Do I Have A Domain Name

Make It Easy To Type & Remember

Even if a website ranks well in searches, its still important to have a web address that clients can relay via word of mouth. That can mean limiting creativity a bit, as its very difficult to visualize and remember domains with odd spellings of words, multiple hyphens or other characters, numbers and so forth.

People should know how to type it as soon as they hear it or after a very brief explanation. In the domain industry this is commonly referred to as the radio test. If your client is running an ad or talking about their business over the air, how do they say the domain? Something like katz4life.com presents far more of a problem than, say, catsrock.com for a web address.

Also try to avoid words that have more than one common spelling, such as ambience . If you must use one of these, try to register an additional domain with that alternate spelling. Its very easy to forward the variant to a primary domain, letting people find the website without confusion.

Setting Up Your Domain

If you want to acquire a domain name, you must buy one and register it. To do this, visit a domain name registrar, like GoDaddy or Google Domains, plug your desired domain name in, check its availability and price, and then buy it, if its in your price range. From there, you’ll be able to associate that domain with your server and hosting provider, making your site accessible via the web address.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in February 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Loss Of Brand Awareness

Brand awareness is something that you have more control over when changing your domain name. If you have frequent direct traffic site visitors , you risk losing them when you change your domain name. They may type in your old domain and when the site doesnt load, think that youve gone offline permanently.

You can mitigate this risk by using redirects and messaging. Implement a 301 redirect from your old domain to your new one for a period of at least 120 days.

Many site visitors will catch on and notice the new domain name, but you cant bank on everyone being observant. Instead, think about including a message or pop-up on your site announcing your new domain name or rebrand to make sure they see it and use the new domain name moving forward.

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A Domain Name Gives You Your Own Corner Of The Internet

There are many reasons why you might want your own domain name. Maybe you want a place to feature your resume or portfolio. Maybe you’re looking to showcase a complex website you built yourself with languages like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.

No matter what you intend to use it for, having your own domain name allows you to build a web presence that’s entirely about you. There are no social media templates, word count limits, or distracting sidebars competing for readers’ attention.

Add The Domain To Your Cart And Complete The Registration Process

If your chosen domain is available, congrats! All you have to do now is add it to your cart and complete the registration process. If you dont yet have an account with the registrar, youll be prompted to sign up.

Be sure to follow the steps we outlined in the How to Register Your Domain Name section to ensure youve successfully registered your domain name.

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Why Are Domain Names So Important

A domain name gives your business instant credibility and puts you in the same online marketplace as your largest competitors. It says that you mean business and helps online shoppers and customers see you as a forward-thinking company that is conveniently accessible online. It is the pathway for people to visit your website, learn more about your business, and purchase your products and services.

The right domain will build your brand by creating a strong image for your business, and it can mean the difference between establishing a vibrant online presence and getting lost in cyberspace. If you publish your site through an internet service provider , your web address could end up like ISP.com/SuperiorAutoRepair , as compared to SuperiorAutoRepair.com. See the difference? Your customers will, too.

Also, search engine optimization is critical to your business being found via search, so you need to consider if your chosen domain name is SEO-friendly and includes keywords that will help with your sites ranking.

Read more: Establishing your brand with off-page SEO

Check The Domain History

You might have your sights set on a completely fresh domain name. However, theres also a possibility that the domain youd like to purchase had a previous owner.

Its best to investigate the domains history as this could affect your sites search engine rankings. There are a few tools you can use to check on past owners, including Wayback Machine and Whoxy:

This is useful information to know. For instance, you wouldnt want to buy a domain name that was previously running an unethical business, as it might hurt your reputation.

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Sign In And Go To Settings > Domains > Buy A Domain

You can choose from the following top-level domains for your domain.

• .biz

• org.uk

Note

When you select Buy domain, you may be redirected to your Microsoft partner’s website if the tenant is purchased/managed through a Microsoft partner.

You Found The Domain Name Owner Whats Next

When you want a domain name thats taken by someone else, you have to consider what a domain owner will expect in return. Use domain aftermarket sites like SnapNames.com, NameJet.com and the Network Solutions Domain Taken Center to compare prices of domain names for sale.

You should also consider your own reputation before you approach someone about purchasing their domain name. If you already have a following, the owner of the domain may learn how valuable the name is to you, turning a thousand-dollar transaction into one worth tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. Consider making a Certified Offer with Network Solutions or employing a domain broker to maintain anonymity when you make an offer to buy a domain name. It could give you an edge in the negotiation process.

Should all else fail, you can always register another domain name. There are several hundred million domain names registered at the time of this articles publishing, and there are billions of other combinations that are not registered. With enough creativity and research, you can find the alternative thats perfect for you.

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Change Your Domain Name To Suit Business Needs

Having a domain name is important if you want to establish credibility with customers in the online space. Its an easy way to signal to shoppers what youre selling and to gain a foothold in your market. The edge you gain through landing that perfect domain name is well worth the time and money investments required.

Unfortunately, some people wind up with a domain name that accomplishes none of those things. As a result, they are forced to change the name. Fortunately, this process is simple: follow the steps listed above to land the perfect domain name.

Kristin Crabb

Content Marketing Strategist working in the digital marketing industry. Skilled in SEO-focused content creation, keyword research and competitive analysis, interactive content, web content optimization, and landing page creation.

If The Domain Is Taken Input The Url In Your Browser And Access The Website

What do you do if the domain isnt available? We have good news. You still have a chance at buying it.

First up, access the URL on your browser. Its possible its a parked domain, which means that someone bought it for the purpose of reselling it. Usually, in these cases, you can easily submit a request for purchase. Heres one example of a parked domain at greatstore.com:

When you click on the top banner, youll be taken to a form where you can reach out to a sales team to buy the domain.

Once there, it may or may not be easy to tell who the domain parking authority is. In this case, its GoDaddy. If you head to the GoDaddy website and search for the domain, you can easily find pricing information and then immediately add it to your cart if its within your budget.

Complete the domain buying process just as you would for any other domain.

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Domains And Hosting A Few Basics

Owning a blog or website involves two separate pieces, your domain and your host. Its important to understand these elements for the most effective management of your site.

The domain is the address people use to get to your site. For example, this sites domain is andreawhitmer.com. You can register a domain with any number of registrars or providers basically you pay an annual fee to use that particular web address. If you stop paying, someone else can use the domain instead.

Website hosting is the service that actually stores your websites files. If you have a free blog through Blogger or WordPress.com, then your host is Google or WordPress, respectively. Self-hosted websites rent server space from a company that agrees to store your files.

Basically, you put your websites files on your hosts servers, then tell your domain to point to those files when someone puts in your URL. Its kind of like putting a SIM card in a cell phone the SIM card tells that phone, Hey, you work with this particular phone number now. Just like you can switch out a phones SIM card and make the phone work with a different phone number, your domain can be set to work with a different web hosting service.

Do It Yourself With A Simple

You dont need any design experience to build a lovely site via the affordable DIY solutions available, including GoDaddys Websites + Marketing. Choose your industry, customize it, and hit publish. Just like that, your website is live.

GoDaddys Websites + Marketing also has templates for a variety of industries. You can even give the templates a test run before you decide if GoDaddys website builder meets your needs.

Related: How to plan a website

Also Check: How To Buy An Already Registered Domain Name

What Is The Domain Name System

The Domain Name System is a technical process by which domain names are translated into their corresponding Internet Protocol addresses .

As we mentioned previously, every website has a unique, complex string of numbers and letters known as an IP address that computers use to render a web address to an end user.

While humans use words, letters and numbers to navigate to a specific website, the internet uses IP addresses to identify the web pages location.

When you type in the domain name or URL that you want to visit, the DNS works behind the scenes to find the sites correct IP address, and then it connects you to the website.

Connecting The Dots: Domain Names Websites And Web Hosting

Domain names, websites, and web hosts are different elements of your web presence, but they work together to help people find you online. When someone types in your web address, a web browser sends a request to a network of web servers throughout the world that is part of the Domain Name System . After a quick search, these servers locate your website address and request access to your web page.

The server that receives this request and houses all your website files is managed by your web host. In addition to giving your website a secure online home, your web host has a system in place to gather the data associated with the requested web page and send this information back to the browser that initiated the process. In a matter of a few brief seconds, your web page opens and is ready for viewing.

Read more:Debunked: 6 myths about web hosting providers

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Complete The Domain Registration

As soon as you have completed the payment, youll be redirected to the control panel. Inside, there will be a setup box that youll need to fill out to complete the domain name registration.

Youll need to fill in all the fields with the correct details, such as your name, address, andcontact information. This data will be stored on WHOIS, the official domain ownership database.

After submitting your details, the domain registration will be processed.

Its possible to modify the domain ownership details using the domain management section within the control panel. Once the changes are made, you will have to confirm them via email.

Want To Register Another Domain Name Heres Your Chance

If youve registered a domain name, you probably have some idea of what you want to achieve, but you might not know where to start. Follow along as I break down a few options that might make sense for you and your business.

Ill bet more than one will fit the bill.

Editors note: Ready to get started with a website? Check out GoDaddys Websites + Marketing for free.

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Hyphens Are A Close Call

If a domain name uses two words, it might be tempting to add a hyphen for readability. The problem is people might not remember the hyphen and wind up at someone elses site.

It used to be a common belief that hyphenated domains were easier for search engines to parse, so they had better SEO value. However, today its understood that search engines actually associate hyphenated domains with spammy behaviour and could penalize them.

Choose Your Top Level Domain Extension Carefully

A Top-Level Domain extension is the last part of your URL that comes directly after the name of your site. Some of the most popular TLDs are .com, .org, and .net.

Among all the TLDs, .com is often a popular choice. However, if .com is taken, its not the end of the world.

Other popular TLDs such as .xyz, .shop, .club, .online, .art, .inc, and even .party are becoming increasingly common. TLDs like .marketing and .technology allow you to go with something more relevant to your industry. The usage of ccTLDs is also an extremely popular option. In recent years, more technology startups are using .io , .ai , and .co , for example. Ultimately, youll want to choose a domain name extension that is cohesive with your website and signals credibility.

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How To Buy A Domain For Office 365 Operated By 21vianet

If you don’t already have your own domain, you can easily buy one online at a domain name registrar, domain reseller, or even at your current Internet provider. You get a domain name when you sign up for Office 365 operated by 21Vianet, for example, contoso.partner.onmschina.cn. But you may want to use a custom domain name, like fourthcoffee.com.

To set up a domain in Microsoft 365, you must own a domain and change some of the DNS records for your domain.

Caution

Some domain registrars or DNS hosting providers do not allow creating all the DNS records required by Microsoft 365. The following list of hosting providers supports all the needed records. If you’re thinking of using a different hosting provider, Service limitations when your hosting provider does not support SRV, CNAME, TXT, or redirection.

After you register your domain , you sign in to Microsoft 365 as an admin. Then, set up your domain so you can use it with your email address and other services.

Note

The SharePoint Online Public Website information in this article only applies if your organization purchased Microsoft 365 prior to March 9, 2015.

Add Domain Id Protection

When you register a domain name with ICANN, you must provide your contact information including your name, phone number, physical address, and email address.

As soon as your domain name is registered, this contact information becomes available to the public unless you pay for domain privacy through your domain registrar. This domain privacy will shield your information from view, keeping your personal information safe from spammers or worse, identity thieves.

Once you’ve got the domain name in hand, you’re ready to find hosting and build your website. Consider a free CMS, like HubSpot, to design your website, strategize for SEO, and create a blog.

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Domains And Domain Names: What They Are And 10+ Examples

Securing a domain or domain name is the first step in creating an online presence that will help you get found by prospects on Google and other search engines.

In this post, we’ll cover everything you need to know about these terms so you can continue the process of setting up a website for your business. You can skip ahead to any of the sections below:

• types of domains

Over To You: I Have A Domain Name Now What

So, here are the 10 different ways to use your domain name.

You could either start a blog and earn money with it or flip the domain at sites like Dan or Godaddy to make some quick bucks. One more potential use of a domain lying around can be using it as a vanity URL and redirect it to your resume or social media channels. Redirection can be done at your domain provider.

Another important thing to do after buying a domain would be to register all other top-level domains related to your primary domain along with other domain name extensions so that your brand is secured.

I hope we gave tried to answer your burning question, I bought a domain now what?. If you have any other creative uses of domain names feel free to comment below.

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