What is a domain
A domain is your website's address on the internet, such as yourcompany.ee. It is the name a visitor types into a browser to reach your site.
A domain has to be registered and renewed regularly. A .ee domain suits the Estonian market, a .com the international one.
It is important that the domain is registered to your company, not to the developer. Otherwise you become dependent on them.
Why a domain matters
A domain is your brand's name online. A good domain is easy to remember and type. We recommend registering both .ee and .com so no one else takes your brand name.
How a domain works technically
Computers find each other by numeric IP addresses. The Domain Name System, DNS, acts like a phone book that translates yourcompany.ee into a server address. A domain carries DNS records that state which server holds the website and which one receives email.
The .ee zone is run by the Estonian Internet Foundation, and domains are registered through its accredited registrars, which are usually hosting companies. You can change registrar without losing the domain.
Example: a construction company picks a name
A builder in Pärnu is choosing between a long address made of hyphenated keywords and a short one with the company name. The first is hard to dictate over the phone and easy to mistype. The second also works for email in the form info@companyname.ee, which looks more credible than a free mailbox.
If the company name contains Estonian letters such as ä, ö, ü or õ, register the plain version as well: many people type addresses without them, and such domains are awkward in email.
Common domain mistakes
The most painful one is forgetting to renew. When a domain expires, both the website and email stop working, and after a while the domain is deleted. Released .ee domains go to auction, where anyone can buy them.
- The domain is registered to a developer or a former employee and the company has no control over it.
- Renewal notices go to a mailbox nobody reads any more.
- Only one spelling is registered and a competitor takes the similar one.
How to check who owns your domain
Open the WHOIS lookup on internet.ee and enter your domain. For a company you will see the registrant name, the registrar and the expiry date. If the registrant is someone else, ask for a transfer now, before there is a dispute or the cooperation ends. Turn on automatic renewal and keep the contact details in the registrar account up to date.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose .ee or .com?
If your customers are in Estonia, .ee is the natural choice: it is familiar and trusted locally. For an international business .com or .eu fits better. Many companies register several endings to protect the brand and point them all to one site.
Does the domain name affect Google rankings?
A keyword in the domain gives no noticeable advantage today. Page content, speed and links from other sites matter more. Choose a name that is memorable and fits the brand.
Can I move a domain to different hosting?
Yes. The domain and the hosting are separate services. You can change DNS records so the domain points to a new server, or transfer the domain to another registrar. The website and email should be ready in the new place first.