_About_domain_names_Intro_v1

Domain names make your web address easy to remember. You are not required to register a domain name to have a website because when you sign up for our Website Service, we let your organization choose a free hostname, which acts as a domain name.  

 You will get a website URL like this: adoptablepets.rescuegroups.org.  The hostname is the first part of your website address (adoptablepets), and the second part is our name (rescuegroups.org) because we host your site.  

You can also register your own domain name, such as adoptablepets.org, at any time and still use our service. Remember, to see your website at any time from your account, you can click Website > Open Your Website.

Why register a domain name?

A domain name makes it easy for guests to find your website. For instance, the name adoptablepets.org is shorter and easier to remember than adoptablepets.rescuegroups.org. If you want a domain name like adoptablepets.org, see the section in this page on Registering a domain name, or for more detail, see our User Guide chapter on Registering a domain name.

Do I have to register a domain name?

You never have to register a domain name. Some groups don’t sign up for a domain name because of the expense. And that’s okay. You can use your hostname from RescueGroups.org as your domain name.

My organization already has a domain name registered can we use it?

 Yes.  To do that, “point” your existing domain name to your RescueGroups.org Website so that visitors see your domain.

See the instructions for Adding a domain name you have already registered.

My organization would like to register a domain name

There are two ways of registering a domain name to use with your Website Service:

• You can register a domain name through our service and we will point it for you. See the section Registering a Domain Name.