Registering Your Domain Name
Armed with everything we learned in my domain name fundamentals tutorial, we’re ready to register a domain name. Most importantly, we know about TLDs and how to protect our WhoIs information. If you’re fuzzy on that stuff, go back and give it a quick look.
When registering a domain, you can register as many as you like. I’ve mentioned in a few places that online business can be addictive! So if you have a few creative projects or online businesses in mind, you can register them all with NameCheap. This way, you can manage all your domains from that single control dashboard that I mentioned above.
And remember, you can register domain names without assigning them to a website. This way, you can register a domain while it’s still available, and then actually build the project later in the future.
Back in the domain name fundamentals tutorial, I suggested having a “first-choice, second-choice, third-choice”list of domains. You could use your company name, an abbreviation of your company name, the name of your flagship product, and so on. Do you have some ideas ready? Alright, let’s go see if we can get your domain name registered!
Here’s how to register your business domain with NameCheap:
Okay, we’re ready to register your domain name. Just follow the steps belowthe process is easy!
Dont Buy It 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.Sponsored Links
Register Your Domain Name
The last step is to actually register the domain name. GoDaddy makes buying your domain names a breeze so once you have found your perfect domain name, add it to the cart and then create your GoDaddy account. You will then enter your payment and billing information, add extra options such as domain privacy or additional extensions, and complete the purchase.
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Why Every Small Business Should Own A Domain Name
Starting a business? 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 .
Consider Enabling Domain Id Protection
In simple terms, domain ID protection masks your personal contact information from anyone performing a whois lookup on your domain name.
Let me say this again, by default, all of this is visible to anyone who puts your domain name through a tool such as the aforementioned who.is.
This is not perfect. First, anyone can see this info, which means your personal details are exposed. Youre basically sacrificing part of your privacy for nothing in exchange.
So, the way to solve this is to set domain ID protection with your domain registrar . This is usually a paid feature, though. The price tag can be around $1 a month. Heres how to do this with Namecheap:
Once under domain ID protection, the whois details of your domain get replaced with your registrars information.
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What Can I Do If My Domain Is Taken
See if the taken domain is for sale
Sometimes, the domain name may have been purchased by a legitimate business owner, but they never ended up doing anything with it. If thats the case, you can use the Domain.com WHOIS lookup to explore if you can contact the owner of the domain and purchase it at a fair price. You may have to pay a premium, but its worth a try to grab the perfect domain.
Try an abbreviated version of the domain
You can still get the point across and convey your brand by using an abbreviation of your business name in the domain. For instance, instead of www.AcmeCompany.com, you may opt for www.AcmeCo.com.
The easiest way to try out abbreviations is to open up your word processor and create a list of potential abbreviations. Then, copy and paste that list into Domain.coms Bulk Registration tool to see what is available.
Use a new top-level domain
Without compromising the integrity of your domain name, you can simply change the domain ending . Of course, the most used top-level domain is .com, but you have a variety of top-level domains at your fingertips, including .net, .biz, .co, .business and more. Using a top-level domain that applies to your business will help to further convey your brand and the products or services you offer.
Use a tagline or slogan instead
Consult a web design expert
Buy The Common Misspellings Of Your Domain
This, however, can grow your annual domain bill even further, so its your call.
In general, youre going to be pretty safe if you just focus on a couple of the most likely misspellings of the domain.
Looking at my earlier example, Lotterio.com could be misspelled as Loterio.com single T.
Once you have those, redirect them back to your main domain name.
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Do’s And Don’ts Of Securing A Domain Name
Consider these six tips from small-business owners and experts before deciding on a website name.
Entrepreneur
Navigating the world of domain names can be a daunting task if you’re not up to speed on how to get one. With countless caveats and hosting companies out there, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or worse, make a mistake that could ultimately cripple your business.Consider these do’s and don’ts from small-business owners and experts to help secure your company’s domain name.Do: Include a location or keywords in your domain name, if you can.
If your business focuses on a geographic region, try to put the location into the name of your domain, says Jean Bedord, a Silicon Valley-based search consultant and author of the book I’ve Got a Domain Name–Now What??? When Mikalai Krivenko needed a domain for his painting business in Hoboken, N.J., in 2009, his son Yuriy, a Jersey City, N.J.-based search-optimization specialist, suggested he put “Hoboken” in the name. For $11, Krivenko bought hobokenpainter.com, which shows up at the top of keyword searches that include “Hoboken” and “painter.” Whether it’s location, or what your company does, Krivenko advises: “Put the most important keyword for your industry in the domain name.”
Related:
Related: Protecting Your Business with a Trademark
List Of Domain Name Registrars
There are numerous domain name registrars. Listed below are just a few, along with my comments, if I know anything about them.Note that the domain name industry is highly competitive, with prices wildly fluctuating throughout the year, every year, soit’s impossible to really mention accurate prices below unless I spend all my time updating this page. Please check their sitesfor the latest rates. Unless otherwise stated, I have listed everything in US dollars, although if you go to theregistrar’s site, you may see the prices in your local currency.
In addition, as mentioned earlier, a number ofcommercial web hostswill give you a free domain name if you are hosting with them, as will some of the registrars above.
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Check The Domain History Via Whois
Right after Wayback Machine, who.is is your other go-to tool for getting to know the history of a given domain name. This one is very useful for at least two reasons:
- First, you can see the current domain info stuff like who the owner is who the registrar is, and so on. Theres no point in me listing everything here just go to who.is, input your favorite website and see whats up.
- Second, who.is gives you access to a whois history report. This is a paid service $10 but the price tag is rather small in relation to what you get in return, which is all the whois data associated with a given domain name from the very beginning. This means that you can see what the domains history is, when it was registered, and how many times it potentially changed hands.
In the end, if youre considering getting an existing domain, which can be quite pricey, spending an additional $10 doesnt seem that brutal. Plus, it can save you headaches later on.
Get Business Phone Fax Number And Po Box
Getting a dedicated phone and fax number for your business is essential when building a company. You can always have these numbers forward calls to your cell phone or home phone or simply get a toll free number for your customer feedback and client services.
A PO Box also helps you avoid the need to give out your home address for your business. This is also helpful if you are leasing premises for your business and would like the freedom to move to another place if the need arises.
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Web Hosts And Domain Names
You needn’t go to a dedicated registration service to buy a domain name, though. The best web hosting services, such as DreamHost, HostGator, and Hostwinds routinely offer a registration mechanism as part of the sign-up process. Hosting services typically offer a free domain name when you sign up for a web hosting package.
Keep in mind, however, that free domain names are usually free only for one or two years, after which the registrar will bill you for the annual or biennial fee. In other words, the provider of the free domain name pays only for the first billing from the registrar. Also take note of whether or not the provider charges a fee for setting up a domain name. Most services offer to transfer an existing domain name to their servers at no cost, but sometimes you’ll find a setup fee over and above the registrar’s fee.
Please note that not all web hosts give you the option to register a domain name. Cloudways, for example, is a solid web host that requires you to purchase a domain name from elsewhere.
Registrars offer a wide variety of registration durationsone year, three, five, and even ten. Be careful about registering for more than a year, though. First, there might be restrictions on your ability to transfer the domain name should the registrar give poor service. Second, the registrar could go out of business, leaving your domain name without a host. Check the policies closely.
How To Buy A Domain Name: Domain Registration Guide
What you need to know about domain names, how to choose the right one, and the steps to take to check if a domain name is available and to register your domain.
If you want to start a blog or a new online business, youll need to register a domain name, the name for your website. Getting the right domain for your needs might sound technical at first, but the process is pretty simple.
This domain registration guide will tell you what you need to know about domain name extensions, how to choose the right one for your needs, and the steps youll need to take to check if a domain name is available and to register your domain.
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What Is A Store Domain
The .store domain extension is specifically designed to cater to businesses and brands that are selling online.
Using a .store domain extension is probably the most effective way of communicating that your website is an online store.
This is further attributed to the fact that since the word store has always been associated with the concept of selling or a place of purchase, it makes for a great fit for online stores!
This means you can pick a short, clean, and memorable name and team it up with a relevant .store domain extension to compose a meaningful online moniker.
Which Domain Extension Should I Use
When were talking internationally, be careful about translation. Check the name you want to use doesnt mean something else in another language. Similarly, check that the words in your domain name wont merge and give the domain itself another meaning.
Charities should be using .org.uk, UK sites have .co.uk or .uk and personal websites and blogs look great with .me.uk.
If you want more than one, theres no limit to the number of domain names you can register. In fact, registering multiple domain names helps to protect your core domain name . Itll also stop users being sent to competitor sites.
Read Also: Gg Domains
Dont Stunt Your Growth
When choosing a domain name, it pays to think ahead.
For example, you might want to avoid including the one product you sell now in your domain name if you plan to expand your product line in the future. Likewise, including a location is your domain name is a smart move if youre planning to do business locally but could stunt your online growth if youre planning to expand to new areas.
Give yourself room to grow.
Do You Own Your Business Name
In order to comply with state law, most small-business owners will register the name with their state. Generally, the process of registering a company name will ensure that no one else can utilize the same name to sell comparable services or goods. However, protection may not extend nationwide. If another party has previously registered your desired name with the state to sell similar services or goods, then most likely your registration will be denied. In addition to registering with the state, you must also use a trademark in order for the goods and services to be considered under your ownership.
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