Ready To Buy A Domain
As with anything else in business, getting started is often the hardest part. But now that you know how, I encourage you to jump into buying the domain you always wanted. Even a no from the current owner doesnt mean you have to give up situations change, so its always a good idea to check back in from time to time to let your dream domains owner know youre still interested.
Want an expert to handle it for you? If all this domain aftermarket stuff sounds too complex or if you just dont have the time to deal with it, consider turning to a professional service like GoDaddys Domain Broker Service. A broker will contact the domains current owner and negotiate for the domain on your behalf. Done and done.
Caching And Other Shortcuts
Now that you understand how your browser gets an IP address out of a domain name, you may be wondering how long this process takes. With so many back-and-forth queries through the recursive resolver, it can take a few seconds â sometimes more â to load a webpage every time you want to access it. Isn’t there a faster way?
Once you access Codecademy.com or any other website for the first time, the query result is stored locally in your computer’s cache memory. That way, the next time you visit the website on your computer, your browser already knows the IP address associated with its domain. This means it can connect directly with the web server instead of having to start another query with the recursive resolver.
Even if you’re accessing a website for the first time, there’s a chance that the recursive resolver already made a similar query recently. Maybe someone in your neighborhood is also advancing their development career with our courses.
In that case, the recursive resolver will have stored the query results and IP address in its own cache. Instead of going through a whole new DNS query with you, it can then just provide the IP address it got from its last query.
How To Buy A Domain Name: A Comprehensive Guide
Are you wondering how to buy a domain name? Well break down the exact steps for you in this guide.
Whether youre a new business owner about to create your first website, a marketer branching out into a new field, or just want a website for your hobby, weve got you covered.
Registering a domain may seem tricky if youve never done it before. But its surprisingly easy after all, there are over 1.9 billion websites online .
In this article, well teach you how to buy a domain name and review some of the best domain registrars on the market .
Lets go.
Don’t Miss: Can You Have & In A Domain Name
First Step: Disabling Whois
Now that you have a baseline set and an agreement established, the process of actually transferring the domain to the other person finally begins. In order for the new registrar to accept the new domain ownership, they will need to know who is currently in charge of the domain. For them to have access to that information, you are going to need to disable WHOIS domain privacy. This is just an extension that allows you to keep certain information private when it comes to who owns the domain, but for this process, you will need to have this made public and accessible to the registrar.
Get Contact Info For The Decision Maker
Once you have the email contact, do some basic research to learn more about the domains current owner. You want to get in touch with a decision maker. Chances are, if you email a companys website administrator, they will ignore you.
Youll have better luck if you can get in touch with the business owner or a domain investor.
If you can only find the general email box of a medium- or large-sized company, dig around some more for ways to contact the decision maker of the company about the domain.
Read Also: How To Transfer A Domain From WordPress To Squarespace
Top Rated Domain Registrars To Buy A Domain Name
If you want to buy a domain name, youll need a domain registrar. Heres the best options.
- Bluehost Best for creating your first website
- Domain.com Best for keeping domain costs low
- Porkbun Best deals on unique domain extensions
- Network Solutions Best for locking down domains for decades
- GoDaddy Best domain registrar for protecting your personal data
- Namecheap Best domain registrar for tight budgets
- NameSilo Most affordable domain deals with bulk purchasing
Find Out Who Owns The Domain You Want
Now after youve thought long and hard about the domain name you want, the next step is to find out who owns it. There are a number of different websites that can look up that information for you, and typically the information is standard.
A registrar will tell you when the domain name you want was registered, who registered it, and hopefully how to contact that person or company when the current ownership expires.
Unfortunately, accessibility to domain owners has really taken a hit with GDPR. Increasingly, registrars are adding more privacy to comply with GDPR regulationsmaking it difficult for some folks to reach the rightful domain owners.
This can make the process much more cumbersome, and sometimes the buyer will be forced to target a different acquisition for their brand.
Whois accessibility can alter the strategy for any potential domain acquisition. This is a critical step in determining the viability of acquiring a targeted asset or brand.
Once the Whois is determined, the next few steps would be taken to identify whether it makes sense to continue with the discussion.
Dont shy away from a great opportunity if the domain you want is taken.
Though it seems like a complicated process, at Name Experts, we help you find and capture opportunities rather than sit around and wait for them.
Knowing when to make a move and when to move on is our specialty, and we love making deals. From contact to negotiation, well do the hard work for you.
Also Check: How To Check Your Domain Name
Why Buy A Domain With Godaddy
- GoDaddy is the world’s largest domain registrar, and 20+ million customers trust us with 84+ million domains.
- Domains include free privacy protection forever.**
- 24/7 phone and chat support. Talk to a real person in your preferred language.
- Simple domain set up. You dont need any technical skills.
- Easily find available domains from over 500 domain extensions.
- Up to 100 subdomains to create a custom web address.
- Real-time monitoring to make sure you’re always up and running.
- Quick, simple tools to forward your domains to any existing website.
Can You Own A Domain Name
While you hear a lot about people buying, selling, and owning a domain name, the reality is that the registry owns all of its registered domain names.
When you “buy” a domain, you’re really leasing it or buying the right to reserve a domain name for your use for a certain amount of time â usually not more than 10 years. Still, it’s always possible to keep renewing a domain name, which means that people and companies can effectively control it indefinitely.
Don’t Miss: How To Transfer A Domain To A New Owner
A Note On Social Handles
In a perfect world, youd pick a domain name whose social handles are also available. This isnt a perfect world. My take on this is that its hard enough to get a good domain name. Dont make it even harder or nearly impossible by also adding this criteria.
When it comes to picking up the social handles, youll have options. You can get creative, or even potentially acquire the handles from the current owners.
Its a good idea to consider social handles when making your final decision, but dont let that stop you from picking the right name.
How To Register A Domain Name With Domaincom
Domain.com is a well-known domain registrar on the market, although its worth mentioning that they also offer low-cost shared web hosting, a website builder, and design services.
The list of TLDs on Domain.com is extensive, from generic extensions to newer niche-related ones like .yoga and .actor. The price for a .com domain name is also quite affordable, costing $9.99/year.
The steps to buying a domain from this registrar are straightforward. Simply insert a keyword with a domain extension on the homepage and the system will reveal its availability.
Feel free to extend the registration period to up to five years. On Domain.com, the privacy and protection feature is $8.99/year. If the order looks right, click Continue.
On the next page, Domain.com presents several extras to choose from, including a professional email plan, a website builder, shared web hosting, premium SSL certificates from Comodo, and malware protection.
Select any of the Domain.com add-ons you want or skip to the next step filling in the billing and payment details.
Similar to previous vendors, Domain.com will send an email asking to validate the domain name ownership through a link.
Read Also: What’s My Domain Name Worth
How Long Does My Domain Name Registration Last How Do I Renew My Domain
How long your domain registration lasts can vary depending on the domain you purchase. Many domain name registrars will allow customers to register domains for 10 years at a time, but typically customers will register domains for one to three years.If you want to extend your registration, its easy to renew your domain with GoDaddy. You can choose to manually renew or set up auto-renewal, so you ensure it stays registered to you.
Identify The Owner And Find A Broker
First, you need to go to the website and find the owners contact details. Generally, there are three possible situations here:
Once youve figured out which situation youre in, its time to consider hiring a broker. A broker will act on your behalf and ensure the seller doesnt take advantage of you. Some brokers take a percentage of the money you pay for the domain, while others charge a flat or hourly fee.
Youll likely need a broker if you dont know who owns the domain or if someone else is using it .
Recommended Reading: What Is Domain Name And Hosting
Follow The Registrars Checkout Process
Next, use the registrars tool to see if it can sell you your desired domain and TLD.
If you can buy your domain, select a plan, and follow the registrars checkout process. Some registrars will offer a base plan with add-ons like a professional email address tied to your domain. Others offer methods that scale with your needs.
Many registrars will also offer you multiple TLDs as a bundle deal . These plans are perfect for anyone concerned about visitors struggling to find the correct address or competitors buying the domain.
Once you reach the checkout process, youll need to provide your registrar with your:
- Contact details
- Payment information
If you dont want your contact information to be public, make sure you purchase domain privacy.
You should also check the duration of your registration carefully. Many registrars will allow you to buy your name for several years at a time, but you may want to select a shorter plan if you havent used that registrar before.
Choosing a shorter plan to start with will allow you to switch if you arent happy with your registrars speed, security, service, or anything else.
Why You Cant Buy A Domain For Life
First off, remember that youre not actually buying a domain. Rather, youre registering it. So, who is renting out all these domain names, and whos in charge of deciding how they work?
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers is a non-profit organization founded in 1998, that is in charge of managing the global Domain Name System, or DNS. The Domain Name System is an integral part of how the internet works today. The DNS connects a domain name with the appropriate IP address of a website, so instead of typing in a bunch of numbers into your browsers search bar, you get to just type in a domain name like google.com.
Now, ICANN decides how domain registering works, which domain extensions can be introduced to the pool, and so on. ICANN also gives accreditation to domain name companies, or domain registrars, so that they can sell that is, rent domain names to individuals.
So when you head over to a domain registrar, you get to register a domain name under your name for a period between one to ten years. So why cant you register a domain for life?
Recommended Reading: Can I Change My Shopify Domain Name
The Dns: Phonebook Of The Internet
Now that you understand why we use domain names and the anatomy of a domain name, you might be wondering how to convert a domain name to an IP address. That’s where the Domain Name System comes in.
The DNS is a global database of all the registered domain names on the internet. A DNS record will typically include the domain name and an associated IP address. Through the DNS, your browser can translate a domain name in the address bar into an IP address that it can then use to send requests to the web server and receive webpage content.
What’s important to remember is that there’s no single DNS server or even a single physical location for DNS servers. Instead, the DNS comprises a group of different servers located all around the world.
How To Reach Out To The Domain Registrant To Purchase The Domain Name You Want
If you learn that a domain using your personal or companys name has been acquired for an improper purpose, such as to profit from your name or goodwill, your first instinct might be to take legal action. However, it is sometimes cheaper and faster to reach out to the person or website who registered the domain name to see if they are willing to sell the domain name to you.
Submitting an offer to purchase can sometimes be as simple as directly reaching out to the domain name registrant and asking them how much they want for the domain name. Asking the registrant to first provide you with a price quote or range for the domain will ensure that you do not start too high with your bid.
Also Check: What Is Net Used For Domain Name
How Do You Set Up A Professional Email Signature
If youre using Gmail, set up your email signature by clicking the gear icon in the upper right-hand corner. Then select Settings and scroll down to find the Signature box, where you can input your signature.
Alternatively, you can design a professional email signature using a signature generator like WiseStamp. WiseStamp lets you create a customized professional email signature that includes images, links, icons, and morewith no coding knowledge. Learn more about the best email signature generators.
Also Check: What Does Having A Domain Name Mean
Tips For Choosing A Domain Name
Finding a domain thats available, valuable and relevant is important to online success, which is why registering a domain name requires strategy.
Choosing a domain name that points out your value proposition , vertical , or geographic area can help you drive business and stand out from the competition.
Donât Miss: How To Sell A Domain Name On Ebay
Recommended Reading: Who Is My Domain Hosting Provider
Verifying Ownership Of Your New Domain
According to an ICANN regulation, domain providers are obliged to check the contact data of domain buyers for authenticity as of September 1, 2014. This applies to both the new and the classic, generic top-level domains. Therefore, following the purchase of a new web address, providers will send an email to the contact address you provided during registration.
When youre switching domain providers your provider must also verify the authenticity of the contact details via email.
The key part of this email is a verification link, which you can use to confirm your ownership within 15 days. Usually, the provider sends a reminder email after one week if you have not verified yourself by then. If the 15-day period is exceeded, the provider will deactivate the domain. By providing new contact information, the verification process can be re-initiated at a later stage. However, ICANN reserves the right to release web addresses again if confirmation is not received for a longer period.
3 ways to be present and grow online
Get found with your own domain. Build trust with your own email address. Reach visitors with your own website.
Choose The Best Domain Name Option
When youre checking for available domain names, youll often find that your first, second, and tenth choices are already taken. Some of the different approaches you can take when this happens are:
- Keep searching. Let your creative juices flow, and continue to search until you find something you love or at least like.
- Choose another extension. If the .com isnt available and youre set on a certain name, consider the .net or .org if you think it will work.
- Reach out to the owner. Maybe the domain is already owned, but its not being put to much use. You could reach out to the owner with an offer.
You May Like: How To Have My Own Email Domain