mind, when choosing the SLD the following choices are available:
- Choosing a brandable name: either as an acronym or a synonym of a famous brand.
- Choosing a domain name based on a well rated keyword: the keywords represent the best description of a specific product or a business.
- Choosing a domain names based on an already existent company or organization: a great solution for businesses which want to achieve and enjoy an Internet presence. Nowadays, a business success also depends on its Internet presence.
Valid Domain Names and SLDs[edit | edit source]
In order to register a domain name, the validity requirements must be met. In this way, a domain name is valid if it contains up to 67 characters including the domain name extension (such as .com). Valid characters are those between 0-9, letters a-z and dashes, but the dash "-" cannot be used at the beginning or at the end of a domain name. [5]