Choose The Right Domain Extension
When picking the extension or TLD for your domain name, .com is still the best choice unless you have a reason to choose something else. Roughly 43% of all domains have a .com extension, making it what people expect to see the most.
While Google confirms that your choice of TLD will not impact rankings, it does affect consumer perception. Many people view other TLDs as less trustworthy.
That said, .net or .org extensions are not uncommon, so they can be good secondary options if you find the perfect name and the coveted .com isnt available.
But if you do decide to go with an extension other than a .com, make sure you take a look at what type of website is currently on the .com extension. Someone is bound to go there accidentally while looking for your brand. If the site holds fishy or offensive content, you might want to steer clear of that name altogether.
Finally, avoid those niche domain name extensions like .space, .club, .pizza, unless you really think theyll enhance your brand.
What Is A Domain Name
Every website on the internet has an IP address. These addresses point to a websites location think of them like GPS coordinates. The IP address, which is generally a set of numbers, usually resembles something like this:
216.27.61.137
Unfortunately, trying to remember all of those numbers in order to navigate to a website can be challenging. Thats where domain names step in and lend a hand.
A structure called the Domain Name System translates those IP addresses into names that are simple to remember. Those names are called domain names.
Your website’s domain is what people enter into the address bar on their browsers to point it toward your website. In the simplest terms, if an IP address is your websites GPS coordinates, the domain is its street address. Some examples are mailchimp.com and google.com.
When someone types a domain into a browser, it gets routed through a DNS server. That server translates the name to figure out which IP address it points to. Then it grabs the data for that website and delivers it to the browser. This process happens in a matter of seconds, letting you find and view a website fast.
What Other Ways Can I Get A Free Domain Name
The method described above is the only way I know of registering a domain name for free without making any compromises.
Next, well explore some of the other methods, and why they should be avoided.
Free ccTLDs There are some services that offer free domain names, providing you use a specific TLD . The TLD is the bit at the end of your domain name. Venture Harbours TLD is .com.
These services should be avoided as they typically offer obscure ccTLDs like .tk or .cf . Not only do these look unprofessional, but theyll make ranking in Google much harder.
Earning your domain as an affiliate Some domain registrars allow you to earn your domain name by referring other customers. While theres nothing inherently wrong with this, its probably more hassle than its worth.
Using a free subdomain Lots of free website builders and services like WordPress.com will provide your with a free subdomain like yourwebsite.wordpress.com.
There are a few reasons why Id recommend avoiding this. First of all, it means that you do not own your domain name, WordPress does.
Secondly, it looked unprofessional and is harder for people to remember.
Thirdly, youre limited to using the website builder platform that gives you the subdomain. Often, free website builders are extremely limiting, so this makes growing your websites audience a huge challenge.
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Build Your Business By Registering Your Domain
After weighing the benefits and drawbacks of free or paid domains, you should get started on your search for the perfect domain name. Domain names can go quickly and there’s a little more competition than Symbolics had in 1985 so it is important to register the one you want before it is too late.
Registering a domain name is quick and easy, but it does take some time to brainstorm the right name, select the optimal suffix, and find the right domain registrar for you. As such, there’s no better time than now to get started on registering your domain name.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
Originally published Dec 13, 2020 7:00:00 AM, updated July 20 2021
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How To Register A Domain Name: 4 Options
To get a domain name, youll need to call dibs with ICANN. ICANN is a global non-profit authority that maintains records on which domain and IP address belongs to whom and manages access to them.
But ICANN doesnt provide registration services, it only maintains records. Thats where domain name registrars come into play.
The primary role of a register is to:
- Coordinate claims on different domain names.
- Match specific domain names with Domain Name System nameservers.
- Ensure that there are no duplicate domain names.
Technically speaking, you are not buying a domain name from a registrar company, but reserve its usage for a specified time. You can pay to reserve a domain for 1-10 years at a time, depending on the registrar. After your initial subscription expires, youll need to renew it and pay a fee again. You can re-purchase your domain name over and over again.
When registering a domain name, you sign a long-term lease of your domain . You can read more about the domain costs here.
In practice, all of the above is much simpler than you think as we will show below.
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Register The Web Address
If your preferred web address is available, you can register it at any one of over a dozen accredited registration organisations or their resellers. For a list of accredited domain name registrars, visit the Australian Domain Name Administrator’s website. These are organisations authorised by auDA to provide services to people who want to:
- register a new web address
- renew their existing address
- make changes to their record.
How To Buy A Used Domain For Cheap
Firstly, never offer the asking price.
Why?
The list price is almost always speculative.
Domain owners tend to hike up their initial price knowing an experienced domainer will negotiate the price down. You too can secure a domain at a lower rate, with some respectable negotiation.
Which brings me to my second point:
Make a reasonable offer.
If you open negotiation with a low ball price, you are going to be ignored.
Before you contact the owner do a scan of the domain marketplaces to see what similar domain names sold for. Open with an offer thats within reach of those selling prices but still considerably lower you can always negotiate up if your budget allows.
Thirdly, invoke the fear of missing out .
In other words, include some urgency in your approach. If the domain owner is keen to sell, and thinks your deal may be off the table if they dont act fast, you can secure your preferred domain with favorable terms.
Finally, tell the owner you have other options and be willing to walk away.
If the owner realizes the domain they own is the one youve set your heart on theyll milk you for every dollar youve got.
Ive used this technique to negotiate domain prices down from multiple thousands, to just a few hundred.
The final price I paid was $500.
Not bad!
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Got Any Tips On Finding A Good Domain Name
You bet. While it’s really easy to register a domain, having a good domain strategy helps you register the best domain name possible. Here are some hints:Make it easy to remember. This is why many businesses get domains with their business names in them. Some people even choose their business name only after they have a domain they like.Don’t register one that’s trademarked, copyrighted, or being used by another company. This can lead to losing the domain and legal problems.Shorter is usually better because they’re easier for customers to remember. It’s also easier to get matching usernames for Facebook, Twitter and any other social media accounts you have.Got a local business? Include your neighborhood, city or country in your domain so local customers can quickly see where you are. Check the list of geographic domain extensions .berlin .nyc to see if there’s one for your area.Avoid numbers or hyphens. Anyone who hears your web address won’t know if you’re using a numeral 5 or “five”. If your business name has a number in it, register both versions with the number and with the number spelled out .Get more than one. As traffic to your website increases, you may attract then attention of copycats who’ll snatch up similar domain names in hopes of drawing traffic away from you. Register similar or misspelled domains early so this won’t be an issue later.
Verify The Ownership Of Your New Domain
The final step is to verify the domain ownership through the email address you used when registering the domain. The email usually arrives within a few minutes after finishing the domain setup. Simply click the verification link in the email to verify your contact information.
If the email doesnt arrive, resend the request from the control panel. We recommend doing it immediately, as waiting for 15 days or more will lead to a temporary suspension from the registry.
Thats all there is to it. Now you know how to buy a domain name and complete the initial registration process.
Tip from Darius
To make the most out of your newly acquired domain, consider authorizing it with the Google Search Console. This will provide you with important analytical insights and make it easier for Google to crawl the content of your site.
First, log into your Google account and head to the Search Console page. If you want your entire domain to be crawled, enter the URL in the bar on the left. Once thats done, click Continue and youll be presented with a code. Then, copy it and do not close the tab.
Now, log into your Hostinger account, head to the hPanel, and on to the DNS Zone Editor. Under Manage DNS Records, select TXT as the Type. Unless youre only adding a specific subdomain to the Search Console, leave as the Name. Next, copy the code youve received previously as the TXT Value. We recommend leaving the TTL Value as the default. To finish it all off, click on Add Record.
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How To Buy A Premium Domain
Premium domains are a great way to stand out online. They are great for branding and marketing purposes as well.
What is a premium domain?
A premium domain is typically short, memorable, and easy to spell. High-quality domains have a high search volume and are closely associated with an industry, service, or topic. They also have TLDs like .com, .org, or .net.
Premium domains are in high demand. So theyll typically cost a bit more to register. The process of buying a premium domain can be different as well since its not always clear if the domain is actually for sale. Heres what I mean.
Lets say you try to register a premium domain from a domain registrar or hosting company. Just because it says unavailable, that doesnt necessarily mean that it cant be acquired. These are the steps for buying a premium domain:
How Will Having A Custom Email Address Benefit My Business
Having business email addresses with your domain name attached is important for building your brand. This will establish your identity with customers. The more you communicate with them using your custom email address, it strengthens their trust, and demonstrates your professionalism. Additionally, buying a domain and configuring custom email addresses also increases the reputation of your domain and reduces the risk of your emails getting marked as spam at the recipient’s end.
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What Is Domain Privacy And Do I Need It
Domain privacy and security is as important to us as it is to you. Without domain privacy, your private and sensitive information may be collected and displayed in ICANN’s WHOIS database when you register your domain. Domain privacy ensures that these details are hidden from the public view. Our Domain Privacy + Protection package will make ICANN display our contact information in lieu of yours.
Set Up An Email Account That Uses Your Domain Name
Here, Im going to show you how to create a new email address, like , and integrate it with your Gmail account. This way, you can easily send and receive emails through the Gmail interface, but your customer will see the emails as coming from your domain email address.
The steps have been broken in two parts. First well see how to create the domain email address. Second, well integrate that domain email with your Gmail account.
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Create The Domain Name Email Address
Now all the emails sent to will be sent to your personal email address.
Ensure Your Domain Passes The Pronounceable Test
For the most part:
People are going to be typing your domain name into their browser or clicking on it in a link.
Why then does a domain name need to be pronounceable?
It matters because of processing fluency:
As Rand Fishkin points out, processing fluency is a cognitive bias that human beings have where we remember things we can easily say and think about.
That includes pronounceability out-loud and in our own minds.
In short, if people cant easily say the domain name, youre going to lose memorability and the benefits of the brand-ability youve created.
This is especially important if your business relies upon word-of-mouth marketing.
To test pronounceability I suggest you share your domain name ideas with a test group and have them repeat each name .
You want everyone to say the name in the exact same way.
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How Long Is It Valid
You cannot buy a domain name, but you can register one. If you do, you are given the right to use the domain name for a period of one year. The name is not your property. An application for a domain name is processed by a registrar.
A domain name is valid for as long as you satisfy the conditions of registration. These conditions may vary per registrar.