Avoid Numbers And Hyphens
Imagine asking your 10 friends to spell or pronounce a domain name filled with numbers and dashes. It wont work.
If you choose a domain name with these elements, youre likely going to lose traffic to people who cant remember your domain or effectively tell someone else how to find it. We probably wouldnt have Facebook today if you had to go to Face-Book.com to reach the site.
Free Domains From Website Builders
Website-building platforms typically offer a free domain name when you sign up to their services, however the website domain usually includes their brand name in the URL and, unlike paid domains, they are not transferable to other service providers.
For example, when you start a Shopify store, youll be provided a free .myshopify.com domain that can be used as your stores primary domain. WordPress, Squarespace, Wix, and Weebly offer free domains that contain their own business name as well.
These default domains provide the same basic function as a custom domain, but come with a lot of downsides theyre harder for users to remember, they look less professional, and they dont come with features like email forwarding or the option to create subdomains.
You also wont be able to use these domains outside the platform theyre affiliated with. That means that even if you wanted to use a third-party service provider to add features like email hosting, you wouldnt be able to.
Generally speaking, its a good idea to purchase a custom domain. Domain registration isnt too expensive, and the charge is worth it for the advantage of being able to customize, transfer, and manage your own domain.
How To Buy A Website Domain For Ever
As we explained, domain names are not for complete sale. Essentially, you are reserving domain name usage for a set period . But you can keep renewing your domain name as many times as you want to.
While you cannot buy it out for good from a registrar, you can hold on to your domain name for as long as you are paying your renewal fee.
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How To Register A Domain Name For Your Website
Your company needs a website, which means it needs a domain name. Your first step is registering a domain name, which can be daunting for first-timers. Don’t worry: Our guide walks you through it.
Once you’ve decided to build a website, you need to make an important decision, even before you consult our best web hosting services roundup: What’s your domain name going to be? You know, it’s the web address by which all your many customers find you. Your domain name is, in effect, the name of your website, so you want to make sure you get a good one. Purchasing a name is a relatively simple process, but finding one that isn’t already taken can be a challenge. In addition, you’ll also want to make sure you understand the contract between you and the domain name registrar. If this is starting to sound a bit complicated, don’t worry: This primer can help you get started.
Putting It All Together
You may find yourself at a digital chasm with your domain taken, but its not the end of the world. Whether a professional domainer, a fellow business owner, or a domain squatter currently owns your ideal domain name, the steps above can help you attach a relevant and professional domain name to your website. Stop helplessly glaring at that screen, and start getting your brand or business a piece of the internet.
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How You Can Get As Close As Possible To Owning A Domain Name For Life
If youre worried about the price of your domain skyrocketing or others beating you to the punch and buying it from under your nose just as youre about to renew it, dont worry theres a way to make sure none of this happens.
It may dawn on you to become a domain registrar yourself so the domain remains your own for as long as you wish. However, this is not a great solution as its a lot of work and very costly. Youd need to pay an annual accreditation fee to ICANN, a yearly fee for each domain you run , and also a commercial insurance policy which costs hundreds of thousands of dollars. And of course youll also need to pay a fee to the administrator of each domain extension you have in your arsenal. Google is its own registry, for instance, but Google is also one of the biggest, richest companies in the world.
Luckily, you dont have to do any of that. If you want to avoid a rising recurring fee and protect your brand, heres what you can do:
Check What The Domain Is Currently Being Used For
Your first step should be to visit the domain you want to buy. Is there a real website there? Has it been updated in the past few years? If the answers to both questions are yes, the owner of the domain is probably not interested in selling it. If theres a real website but it hasnt been updated in several years, youre more likely to get the domain, but theres still a strong chance the owner will refuse to sell it.
On the other hand, if the website you see is simply a placeholder, you can approach the domain owner with confidence. If the domain owner buys and re-sells domains on a regular basis, they might even have a page up linking to the domain buying service they prefer to work with.
Heres an example of what a parked domain usually looks like owners of such domains are usually just waiting for the right offer to come their way:
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Registering A Domain Name With Shopify
If youre building an online store, the quickest and easiest way to add and register a domain is by purchasing it directly through Shopify. Setup is automatic, and having a Shopify domain allows you to edit your domain settings, set up subdomains, and create forwarding email addresses all in the same place you manage your ecommerce store.
To register a domain with Shopify, start by logging into your Shopify store and proceeding with these steps:
Tips When Registering A Domain Name
Obtaining the right domain name from the start is important, especially if youre creating a business or personal brand website. Changing domains is not only expensive but also potentially damages search engine rankings and conversion rates.
With this in mind, here are some things to consider when buying a domain name:
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Evaluate Long Term Costs
In addition to the upfront costs of getting a domain name, consider costs like taxes and renewal fees. Some registrars charge increased renewal fees when your domain registration expires, and depending on where you live, your domain name may be subject to state and local taxes.
Remember to budget for your domain name alongside other potential startup costs, like website hosting or creating a logo for your business.
Google Domains: Simple Domains Easy Integrations
is a simple, no hassle registrar. It rocks Googles sleek design, combined with great DNS tools and industry-leading security. Most people looking for a domain also want email to go alongside it, and Google Domains will integrate well with your existing G Suite subscription. Note that this does require you to pay for Googles premium email service it wont work with a standard Gmail account.
Their search function is pretty basic but doesnt get in your way. If you know what youre looking for, it might be right for you.
Their pricing is pretty average, but if youre looking to get your website up quickly without any mess, Google is probably your best bet.
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What’s The Difference Between Buying A Domain And A Hosting Package
As said above, a domain name is like your website’s street address, whereas web hosting is like your website’s actual home â where all the files, images, and other info actually lives. Your site needs both an address and home to be up and running, but they are definitely two different things. Learn more about the difference between domains and hosting.
Which Domain Name Extensions Are Available
HostGator sells the following top level domain extensions: .com, .club, .co, .space, .us, .website, .org, .net, .store, .press, .me, .blog, .biz, .info, .host, .online, .site, and .tech.
If you’re looking for something a bit more exotic, like .ninja or .beer, we suggest visiting our partner Domain.com
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How To Register A Domain Name With Godaddy
With over 20 million customers, GoDaddy is both a domain registrar and web hosting powerhouse. It has a wide array of domain extensions ranging from .com and .org to newer selections like .fun or .law. The company plans to add even more TLDs to its collection in the future.
To buy a domain on GoDaddy, start with a domain name search on their homepage. The system will reveal whether the name is available for purchase using your desired extension.
If the .com version is taken, GoDaddy offers a domain broker service, where a representative will negotiate with the owner to purchase the name for you. You will pay $119.99 and a 20% commission to hire the agent in addition to the domain registration fee.
Click Add to Cart on a domain name and continue to checkout. On the next page, GoDaddy will offer several add-ons to bundle the order with.
GoDaddy has two privacy and protection options Full and Ultimate . The first protects the domain from hijacking, malicious transfer, and loss of ownership due to billing failures.
On the other hand, the second offers malware detection and search engine blacklist monitoring features to uphold your domain security and reputation.
Additionally, GoDaddy offers a custom business email plan with the domain. The pricing ranges between $1.99/month and $8.99/month.
The next step is to create a GoDaddy account and fill in the billing information. There are three payment methods available credit card, PayPal, and check.
How To Buy A Domain That Is Owned
Isnt it frustrating when you come up with the perfect name for your business and then, after you run a search, find out that the domain name it already taken? And whats worse, the owner doesnt seem to be using it?
While you cant make someone give up a domain they own, there are things you can do so dont abandon hope just yet. Follow the steps below and you might just get the domain youve always wanted.
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How To Buy A Domain Name: A Simple Guide To Get You Started
A domain name is essentially a digital address its what people will type into their browsers to access your website. You can buy a domain name from a domain name registrar or hosting provider by visiting a domain registrar, finding the domain you want to purchase, and following the instructions to buy it.
Keep in mind that buying a domain name is one of the most critical steps of starting a blog, personal site, or online business. Without one, users would not be able to easily access your website on the internet.
Luckily, the process to register a domain name is quite straightforward even beginners can complete it in a few minutes.
This article will explain each of the simple steps to register a domain name and present some tips and tricks to ease the process.
Check out this video on how to register a domain name:
How To Buy A Domain
Follow these instructions to purchase a domain:
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Renew Your Domain Name Registration At The End Of Your Term
When you purchase a domain, youre purchasing it for a fixed length of time, usually one year. While some domain providers offer longer terms , domain registration is never permanent.
In order to hold on to your registered domain, youll want to make sure you renew registration when your term is complete. Nearly all domain providers offer an automatic renewal, so its generally a good idea to have this option selected when you purchase.
Keep in mind that if your payment information changes, youll need to update your settings with your domain provider so theyre able to charge for automatic renewal.
Most domain providers will notify you when it’s time to renew, whether you have automatic renewal enabled or not, but its important to renew your domain. If you dont renew your domain, it will no longer point to your website and may be purchased by someone else. If you dont want to lose your domain, make sure you renew it.