Everything You Need to Know About Your Domain Name

Choosing the right domain name is a vital strategic step, as it serves as your organisation's primary online branding and digital address. This comprehensive guide explains the difference between a custom domain and the free Member Jungle domain, detailing how to securely purchase a new one or continue using your existing club domain. A well-chosen domain name extension and clear URL structure are crucial for building website identity and attracting potential members.

Your domain name is really important. It serves as your organisation's digital address, its first impression, and a cornerstone of your online identity.

A well-chosen domain name is crucial; it immediately reinforces your organisation's branding and ensures people can find you online without confusion. A confusing, overly long, or unprofessional domain name can deter potential members before they even see your website.

I am obviously not going to leave you hanging without some examples of very poor domain names. Now, I can’t write many of these out as Google will get grumpy at me, so I will just write the companies’ names, and you can imagine what they would look like without spaces or capitals. 

• Who Represents 
• Pen Island 
• Winters Express
• Pool Life
• Speed Of Art

All of those are real, active websites whose domain names should really be updated. 

So, while choosing a domain name might seem like a small technical task, it's actually a vital strategic decision. So, today let’s talk about domain names, what they are, why they matter and getting the right domain name for your new Member Jungle site.

What Is A Domain Name?

A domain name is essentially the unique street address of your website on the internet. It's the recognisable name that appears in the address bar at the top of any browser, e.g. www.memberjungle.com. Its main purpose is to make your website accessible, allowing both people and search engines to find your site effectively.

Every domain name is made up of at least two parts. The unique name you choose (like "memberjungle") and the extension (like ".com" or ".org"). As the primary digital address, choosing or keeping a good, clean domain name is a foundational step in building trust with potential members, as it is often their very first interaction with your brand.

How Can I Get A New Domain Name?

If you don’t already have a domain name or you want a new domain name, you can do so when signing up to Member Jungle. All customers get a free Member Jungle domain name when signing up to Member Jungle; these domains are always myclub.memberjungle.club. So if you’re the Fiat Car Club, your domain would be something like fiatclub.memberjungle.club. 

If you don’t want a domain name with the .memberjungle in it, you can buy a custom domain name. There are plenty of domain name providers out there, including GoDaddy, Namecheap and Tellidomains (which we own). These providers let you search for your desired domain name, check availability, and purchase the extension (e.g., .com or .org) that best suits you. Below is an example search I did for Fiat Club on Tellidomains.

 

 

It’s like choosing a username; fiatclub.com might not be available, so you need to try variations to find one that works for you. Also, during this trial-and-error process, remember to double-check that your domain isn't accidentally inappropriate, as in the examples at the start. 

My suggestion would be to show your domain to any teenage boy; they’ll know immediately. For example, the very real website of the American bowling alley Big Al’s: their domain name is “I love Big Al’s,” which is fine, but unfortunately looks like this in a URL bar. 

Also, yes, they are in Beaverton, Oregon; you can’t make this stuff up. It would take a teenage boy one single second to spot that. 

Can I Use My Existing Domain Name With Member Jungle 

Yes. If you already have a good domain name, you can absolutely keep using it with your new Member Jungle website. There is no need to use the free Member Jungle one or buy a new one; you can and should keep using your existing one if you’re happy with it. 

Your domain is a big asset when it comes to people finding your website online. By keeping it, you avoid the risk of losing some of the Search Ranking and Authority you've built over time. More importantly, retaining your domain name maintains immediate Brand Consistency and ensures that all existing backlinks (links from other websites, social media, etc.) continue to function, driving valuable traffic directly to your new site.

Your domain name is an investment that preserves your online history and should be protected. If, however, you decide you must change your domain name, we will set up redirects so that anyone trying to reach your old URL will be redirected to the new one.

If you have purchased a new domain or are keeping your existing one, you can fill in this form: Custom Domain Details, and we’ll help you make the required changes to apply it to your new site. If you purchased your domain via Tellidomain, you still need to fill in the form, but we can then handle it all for you. 

What Else Do I need To Know About Onboarding?

That is pretty much all you need to know about getting your domain name set up on your new Member Jungle system. If you have any questions, please reach out to us. We will be more than happy to help. 

If you want to know more about this technical side of going live, check out The Tech Side Of Onboarding With Member Jungle.