Always Register Your Domain Name Yourself
Its a good idea to not let anyone else register a domain name for you. Even though its slightly less hassle that way , it can lead to trouble later on.
If someone else registers the domain, youre giving them a hold over you and your website. If you ever want to move away from their services, you can encounter trouble in terms of them not being too eager to transfer the domain over to you and give you full control of it.
Just to name a few bad things that can happen: They may take an awfully long time to complete the transfer, they may try to extort some fees from you to do that, or they may decline completely .
Plus, perhaps most importantly, if the agency/person goes bankrupt or loses access to the domain registrar for whatever reason, you could lose your domain name entirely.
Long story short, always register your domains on your own. Its not that difficult anyway. Heres our step-by-step guide.
How To Choose A Domain Name: 20 Top Tips
In this next section, well guide you through the process of choosing your domain name. Use this process to come up with a list of domain name ideas.
Weve broken the process into four steps:
Note: The advice below is based on purchasing a new domain name rather than a parked or existing domain name. However, a lot of the advice below will still apply.
Avoid Cutesy Names And Abbreviations
Dont use cute shorteners like 4U and 2U in your domain names because:
- Theyre hard to remember.
- They look unprofessional.
- Only Prince could get away with that, and 4 real UR not Prince.
If you think people might have trouble remembering long URLs, know that theyll have a field day trying to remember your text-speak domain name! Steer clear and look for alternative domain names that convey your companys brand messaging without resorting to tricks like these.
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Is It For Sale
You may find that your intended domain name is reserved but available for sale at a premium price. Dont just settle on the asking price for a premium domain. See if you can contact the seller or service to negotiate a lower price. This tactic is especially effective if the domain has been on sale for a long time.
Your intended domain name may be reserved but available through an auction, such as Godaddy Auction, Sedo, or NameJet. Youll need to find the desired name and monitor the auction to ensure you get the best price and beat any competing bidders.
Another possibility is that your intended domain name is reserved, but not in use, not publicly listed for sale, and not up for auction. If this is the case, try contacting the domain owner to see if theyre willing to sell it. See if the contact details are listed on the site. If not, you can try to find it by looking up the domain owners information using a Whois search. In 40 to 50 percent of cases, youll find the domain owner information there.
If youre not comfortable doing this yourself, you can use a broker to buy a domain for you. Some brokers have established relationships with major domain investors. But remember, a broker will charge a commission rate of 10 to 15 percent of the total sale price.
Mix Up Your Domain Extension When It Makes Sense
As I mentioned above, always try to pick a .com when possible.
However, you dont always have to follow this rule
While a .com domain extension can be adapted for any type of website, there are also other extensions or TLDs available.
Here are just a few examples:
- .org: Usually reserved for non-profit or information websites
- .net: These are typically used for more business-focused websites
- .co: These are very popular for commercial based websites
- .io: Focused on development and coding websites
In fact, there are over 280 domain extensions available for a wide range of websites
The only thing is, these domain extensions are generally only used for specific types of websites, but they dont have to be.
Again, it goes back to my point on whether or not people trust the domain, and if it makes sense to use it.
So while a .com is preferred, feel free to break this rule if you really want a specific name for your website.
Because odds are, you will have a much easier time finding a domain extension that doesnt end in a .com.
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How To Choose A Domain Name For Your Business In 6 Steps
REVIEWED BY:Elizabeth Kraus
Elizabeth Kraus has more than a decade of first-hand experience building and growing a boutique digital marketing agency and double that in small and mid-size business marketing management. She provides expert answers to questions related to branding, content marketing, web development, email, social media, and SEO.
Jocelyn Dimaculangan has spent 14+ years in the online publishing industry while studying digital marketing and SEO trends. As a staff writer for Fit Small Business, she shares her expertise by creating articles that tackle the latest trends in .
This article is part of a larger series on Small Business Websites.
The best domain names are short, memorable, on-brand, and can even boost your rankings in online search. To choose a domain name, first try using your business name. If that isnt possible, create a list of alternatives, incorporate keywords, choose the right domain extension, research the domains history, and finally, register your domain.
Avoid Hyphens And Doubled Letters
Using hyphens may seem like a creative way to get the domain name you want and is admittedly still popular in some European countries . Unfortunately, theyre tough to express verbally . They also make the domain more difficult to type. This can create a poor User Experience from the start, leaving a user frustrated. Even worse, they may give up entirely and end up on someone elses website.
While there are exceptions, when youre brainstorming domain name ideas, its best to avoid anything that isnt a letter. This includes replacing letters with numbers, which make the name a lot easier for people to mistype.
The same goes for doubled letters its asking for typos. Doubled letters are hard to read and even harder to type correctly. If mistakes happen often enough, you may end up with someone typosquatting and stealing your traffic.
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Check The Domain History
You might have your sights set on a completely fresh domain name. However, theres also a possibility that the domain youd like to purchase had a previous owner.
Its best to investigate the domains history as this could affect your sites search engine rankings. There are a few tools you can use to check on past owners, including Wayback Machine and Whoxy:
This is useful information to know. For instance, you wouldnt want to buy a domain name that was previously running an unethical business, as it might hurt your reputation.
You Dont Have A Website No Problem At All
You can point your public domain to Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or other social media accounts. I do not know about you. So, what Id say to everyone is make friends with me at williamreview.com rather than giving some long, complicated URLs. That reminds me I really should register that Domain Name now.
Not only registering the main Domain Name, many businesses also use Addon domains and Subdomains in the SEO implementation process. So what are these types of Domain Names? Refer now at William Review!
Recommended Reading: How Do I Create A Domain
What Makes A Good Domain Name
The making of a good domain name
Its a good idea not to exceed 2-3 words. You want people to remember your domain name and type it accurately. Complicated or uncommon words or names may be hard to remember and spell correctly. Relevant words help users find you in a search and recognize what you do at a glance.
Consider A Name Thats Brandable Not Generic
A company with a good domain is easily remembered. If your name just uses keywords rather than showing some personality, youre not going to stand out from the competition. The domain name pizzarestaurantnyc.com is fine, but frankspizzaslice.nyc is much more exciting. If you are a business, remember to pick a professional domain name. You dont want something that will offend people and make them distrust your company.
Read Also: How To Get Own Website Domain
How Do I Protect My Domain Name From Cybersquatters
A domain name is your unique identity on the internet. It’s how customers find your website, and it’s how you build brand recognition online. So it’s no surprise that cybersquatters ââ¬â people who register domain names to sell them to the highest bidder ââ¬â constantly look for valuable domains. Fortunately, you can take a few steps to protect your domain name from these unsavory characters.
First, make sure you register your domain name with a reputable company. This will help to ensure that your domain is adequately protected from squatters.
Second, keep your contact information up to date. If a squatter does manage to register your domain, you’ll need to be able to get in touch with them to resolve the issue quickly.
Finally, consider registering your domain name under different extensions like “.inc” or “.io.” This will make it more difficult for squatters to register your domain name and give you more options if your primary domain name is unavailable.
Select The Best Domain Name Based On Some Simple Criteria
At this point, youre ready to narrow down your shortlist and finish out the process of how to choose a domain name. Part of this process is subjective after all, its important to choose a domain name you like. However, there are also some simple criteria you can use to make the decision easier.
For best results, youll want to pick a domain name that is:
- Concise and clear. Long and confusing names are harder to remember and easier to mistype.
- Creative and memorable. The more unique you can make your domain name , the more memorable it will be.
- Easy to read and pronounce. Avoid numbers and special characters because theyre confusing when spoken aloud. Its also worth asking your friends to pronounce it as well, so you avoid accidentally ending up on this list.
Finally, its also important to carefully consider your domain names Top-Level Domain .
In simple terms, this is the part at the end .com, .org, .net, and so on. For many sites, .com is the best choice, since its what most visitors will expect and is easiest to remember. However, its getting harder and harder to find quality .com domain names, and users are becoming more accustomed to other extensions. So if you absolutely love a non-.com name, go ahead and buy it.
The only thing to be careful with is TLDs that apply to a specific region . to help goetarget websites, so only pick those extensions if you really do want Google to geotarget your site.
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Stay Clear Of Copyright Issues
If youre pretty much settled on a domain name, then you need to spend some time looking into the past of your domain.
Ask yourself the following questions:
- Have there been any associated domain names that have a negative public opinion?
- Does your domain name contain any words that have a double meaning?
- Are there any existing trademark issues with the words used in your domain?
The last thing you want is to find and register the perfect domain name, only to realize that your domain is creating brand confusion, or that youre accidentally stepping on someones trademark.
Double-check social media, too. You want to make sure any relevant social media handles are still available. This will help you build brand consistency and make it that much easier for your visitors to find your business on social media.
The Difference Between Transferring And Pointing A Domain Name
Domain Name transfer transfer domain is the operation of transferring domain management rights from one provider to another. When transferring Domain Names sometimes it is necessary to pay the Domain Name transfer fee at the new registrar. Domain Names after transfer will normally be automatically renewed for one year.
Point domain , is an operation to access the Domain Name management area at the current registrar to update the records at the current registrar so that the Domain Name uses a some kind of hosting service.
You can understand, usually when you already have a Domain Name and just bought hosting at another provider, you will be asked to point the Domain Name to that hosting. Only when you need to manage hosting and domain management in the same place do you need to transfer Domain Names.
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Do I Need A Domain Name For My Website
The short answer is yes – but there are some exceptions. For example, if you’re creating a personal website or blog, you may be able to get by by using a free platform like WordPress.com or Blogger.com. These sites will provide you with a subdomain , which can be used to access your site.
However, if you’re planning on creating a more professional website – or if you want more control over your site’s design and functionality – you’ll need to register your domain name. You can usually do this through your web hosting provider, which will cost you around $10-15 per year. Once you have your domain name, you’ll be able to create the website of your dreams!
How To Choose The Best Domain Name
Last updated on June 14th, 2021 by Editorial Staff | Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us.
Choosing the right domain name for your website is crucial for your success. If you choose the wrong domain name, then it can be a hassle to switch later on without hurting your brand and search rankings.
Thats why its extremely important that you choose the best domain name from the start.
When first starting out, it can be hard to come up with catchy business name ideas with a perfect domain name.
In this article, well share all the tools and tips you need to get domain name ideas, choose the best domain name, and register your new domain .
14 Tips for Choosing the Best Domain Name
When starting a blog, choosing a domain name can be stressful because you dont want to make a mistake.
To make the process easier, we have a simple 14 step framework that you can use to pick the best domain for your website.
Lets take a look at these tips one by one with more details.
1. Stick with .com
There are plenty of new domain name extensions available today, from the original .com, .net and .org to niche extensions like .pizza, .photography, and even .blog.
We always recommend choosing a .com domain name.
In our opinion, newer domain extensions like .ninja, .photography, and others can make your business appear less trustworthy.
Also Check: How To Change Website Domain Name
How To Buy Your Domain Name
With everything checked off from the previous section, itstime to buy your domain name.
Make sure you buy your domain from a reputable domain registrar company thats registered with ICANN .
There are plenty of places to buy your domain name, but we recommend Namecheap.
Note: Many web hosts also offer domains, sometimes bundled as part of a first-year package. But for security and convenience, we recommend buying your domain name separately.
Check availability
Head over to Namecheap and enter the domain you want. If .COM is available, you can register it straight away. If not, youll see a list of all the alternative gTLDs.
Consider buying theother extensions as well
You may want to consider buying the other TLD extensions, aswell as .COM, to avoid anyone setting up a competing site or misusing yourbrand name.
Consider buying themisspellings
Some people also buy the likely misspellings of their domain name and set up a redirect to the correct site. Thats precisely what Flickr.com did when they bought Flicker.com.
Set your domains torenew automatically
You usually register your domain name for 12 months. Towardsthe end of that period, you should get an email reminding you to renew yourdomain before anyone else nips in and steals it from you. But with Namecheap,you can set your domain name to renew automatically, so theres no chance ofyou forgetting.
Register yourcorresponding social media handles
Domain Names Are The First Impression
Domain names are the first impression of your website. They are the first thing customers see when searching for you online and the first thing that pops up in their browser window. A study by Moz found that domain authority is one of the top three factors influencing a website’s click-through rate.
A domain name is a significant factor in CTR because it’s the first thing customers see. If your domain name is irrelevant to your business or brand, customers are less likely to click through to your website.
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How To Come Up With A Good Domain Name
Choosing a domain name can be one of the most important steps in establishing your brand or business. Your domain name is often one of the first things someone sees, and it can affect their impression of your website and your brand. A carefully chosen domain name may increase user interest and drive web traffic, while a carelessly chosen one might do the opposite.
While it isn’t an exact science and there are few absolute rules, here are some guiding principles for picking a name that reflects and helps your brand.