Set Up Website Hosting
Finally, if youd like someone to do it for you, its time to find a website host. We recommend Kinsta.
Kinsta websites are fast, easy to build, and protected with hardware firewalls, SSL support, uptime monitoring, and Distributed Denial of Service detection. Kinsta also offers expert help and allows you to choose which of the 28 Google Cloud Platform data centers hosts your site.
You can get started with Kinsta by signing up for one of our plans. Then, follow our instructions to add your domain to your Kinsta site.
Dont Buy The Domain If Its Not For A Unique Website
Heres a typical scenario youve got an existing website. You have new content or new products that you want to promotebut it does not quite fit under the domain that you have.
You consider buying a new domain name for that new content or new product instead of using your existing domain.
Dont buy that new domain just yet.
Why? Well, you will be starting from ground zero in terms of audience, search engine indexing, and content. If you use your existing domain, youll get to build off its existing equity.
However, other companies/bloggers/people obviously do this all the time , so whats the best practice? Here we go
- If the new site has a 100% different target audience, voice, or brandthen buy the domain name.
- If the new site is a one-off content feature if the content appeals to the same type of people who read your site now if its really just a categorization issue for youdo not buy the domain.
- Instead, look at ways that you can expand the description of the site to catch that one-off topic because you arent writing for a topic, you are writing for the types of people who are interested in that topic.
- If you dont have a whole new audience, dont buy the domain, especially because it is usually associated with Rule #2.
Dont Worry About Exact Domain Matching
So a lot of people dont care about building a brand or a business right now they just want the perceived SEO value for keywordkeywordexample.com. After all who cares about the brand when you can get traffic from search engines!
The idea behind this idea is that you could buy a domain name with your target keywords in it and you would rank better in search results for cooking recipesjust because your domain name has cooking recipes in it.
Well it turns out that the search engineers at Google actually already know about this game and strive to even the playing field. They even released an update in September 2012 that explicitly devalues domains with exact match domain names.
So even beyond building a brand you shouldnt choose a domain name simply for its perceived SEO value. Heres Googles Head of Web Spam & SEO Liaison Matt Cutts on the topic.
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Why Should You Get A Domain Name
The online world is rich with opportunities to create a business or blog on free or paid hosting sites, or even on social media. Free Facebook pages and blogging platforms like BlogSpot or Medium allow users to claim a space for posting content and images of all kinds. Online marketplaces like Shopify and Etsy provide storefronts for entrepreneurs to sell physical and digital goods. Sites like Squarespace make it possible for creatives like photographers and designers to set up an online portfolio without creating a whole website from scratch.
These sites demonstrate that its possible to have an online presence without owning your own domain. But if your aim is to be widely visible and build authority for your brand, these platforms and social media sites have considerable drawbacksproblems that can be avoided with the purchase of your very own domain name.
The High Price Of Free Domain Names: A Lesson From History
There is a huge cost associated with not paying for a domain name. What you save in pennies today, you will pay back in pounds later.
It is a well known fact among seasoned webmasters thatfree web hosts close with great frequency.It’s not just the small kid-in-the-basement web hosting operations that close. Even big ones close too. For example, in recent memory, Googleclosed their service. Approximately around the same period, AOL also closed their member pages, leading to a huge uproar among the large number ofwebmasters who hosted their sites there. And then there’s Yahoo’sGeocities, one of the earliest andarguably the most well known of free web hosts. That closed too. And these are just the famous web hosts run by big name corporations.I didn’t mention the smaller operations.
Each time a free web host closes, sites that are hosted on those hosts disappear forever. The webmasters of those sites cannot say, hey,no problem, I’ll just transfer my site to a new web host and keep my web address. Their web addresses, like the “chris.example.com”mentioned above, don’t belong to them. They belong to the owner of “example.com” which is their web host.
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Run A Domain Name Search
Now that you have found a registrar through which to register your domain, the next step is to perform a domain name search.
When choosing a domain name, make sure to pick the right domain extension as well its the suffix at the end of a web address. Domain name extensions are also referred to as top-level domains .
There are different types of domain extensions available, such as:
- Country Code Top-Level Domain . This kind of TLD represents a specific country, letting both users and search engines know that a site is designed for visitors from a particular region. An example of this is the .us domain, which is the ccTLD for the United States.
- Sponsored Top-Level Domain . Its a type of TLD restricted to certain types of groups and organizations. Some of sTLD examples include .mil, .gov, and .edu.
- Generic Top-Level Domain . Its the most common type of TLD it doesnt rely on a country code and can be used for general purposes. A few examples of gTLDs include .com, .org, and .net.
When deciding on the extension that is suitable for your domain, look for a TLD that represents the purpose of your website. Choosing the wrong suffix can confuse visitors and make your brand name prone to being misinterpreted.
For example, a .com or .biz extensionmight be best for an eCommerce business. On the other hand, if you plan to create a blog to keep an online journal, an extension like .me can be an excellent solution.
How Much Does A Domain Name Cost
When you buy a domain name through domain registrars, you register it for one year with the option of a multi-year registration. You will be able to renew your domain name registration when the initial period finishes, and will usually be alerted by the registrar to do so. Domain names are also sometimes included in your web hosting plan and if not, usually offered by your hosting company.
Domains purchased through Mailchimp are priced based on the TLD you choose, such as .com or .net.
A domain name with a common top-level domain, such as .com, can be had for as low as $12.99 per year, and promotions are often available. Internet domains purchased through Mailchimp also come with free WHOIS privacy protection and a Secure Sockets Layer certificate to provide your website with free verification and encryption.
You do need to have a web hosting plan to put your site online, but you dont need to have hosting to purchase a domain. Assuming you have a business or blog name in mind, its possible to reserve your brands name for the future by purchasing and registering your domain name now. Then youll have plenty of time to consider how to build your website.
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How To Permanently Buy A Domain Name
When you first register a domain name, you choose how many years you want to keep the ownership of the domain. When the domain expires, you have the option to renew the domain for another time period . As long as you renew a domain on time , you can maintain ownership of a domain permanently.
When you fail to renew a domain and it gets expired, other people can register the domain and youll lose ownership. All domain registrars offer the option to auto-renew a domain registration so that you dont accidentally lose your domain because you forgot to renew.
So, to keep a domain permanently make sure that:
- Your contact information with the domain registrar is correct
- You set the auto-renew option to automatically renew a domain before the expiration date
- Your payment details are correct and updated
Consider Buying All Your Domain Extensions
Ever since ICANN opened up the world of gTLDs, theres been massive confusion about whether to buy up all the various domain extensions to protect your trademark from cybersquatting.
In other words, do you need to buy trademark.us and trademark.blog and trademark.org, etc, etc.
The short answer is that gTLDs are a bit of a mess for everybody. You generally have protection from all forms of cybersquatting under US law. And internationally, you can pay for inclusion in ICANNstrademark clearinghouse.
But the better answer is to buy what you think might be most vulnerable, set a for your brand name. Create a for your brand name.
And then set aside a budget for a business lawyer if something ever happens.
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It’s More Expensive To Get It Free
I subtitled this article “The High Price of ‘Free’“because as you can see from above, it’s really more expensive in the long run not to get your own domain name. Domain name prices are cheap,at about $10 a year , so it’s really wiser to justbuy a domain for your site before you start out.Even if you really decide to abandon your website later, you’ll only have lost that $10 . But if your sitereally takes off, that paltry sum will become a worthwhile investment that pays off many times its original amount.
Copyright © 2009-2020 by Christopher Heng. All rights reserved.Get more free tips and articles like this,on web design, promotion, revenue and scripting, from .
Other articles on:Domain Names,Getting Started,Website Design,FAQ
Choose The Right Web Host
Web hosting is the service that makes it possible for your website to exist. Choosing the right web host is the best way to make sure your site is always up and running instead of constantly crashing or experiencing downtime. Good web hosts also offer better support and have more resources to help you if you ever run into trouble with your website.
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Should You Buy Domain Name Privacy Protection
In terms of domain privacy, the GDPR and ICANNs temporary fix effectively provide basic protections for sensitive personal data stored in Whois databases, so that may be enough protection for some users without the need for purchasing additional domain privacy protection. But ICANNs Temporary Specification is just thattemporary. ICANN continues to work with GDPR authorities to find a lasting solutionand eliminating Whois databases may be one option.
Meanwhile, its up to website owners themselves to determine the privacy protections for their sites. Buying domain privacy protection can give site owners more control over the display of Whois data and add layers of protection against spamming, data theft, and even real world, threats due to the publication of a users home address and phone number. Domain privacy protection plans are available at relatively low cost, and some are even free. Plans can be renewed or canceled with your domain renewal.
Information is the currency of the digital world, and in that world, personal data can be more valuable than gold. The GDPR and its related regulations aim to protect that data on a global scale, and this includes key personal data held in domain databases. Owners of domains large and small can opt for added security in the form of dedicated domain privacy plans that keep the most sensitive Whois information out of the wrong hands.
Desiree Johnson|Content Specialist
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Registrars And Website Hosts
The registrar may be the same company as the host, or it may be a totally different company. Most companies will allow customers to perform a name search & register it there. In fact if you choose a package first it is likely to get it for free for one year. Because the equipment required by registrars is so similar, most companies engage in both activities. Many companies marketed as registrars offer domain packages to those that use their name registration services, and other companies marketed as website hosts offer free or discounted registration for subscribers to their packages.
Find a host first or start with a search on a registrar. However, if it is already registered, you can subscribe to nearly any other hosting service. All you have to do is tell the host the names of the servers where the name information is stored.
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How Web Hosting Works
Once you find the right Web Host, the next step is pointing the domain name to your hosting service. For this purpose, you should first obtain the Nameserver addresses for your hosting account from your Web Host.
Then revisit your domain registrar and log into your account in their system. You will need the login name and password you first created when registering your domain name. When you access your account, you will be able to find the list of domains you own. Select the ones that you wish to direct to your website. Change their DNS settings to the nameserver addresses from your Web Host and save.
Your domain name is now pointing to your Web Host. Anyone can now find your website by simply typing in the domain name into their internet browser.
Feeling overwhelmed?
Tell Me What To Do Already
Okay, there are always tradeoffs with these things. Some additional convenience in one area costs you less convenience in another area. Same for security, pricing, and so on.
So, with all that being said, and taking all of the above into account, heres my general advice:
- If you want to launch your first WordPress website on a brand new domain name: Get the domain and hosting from the same company. Start with hosting research whats available in the market , and pick the best host for your needs, then get the domain from the same company.
- If you want to launch more than one website, or youre planning to expand your portfolio rather quickly: Get the domains and hosting from separate companies. Preferably two companies: All of your domains from one, and all of your hosting from the other. This gives you more room to move around and adjust your setup altogether in case your goals change or anything happens.
They say, dont keep all your eggs in one basket, but lets not go crazy here. I believe that both approaches buying your domain name and hosting from the same company versus from two separate companies have their place, and the right choice depends only on your requirements.
So whats your final decision? Are you buying your next domain name from a web hosting company or from a domain name registrar?
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