Things To Do After Buying A Domain Name
Buying a domain name means youve registered your desired name so that no one can use it.
But its half of the battle. You need to do a few more things to build your site and secure the future of your business.
If you have a domain name but dont know what to do next, read on. In this post, I will be sharing 9 things to do once you have a domain name.
Now follow these simple steps to build your website.
But My Site Is Just For Fun I’ll Get A Domain When I’m Serious
“But my site is just for fun,” you say. “I’ll buy a domain when I’m serious about making a proper website.”
When I started my first website, it was just for fun. It was a place for me to post a few of the programs I’d writtenand dump my bookmarks which I had annotated with my own notes. Later, I also wrote short articles about my experienceswith creating websites to help visitors who kept emailing me for help. I never planned for that initial play site tobe anything other than a toy.
The beauty about websites you create for fun, as a hobby, is that they are genuine. They are not fake websites createdso that you can earn a quick buck. You pour your soul into it, and the love you lavish upon it can be seen inyour content. And people notice. And when they notice, they’ll come back for more.
What I’m trying to say is don’t underestimate this first website that you’re creating “for fun”.I never stopped working on that first site. It is still here today. You’re looking at it. It’s nowsplit into two,and known as thefreecountry.com and thesitewizard.com.
Your site may be a hobby site now. But who knows what will come of it in the years ahead?
Why Every Small Business Should Own A Domain Name
? You should buy a domain name.
A domain name is the address for a websiteyou’re reading this article on zapier.com, for example. Registering a domain name isn’t expensive, typically costing around $15 a year.
Some businesses use the free subdomains offered by web hosts like Wix or WordPress.com. If Zapier went this route, for example, you could be reading this article on zapier.wordpress.com, and we’d have an extra $15 a year to spend on snacks.
Obviously, it would be silly for a tech company like Zapier not to have a dedicated domain name. We’d look amateurish. Here’s the thing, though: this is true for every business. You should buy a domain, even if you don’t plan on having much of a websiteor any website at all. Here’s why.
Speaking of WordPress: here’s the , just in case you’re thinking about choosing one or the other. And here are .
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How To Set Up A Free Domain With Web Hosting Plans
Top web hosting companies like DreamHost and Bluehost include free domain registration in affordable plans. To get your domain for free, simply choose which web host you want to use and select a plan. During account setup, youll be prompted to enter the domain name you want to see if its available, and if it is, complete the checkout process to complete the domain registration process.
Here are the best overall web hosting providers for WordPress that come with a free domain, free email addresses, and a WordPress website builder:
- Bluehost: Best for getting all you need to build a small business website on WordPress, from a free domain the first year and a free SSL certificate to free business email addresses for less than $3 a month
- DreamHost: Best for those wanting dedicated WordPress hosting or who need to migrate a WordPress website with site builder plans starting under $3 per month, including a free domain for 12 months
- InMotion Hosting: 24/7/365 U.S.-based customer support makes it the best web hosting platform for businesses prioritizing customer care, with WordPress site builder plans that come with a free domain the first year starting under $4 per month
Not sure which web host is right for you? Get the complete breakdown on the best web hosting companies for small businesses.
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
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Dont Believe That Boring Is Brandable
And why will there always be another domain name? Because the domain name should always follow the successful business. Sure, you have to have something to start out with but it doesnt have to be perfect. And it doesnt even need to make sense. Why?
Because first, boring domain names are just that boring. Who wants to get books from bookstore.com or search the Internet at searchengine.com or buy jackets from wintercoats.com.
No! We buy books from Amazon, search the Internet at Google, and buy jackets from TheNorthFace.com.
Thats because domain names are really memory hooks if a customer knows your business, then theyll know your domain name .
Choose A Domain Name That Reflects Your Brand
Before you ever take out your wallet to buy a domain name, you must first create a custom domain name that accurately reflects your brand.
Avoid dashes and numbers for the purpose of readability. If your domain name is already taken, you can add a service, product, pronoun, location, or action to the domain, such as buy or shop. These additions help you create a custom name without straying too far from your brand name. Examples include:
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Web Hosting Vs Domain Registration Share
Today, more and more people are making their own websites to support their side jobs or create a virtual space for their hobbies.
But many are unfamiliar with the technical jargon that comes with web hosting. One, in particular, creates the most confusion: Web Hosting vs. Domain Registration. What are they, and why do we care?
In this blog post, well get you up to speed with Web Hosting vs. Domain Registration, so you wont have to look it up again.
- What Is A Domain Name?
- What Is Web Hosting?
- Whats The Difference Between Web Hosting And Domain Registration?
- What Do You Need To Build A Website? Domain Name Or Web Hosting?
- Do You Have To Buy Them Together? Or Can You Buy Them Separately?
- Do You Need Web Hosting If You Have A Domain Name?
- Do You Need A Domain If You Have Web Hosting?
- Can You Move Your Domain Name To A Different Company?
- Can You Move Your Website To Another Web Hosting Company Without Changing Domain?
- Should You Buy Domain And Web Hosting From The Same Company?
Contents
Subdomains And Parked Domains
Besides the above mentioned classification, domain names are categorized in another fashion.
One common type of domain you often hear about is a subdomain, which is exactly what it sounds like, a domain within a domain. A subdomain is usually prefixed to the name of the original domain, for instance, blog.puppylinux.com.
Subdomains are useful as they help you effectively host a different website without purchasing an additional domain name. The subdomains are usually employed to host content that is somehow different from the main domain. For instance, Google uses the support.google.com subdomain to provide help and support for all the services offered by the search engine.
Another popular type of domain is a parked domain. This is usually used as an alias for the main domain and redirects requests to the primary domain. Companies usually use parked domains to secure common misspellings of their primary domain name, such as microsft.com or gooogle.com. Many also use parked domains to register the primary domain with other TLDs, for instance yahoo.net.
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Whats The Best Way To Get A Free Domain Name
The best way to get domain names for free is through other services your business needs, such as web hosting. For example, Bluehost includes a free domain and five free email addresses with purchase of its $2.95 per month hosting plan. Select a hosting plan, follow the prompts to search for a domain, select an available domain, and buy web hosting. Learn more about the process with our step-by-step instructions for business domain name registration.
Whats This About Anyway
Just to make sure were on the same page :
When youre in the market for a website domain name, youll naturally need web hosting as well. Therefore, there are two main approaches you can take: Either get the domain name and the hosting from two separate companies, or get them both from the same company your web host.
Interestingly enough, pretty much all of the leading domain name registrars now offer web hosting services as well. This means that even if you go to a company such as GoDaddy known primarily for domain registration you can still walk out with a bundled deal of hosting and domain.
However, you can also do things the other way around. You can go to a well-known hosting company and get the same bundled package from them as well.
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Types Of Domain Names
A domain name is usually broken up into two or more parts, each of which is separated by a dot, such as techradar.com. The section to the right of the last dot in the domain name is the top-level domain . These are usually one of the generic TLDs such as .com, .net, and .org.
Then there are ccTLDs, which are country code top level domains such as .uk and .in. Theyre meant to be used to identify sites meant for specific regions, such as bbc.co.uk or abc.net.au.
Unlike gTLD, many TLDs are intended for a specific use case. For instance, .edu is meant specifically for educational institutions, while .gov can only be used by Government agencies. You can view a list of all valid TLDs here .
Dont Buy A Domain If You Cant Support It
Suppose you own several dozen domain namesare you actually going to be able to keep all those sites updated, much less fresh, relevant, and promoted? Even most full-time bloggers cannot keep up with more than 4 without a team and those are typically people who really know what they are doing.
And what kind of budget are you looking at when buying these domain names?
20 mediocre sites with chronic under-investment will never go anywhere and will never compare to 1 website done well.
If you can and you plan on supporting the new site buy the domainotherwise wait for another day. There will always be another domain name.
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Add Products To Your Store
After customizing your theme and building your online store, the next step is to add products to your Shopify store. If you dont want to do this manually, you can also upload a .csv file to upload your product catalog.
Two key aspects here are your product descriptions and product photography. Use this space to create an enticing product description with all the relevant keywords. This will help with your SEO and drive organic traffic to your storefront.
If you have products to sell under different categories, note that putting your products into collections makes it easier for people to arrive at what they are looking for faster.
As for product photography, ensure that you put up professional-looking product images. Use multiple angles to ensure that your customers know what to expect.
Also, be sure to highlight any unique features of your product in the product pages under the description and the images.
Provide as much information as possible about your product. An informed customer is a happy customer.
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How Do I Buy Domain Names
Here are the steps to buy domains:
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Set Up Your WordPress
After installing and logging in to your WordPress dashboard, you have to set up your WordPress website by doing some basic settings.
So here in this article, I will show you some basic and important settings that you must do before starting your work on your website.
Install a good Theme
A Theme makes a website attractive and due to this users will stay on your website for a long time.
In your WordPress, you will get a panel on the left side, which is called the WP side panel.
There you have to go to the themes section under the Appearance section.
There you will be able to see the installed themes and activated theme .
If youwant to add a new theme or want to upload your custom theme, which you have downloaded from external sites, so for this you need to click on the Add New button .
After this, you can see there are many free themes available over here. If you want to upload your custom theme, you can even do this, by clicking on the upload theme button.
WP Theme we use and Recommend
- Best Low-cost Theme
If you want to go with a free theme, you can, but I will recommend you to go with a Premium theme, as it will load and upload your website very fast, as premium themes are very lightweight.
Install some basic Plugins
Below the Appearance section, you will find the section of Plugins, where you can simply install or delete a plugin.
Plugins are basically some software that makes your website work smarter and they help in many ways.
Customize your website
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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Option B: How To Get A Free Domain Name With A Website Builder
Building a professional website no longer requires web developer skills and coding. All-in-one site builders like Squarespace, Weebly, and Wix give you the ability to build your own site quickly, easily, and code-free. Since plans are all-inclusive, youll get a domain for free with your site builder of choice in addition to everything else you need to build and maintain your small business website.
| PROS | |
|---|---|
| Free domain for 12 months with leading site builders | Must purchase a paid plan to get a domain |
| Free .com or other top level domains | More expensive than building a basic WordPress site through a hosting provider |
| Easiest way to build a site no web design experience required | No email accounts included with plans |
| Professional and credible appearance |
Option D: How To Get A Domain Free Through A Domain Name Registrar
If youre only interested in a domain name registrar that offers a 100% free domain, you can opt for a free domain name registrar. However, it can result in untrustworthy-looking domain extensions, such as .tk, as opposed to a standard .com. Before using one of these alternative domain extensions for your business, consider whether saving $12 a year is worth the risk of not presenting your brand in the best way to prospects and customers.
| PROS |
|---|
If you need a domain for your business website or professional email, dont use a free one. Its not credible for businesses and may even pose security issues to your online operations. Instead, get a free domain with other services you need, such as WordPress web hosting through Bluehost, a site builder plan like Squarespace or Weebly, or dedicated email hosting through IONOS. Alternatively, purchase your domain from any of the best domain registrars.
If youre running on a truly tight budget, we suggest that you build your business website on a subdomain through a free website builder, such as yourbusiness.weebly.com. It looks more credible as people are far more familiar with Weebly, and its 100% free to use. As you grow, you can get a free domain through a Weebly paid plan, which is the cheapest on the market with ad-free plans starting at $12 per month.
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