How Do I Create A Domain Name

Benefits Of Having Your Own Email Domain

So youve put together your own site, why invest in your own custom domain? With your own email domain, you gain:

• : Most websites or blogs that are seen as an authority in their niche or field will most likely have their own email domain for contact and communication. The authoritativeness will help contribute to social proof that you are considered like an expert.
• Brand Recognition: Branding is a great way to help grow an audience over time. Having your own email domain will just increase the overall branding of your blog.
• Customer Trust: When people see that you have an official website email, it can increase the legitimacy of your online business.

Tld: Top Level Domains

There are over a thousand TLDs available, but the most common youll see are .com , .org, .net, .edu, and more recently .io and .co.

The official list of TLDs is maintained by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority which includes gTLDs and ccTLDs.

gTLD: Generic Top Level Domains

gTLDs are the ones youre used to seeing .com, .co, .net, .org, etc.

They can be used by anyone, anywhere in the world .

In most cases, there arent any restrictions on using gTLDs for any kind of site, but generally theres some intent behind each .com is meant for commercial sites, .org for non-profits, .edu for educational institutions.

A couple gTLDs are restricted dont try to create a .mil or .gov site yourself if you can even find a way youll probably have a couple of men in black knocking on your door ASAP.

And some gTLDs will cost more than others for example, depending on your domain registrar, a .com domain will cost you anywhere from $8-15 bucks a year, while a .co is usually $20-25.

ccTLD: Country Code Top Level Domains

ccTLDs use two letters based on international country codes to identify sites in specific countries, like .uk for the United Kingdom and .jp for Japan.

Theyre generally used for companies looking to do business in those specific countries to let people know where they are, since everyone can use gTLDs like .com and .org anywhere in the world.

Install A Theme & Essential Plugins

WordPress comes up with a default theme that can be changed.

There are plenty of WordPress themes out there. Whether you are going to create a personal blog or an eCommerce site, you will get available WordPress themes for that.

You can get a free theme from the WordPress Theme Directory or you can buy a premium theme. If you have some budget, its better to go with a premium theme.

Here are some recommendations for you :

• Astra: It is the same theme that we are using here at RoadToBlogging.com. Its a multi-purpose theme that can be used on any website.
• GeneratePress: Its another great WordPress theme that we use on our other blog WPLeaders.com. Its also a multi-purpose theme.
• Elegant Themes: It has a variety of WordPress themes like Blog, Business, eCommerce, Magazine, Multimedia, Portfolio, etc.

Once youve chosen and downloaded your desired WordPress theme, you need to install it on WordPress.

Read: How to Install A WordPress Theme.

Now lets talk about essential WordPress plugins. Heres a list of must-have WordPress plugins for a new site.

• Ultimate Blocks: Its a custom Gutenberg blocks plugin specially designed for bloggers and marketers.
• Rank Math: Its an all-in-one solution for WordPress SEO developed by the team at MyThemeShop.
• Social Snap: Its one of the best solutions for adding social sharing buttons on your blog.
• Contact Form 7: Its the most popular contact form plugin.
• Jetpack: Its a multi-purpose WordPress plugin by Automattic.

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Find A Custom Domain For Your Site

Whether youre working on a blog, an online portfolio, or an online shop, Mailchimp offers custom domains that can make all the difference to your online presence. And theres no reason to stop there. Use Mailchimp to build your website and connect it to our all-in-one marketing platform to really make your offerings stand out from the rest.

Learn more about how to get a free domain name from Mailchimp and how our offer compares to the competition.

How To Choose A Domain Name

Since your domain name can have a major impact on your online presence, what you choose is a vital first step in building your brand. Finding the perfect domain name, however, can be challenging.

While its true that there are millions of domain names available, many of the popular domain names that are easy to remember are taken. Fortunately, you can still get what you need if you go through a simple process and use a bit of imagination.

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The Importance Of Choosing The Right Domain Name

Your domain name is going to be the name of your brand. Its something you need to spend time thinking about and researching.

For example, without proper research, you could end up with a domain name that is very closely related to one of your competitors. Or, you could end up with a domain name that doesnt stick in the minds of your visitors.

A lot of people rush the domain selection process, and once their site takes off they wish they spent more time up front. Having to go through a website re-brand isnt the end of the world. But, it can be avoided by choosing the right domain name from the start.

Option A: Get A Free Domain Name With A Web Hosting Plan

If youre planning to build your site on WordPress, then youre going to need web hosting. Get the most out of your web hosting plan by choosing one that includes a free domain. On top of that, you will also get a one-click WordPress installation, making your life easy by automatically connecting your domain and web hosting to WordPress.

On the fence about WordPress? If youre not sure if you have the time or aptitude, see how easy it can be and learn how to make a WordPress website.

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Add Mx Records For Email

Once youve verified your domain name, you also need to add another type of record called MX records so that Google Workspace can manage the email for your domain name.

You can do this via the same interface where you added the TXT record. Or, many web hosts include a built-in tool to help you add the Google Workspace MX records.

For example, with the cPanel dashboard at SiteGround, you get a dedicated Set Google MX tool in the MX Entry interface:

And thats it! You should be ready to use Gmail with your custom domain name.

Remember if you want a more detailed look, .

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.

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How To Create Domain Alias

Your website is your home on the internet, and your domain name is your address. Creating a Domain Alias is like giving people other ways to get to your address.

Read further to learn more about Domain Aliases and how to create one in your cPanel.

Choose The Right Web Address

In general the best web addresses:

• reflect the name of your business
• are three syllables or less, such as Yahoo!
• are easy to remember, pronounce, spell and type
• are alliterative, for example beyondblue and Firefox
• are also available for registration via social media channels.

Some people argue a good web address is one that people are searching for online and come up in search engines, for example Melbourne plumbers. Use the tools to check high search terms.

Others argue a good web address will be unique or distinct, such as for Google so it stands out in a crowded market, and won’t have to compete for web traffic online because of searches for popular terms.

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Allow Gmail To Send Emails Using Smtp

At this point, new emails to your custom domain should show up in your Gmail account. However, you wont be able to reply to them from your custom email domain yet.

To fix that, you need to configure your Gmail account to send through your custom emails SMTP server. Typically, youll find your emails SMTP server information at the same spot where you found the POP3 information:

Once you have your SMTP information:

This will open another popup window that has multiple steps.

On the first screen:

• Enter the custom email address that youre using.
• Check the box for Treat as an alias.

Next, enter the SMTP information from your email host:

• SMTP Server and Port from your email host.
• Username normally, this is your full email address, but sometimes its only the part that comes before @.
• Password the password that you set when creating your custom email address.
• Choose whichever Secured connection method that Gmail recommends.
• Click Add Account.

Gmail will then send a confirmation code to your custom email address. You need to click the link in that email and click Confirm to finish the process.

Since you already configured Gmail to receive emails from your custom domain name, you should be able to receive this email from your Gmail account. It might take a few minutes for Gmail to fetch the email from your server.

Purchase Your Domain Name

If you’ve done the hard work of finding a good domain name that is available then the hard part is over.

You’ll simply purchase your domain name with the domain registrar of your choice and complete the transaction.

Keep in mind most domain name registrars will try to upsell you a lot of additional services that may or my not be necessary for you or your business. Also remember that you don’t have to host your website at the same place you purchase your domain name.

One additional service you may want to opt-in for if you have privacy concerns is “WHOIS privacy” which prevents making your contact information public record.

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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.

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.

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Check For Trademark Infringement

Both major and minor brands alike take issue with others using their trademarked names. Even if youve just made an innocent mistake, the legal hassle involved in a lawsuit and having to rearrange your web presence could be costly.

You can avoid these situations by using a trademark lookup tool before you finalize your choice.

Wix Free Website Builder And Domain Name In One Place

Wix is the top web building platform that occupies the highest position in the list of contemporary DIY website builders. It currently empowers millions of websites across the globe, providing myriads of advantages like bogging and eCommerce engines, free responsive highly customizable templates, professional design customization tools, versatile approaches to the web development process and pricing policy.

Wix makes it possible to start and manage website for free and, thus, it offers a free neverending plan that lets you launch a project without any hidden charges.

All websites created with a free plan are initially created on a Wix-branded subdomain. This is enough to test the features of the service and practice your web design skills. However, Wix subdomain will certainly not be enough to publish and promote your website.

To be able to boost your website popularity, recognition and search engine positions, Wix makes it possible to upgrade to one of its paid plans. Each of them comes with an opportunity of your own domain name connection. Such domains are provided at no cost for those users, who decide to get annual plans.

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Establish A Contractual Relationship

To establish your business relationship with Verisign, email all required forms and supporting documentation to the .

NOTE: All supporting documentation that Verisign may request, including Registrar’s Registration Agreement, Dispute Policy and Corporation Formation documents, must be provided in English.

Registry-Registrar Agreements

To offer .com, .net and/or .name, you will first be required to enter into a Registry-Registrar Agreement with Verisign for each TLD. The links to the relevant agreements below are for reference only as the Verisign Customer Affairs Office will forward the required contracts to you electronically.

• .name Registry-Registrar Agreement

Name Store Merchant and Activation Agreements

To offer .tv and/or .cc, you will be required to enter into Name Store Merchant and Name Store Activation Agreements. To obtain copies of these agreements, contact the .

Corporate Formation Documents

Depending on the outcome of the Authentication process described in Step 2 above, Verisign may require copies of corporate formation documents to verify the legal entity with which Verisign is entering into a contract. The corporate name used on all forms must match the legal name used for ICANN accreditation. ccTLDs such as .tv and .cc do not require ICANN accreditation.

Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Form

Registrar Information Form

Verisign, Inc.s Handling of Personal Data