Can You Get A Domain Name For Free
So far, weve covered two ways to buy a domain name. But can you get one for free? The answer is yes. There are three ways to get a free domain:
While you can get a good domain name for free, you should consider how professional your domain makes your website look. Your TLD conveys legitimacy, authority, and trustworthiness to visitors.
People trust familiar TLDs the most, and over 37% of domains currently have the TLD .com. So, while you might be able to get a .ml or .tumblr domain for free, investing in the .com domain may pay off better long term.
Set Up Website Hosting
Finally, if youd like someone to do it for you, its time to find a website host. We recommend Kinsta.
Kinsta websites are fast, easy to build, and protected with hardware firewalls, SSL support, uptime monitoring, and Distributed Denial of Service detection. Kinsta also offers expert help and allows you to choose which of the 28 Google Cloud Platform data centers hosts your site.
You can get started with Kinsta by signing up for one of our plans. Then, follow our instructions to add your domain to your Kinsta site.
What Is A Domain Name And How Do They Work
Are you thinking of setting up your own website or starting a blog but feeling a bit daunted by the prospect? For those new to web design, there is a lot to learn and think about but dont worry! In this article, we cover the first step of any web project the domain name.
Read on to find out exactly what a domain name is and gain an in-depth look at how they work. We will explain technical terms like IP addresses, the Domain Name System , and top level domains . We will then share some top tips on how to choose a domain name, where to purchase one, what you can expect to pay, and much much more. Are you ready to get started?
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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.
Before We Begin Dont Just Go And Get A Different Tld
If your desired domain name is taken, you might be thinking that theres a third option worth considering: getting the same domain but with a different TLD, like .net or .org instead of .com.
However, this is not a good idea. First off, people will never remember what your correct TLD was, so they will usually go for .com anyway ending up at the wrong website.
Additionally, registering existing names can also result in legal trouble. The owner of the original .com might argue that youre trying to infringe on their brand name by registering a similar domain name.
At the end of the day, youre really better off either trying to get the original domain name that you wanted from the start, or changing your focus to a different name entirely.
With that said, lets talk business:
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Set Up An Email Address
Does any business run day-to-day without email anymore? There might be a few people holding out, but for the most part, using email is an integral aspect of running a website / company.
Not only is email the most common form of business communication, its also a hugely effective way to inform customers of new products and offers. Well get further into email marketing later on, but first, lets set up a professional email address for your domain.
For this, were going to already assume you have a hosting package that comes with email.
Receive mail and be as happy as Ralph
First, youll need to think about what your email address is going to be wed recommend keeping it personal, something like yourname@yourdomain.com or something simple such as info@yourdomain.com.
The shorter the better, as misspelling an address is a common reason for emails not reaching their intended recipient.
Getting an email address set up via your host should be the easy part. Here at LCN it couldnt be simpler: Just log in to your LCN account and look for the Email addresses icon on the my account page.
Wondering why you should get email working on your own domain instead of using a free service like Gmail or Hotmail? Having an address like john66rockstar@googlemail.com plastered over a company van doesnt really scream professionalism.
What might your email address say about you? The Oatmeal
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Pricing And Domain Options
Domain names arent generally going to be a huge expense. Most of the common domain extensions are available for in the ballpark of $10 to $20 per year. But something that you might want to consider are additional options for your domain, such as bulk registration, domain privacy, theft protection, etc.
But what do those options mean? Lets take privacy, for example. While privacy isnt required for your domain, it can go a long way in protecting your personal contact information.
Domain registrars are required to provide valid contact information for registered domains on WHOIS searches.
While there is a benefit to having valid contact information available there, the unfortunate downside is that spammers and scammers love to gather email contact information from WHOIS directories. In other words, privacy on your domain is a great way to protect your personal contact information. Make sure its available with your domain registrar before purchasing a domain.
What about additional extensions? While many businesses choose .com domains for their primary web address, there are tons of interest-, industry- and geo-specific domain extensions available that you might find more appealing.
Not all domain providers will have a wide selection of domain extensions, so if this option is important to you, make sure theyre available through your selected registrar.
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Transfer The Domain To Your Name
Finally, you need to find an ICANN-accredited registrar for your new domain so that you can transfer ownership to your name. You can use the same registrar the old domain owner used.
While many registrars have their internal transfer process, most require you to confirm that the old owner has sold you the domain and that you are the new owner. The registrar will then process the transfer and notify both parties once the transfer is complete. The domain transfer process may take up to 60 days, and you may need to pay a fee.
If the old owner purchased the domain less than 60 days ago, the domain might be subject to a Change of Registrant lock. Youll need to wait until this period passes to change ownership.
Importance Of A Domain Name For Your Small Business
A domain name is the starting point of building an online presence for your company. It will help to set the tone for how your customers find your website, think of your business, and engage with your brand.
How can you put a domain name to work for your business and stand out in a crowded online market? Lets take a closer look at what a domain name is, how it works, and how you can select and register the one that’s right for your business and brand.
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Domain Name Registrars And Registries
We’ve gone over what domain names are, how they work, and why you should have one, but how do you actually get your own domain name? If you think of a catchy name for your personal site or business, how do you get it recorded in the DNS so that people can start using your domain name to access your website?
The truth is that having your own domain name is easier than ever before. Registration fees are only $10â$15 a year, and the registration process is quick and simple. And once you have your own domain name, you have immediate access to all the advantages that come with it.
To understand that better, let’s first go over domain name registrars and registries.
Tips Before You Buy A Domain Name
When it comes to picking a domain name, its important to help clients look beyond a mere web address for their sites. A domain name will become the anchor of a brand for years to come. Before registering a domain name, its essential to do the work up front to ensure it meets a clients needs over the long run.
And to help you out, here are 10 tips to consider before you buy a domain name.
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Get Started Online With The Right Domain Name
Your domain name sets the tone for your online presence, and finding the right one can take time and effort. But, with options ranging from entirely free to five figures or more, anyone on just about any budget can buy a domain name to launch a business or a brand.
Domain.com has the tools you need to continue building your business into a success.
Kristin Crabb
Content Marketing Strategist working in the digital marketing industry. Skilled in SEO-focused content creation, keyword research and competitive analysis, interactive content, web content optimization, and landing page creation.
Stick With Your Domain
Stick with it. You technically can always get a new domain name at any time, but this is highly not recommended.
Every time you change your domain, Google treats it as a new site, so you lose lots of rankings, and you also confuse website viewers that will try going to your old website domain name.
Find the right domain name you like and stick with it.
If you still need help with it, there are tools out there called domain name generators that are available for you to use for free.
These tools allow you to input a keyword you know you want in the domain name, and they give you thousands of suggestions. One that we use all the time is Lean Domain Search.
All you have to do is input your keyword and it pairs your phrase with other common and relevant keywords. It shows you which ones are available and how to register them.
Another tool we use all the time is Namechk.
If you have a couple of different domain name ideas, you can use this tool to see what domain extensions are available along with what is available on social media.
This tool is used best if you are creating a website and a YouTube channel around it, or maybe you want a Facebook page to match your sites name.
Basically, if youre looking to create a brand instead of just a website, this tool can help you from having to search a bunch of different sites first.
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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.
Choose A Domain Registrar
After selecting an available domain name, youll find yourself in front of a seemingly endless list of domain registrars to purchase it from. But while they might all seem the same at first, a closer look will highlight noticeable differences in their pricing and domain extension offering, as well as in other features such as privacy, customer support and add-ons.
Here are some of the key characteristics you should pay attention to:
Pricing
Its important to keep in mind that when you purchase a domain name, youll need to pay an annual fee to the domain name registrar in order to maintain your ownership. Certain providers take advantage of this by offering the initial registration at a price much lower than the industry average and charging exorbitant renewal fees.
On the other hand, other registrars provide free domain names that are renewed for an average cost. Needless to say, you should keep an eye out for the latter as they allow you to save money without making you pay for it later on.
Private domain registration
ICANN requires everyone who purchases a domain to provide personal information that is then made publicly available on a database known as WHOIS. If youre concerned about privacy or want to minimize the chances of SPAM and identity theft, you can hide this information using WHOIS privacy protection.
Web hosting pairing
Customer support
Additional benefits
Bulk purchasing
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Domain Names Versus Web Hosting
If you want to start your own website, you’ll need to do two big things: register your domain name and find a place to host your website.
A web host provides a place for you to securely store your web content: your home page, photos, articles, and any other files that people see on your website. Whenever someone visits your website, they’re accessing the information on the servers of your web host. Like everything else connected to the internet, your web host’s servers are assigned their own IP addresses.
It’s technically possible for you to host your own website on your own home computer or office server, but that’s becoming less and less common.
When you register your domain, you’re adding your domain name to the DNS so that people know it exists. Whether you use a web host provider or host your own website, you’ll need to register your domain name. Otherwise, there’ll be no way for the public to access your website except by using an IP address.
Think of it like starting a physical business. First, you need to register your business â apply for a business name, make sure that no one else is using your business name, and get a Tax ID number. But, you still need a place to do business, whether you’re designating some space in your home or renting an office.
Summary: How Domains Work
In this guide, weve covered what a domain name is and their technical background. Weve discussed different types of domains and basic terms that are associated with domain names. Weve also shared tips on how to choose the best domain name for your website and gone over the steps of buying and registering a domain name.
The only thing left to do now is to register your desired domain name and start working on your website. Happy launching!
What factors do you consider when choosing a domain name? Anything to add to the above? Let us know in the comments section below!
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Create Email Accounts With Your New Domain
Using an email address with your new domain name, such as email@yourdomain.com,will increase your credibility, whether you use it as a contact address or to communicate with business partners.
If you use Hostingers hosting service, you can easily create an email address:
If youre looking for a more premium email service, feel free to check out Titan business email hosting here.
Pro Tip
Use a password generator like LastPass to create a random and secure password for your business email address.
How To Buy A Domain Name
Once youve decided on a domain name for your site, its time to make it official and purchase it. There are a few things to keep in mind when figuring out how to register a domain name, including making sure that the name you chose is available, finding a registrar that matches your needs and ensuring your online address needs will be covered for some time to come.
Lets take a look at what each of these steps entails:
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Use Your Domain For A Custom Email Address
Youre a professional, so why are you still using that personal Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, MSN email address you created 10 or even 20 years ago?
If the email youre using to communicate with customers isnt branding your business, then its time you kick that free email to the curb and set up a custom email using the domain you just purchased.
If you register a domain, you can set up a personalized email address such as YourName@yourdomain.com. Thats so much better than YourFirstandLastName_1975@gmail.com, right?
You can put that custom email address on your business cards, the side of your car, everywhere you promote your business.
With Professional Business Email from GoDaddy, not only will you get 24/7 customer support, but youll also get as many email aliases as youd like .
Youll look more professional, credible, and with so many email address options, you can guarantee that emails are going to the right people.
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