How To Choose A Good Domain Name
Now that the crucial concepts have been explained, its time to get into what makes a good domain name. In order for your domain to be successful, it needs to be:
Simple: It should be simple enough for people to pronounce, spell and therefore remember. Saying that, avoid using peculiar spellings or arbitrary symbols.
Short: Because the longer it gets, the harder it is for visitors to remember.
Branded: Your domain should incorporate your business name, or at least a variation of it. This will make your website immediately recognizable and consistent with your other branding elements.
SEO friendly: Your domain name is one of the first things Google looks for when ranking your site. Consider incorporating relevant keywords that describe your biz. Examples include your type of business or your location if youre looking into acquiring customers through local SEO.
Extra reading: Whats in a name? Many factors need to be taken into consideration when choosing your address on the Internet. To help you out, you can consult this very helpful guide on how to choose the best domain name for your website.
How Much Does A Premium Domain Name Cost
Premium domain names are domains that are already registered and are up for sale on a domain aftermarket service. The price for premium domain names can vary widely, depending on the current demand. As such, the pricing can range from a 3-figure number up to a 7-figure number.
When it comes to choosing a domain name, there are a few things to consider:
How Much Should You Pay For A Domain Name
Okay, so how much should you pay for a domain name?
Well, it all depends on your budget, if you are a billionaire and want to buy www.lasvegas.com, go for it.
However, you probably arent a billionaire, which means that you need to think carefully about how much you are willing to invest in a domain name.
There is a common mistake that first-time entrepreneurs make. They use their limited startup capital to create an appearance of a serious business. They get an expensive domain name, custom web design, business cards, etc. But all that isnt doing business, its playing business.
Sure, you need to look professional, but you shouldnt let that distract you from what actually puts money in your pocket, which is selling your products or services.
Basically, when you are just starting out, you should only be spending money on things that directly contribute to your bottom line. Everything else can wait.
For example, when Mark Zuckerberg launched Facebook in 2004, it was called The Facebook and hosted on .
Facebook purchased its current domain name in 2005 for $200,000.
At that point, Mark Zuckerberg had validated his idea, the social network was growing rapidly, and Facebook had already received their first investment from the PayPal founder Peter Thiel.
Zuckerberg wanted to call his social network Facebook from the start, but the domain name wasnt available, so he simply added the word the to it and got to work.
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Two Free Mailboxes With 3 Gb Of Storage And Email Forwarding
When you register a domain name at Gandi, one important part of the domain value you get is two free email mailboxes with 3 GB of storage. That means you can create two email addresses that you can send and receive email to and from free with the purchase of your domain name.
Not only that, but you get 1,000 free email forwarding addresses, which let you forward email sent to 1,000 addresses to any email account you want.
TLD list, a site that tracks domain prices across registries, records the a three year value score to measure domain value between different registrars. They estimate that a free email mailbox is worth $7.50 a year for the first mailbox, and $1.00 per year for every mailbox after that. They peg the email forwarding service at $3.00 per year.
How Should I Choose My Domain Name
At first, you might think its annoying that the most relevant domain names for your site are probably taken. But now that the obvious names are out of the equation, were forced to think outside the box which can lead to some memorably creative results.
The most important point to keep in mind while you brainstorm is the radio test: in other words, could potential site visitors spell your domain name just by hearing it? By asking yourself this question, youll avoid common pitfalls like including numbers and words with multiple spellings .
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Registrar Of Your Choice
Domain registration costs will depend on the services that a registrar offers. Some domain registrars will provide simple registrations, while some will offer packages that include web hosting services.
Select a registrar that suits your needs and budget best. If a domain registrar is too expensive, try looking at other registrars that might have a better offer. Whichever registrar you choose, its crucial to make sure that its an ICANN accredited registrar.
Why Are Domain Prices Different
Domain name costs vary based on the extensions. A couple of factors that determine its pricing include the registrar through which you purchase the domain as well as the domains availability and popularity. Some people even charge premium domains for more than $1,000/year due to their high market value.
Susan Curtis
Susan is a WordPress expert with a passion for marketing and SEO. She is passionate about helping people grow their online success. In her free time, Susan loves bouldering.
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What To Do If The Domain Name You Want Is Already Taken
If your desired domain name is unavailable, youll need to decide how much using it is worth to you. Youll likely have to spend a lot of money if youre determined to buy it from the current owner.
Because of the California Consumer Privacy Act and GDPR regulations from the European Union, its not quite as easy as it used to be to look up a domain owners contact information on the WHOIS directory. However, you can still use the directory to see the organization name related to the domain.
Even if the owner has opted for full domain name privacy protection, their domain registrar should be able to help you connect with the domain owner via a third-party company, such as Tiered Access. This helps to ensure privacy for the domain owner. You should expect the process to take several days.
Once youve made contact, the next step is to make an offer, either directly or through a domain name broker. For a fee of 1520% of the transaction cost, a broker can assist in managing the negotiation process and provides protection for your money.
Of course, you have other alternatives as well.
You could use a different TLD, set up a domain lease, or search for a very similar name that is available. Well discuss some tips for doing that next!
Related: Domain Wars: The Top 5 Ugliest Domain Disputes
How Much Does A Premium Domain Cost
There is no definitive answer to this question. The price to register a premium domain is set directly by the registry based on the estimated value of the domain. Why they put a particular price on a given name is not public information. Existing domains that are considered to be premium are priced solely by their owners. Regardless of the type of domain you want to buy, registry or aftermarket, the initial price will often be quite high â either to register, or to acquire and transfer the domain. The renewal price is usually the standard one for the particular extension, but this is not always the case. Registries sometimes set a renewal price that can be equal or close to the registration price. If you decide to buy a premium domain, you should check how much you will have to pay the following year as well, not just for the initial purchase.
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Can I Get A Domain Name For Free
No, its not possible to get a domain name for free. Its an essential part of all websites, and all domains have a price.
Some web hosting providers, such as Hostinger, offer free domain registration alongside the web hosting service. Getting a free domain name from a web hosting provider will also help to create a website faster than getting them separately.
Some website builders offer a free domain in the form of a subdomain. For example, users can use hotel.wordpress.com instead of using hotel.com.
Beginners who are just creating a website and dont have a budget for a domain can use a subdomain for free. Keep note that most free subdomains have minimal features and tools.
Can I Get A Domain For Free
If youre just testing out an idea and messing around with building a website, most of the big DIY website builders offer free plans. You can even get a domain name, but it will look something like this:
- username.wix.com/yourwebsite
- yourwebsite.weebly.com
- yourwebsite.wordpress.com
If you want to share your website, blog, or ecommerce store with the world, the risk of relying on these free subdomains could mean losing creditably from your website visitors and potential customers. Compare that to the more professional and simple like, yourwebsite.ca.
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How To Buy A Domain Name
Before you actually take out your card and make that purchase, you should understand why you need to register your domain. Your domain is your little piece of real estate online, and as such, its registration needs to go through the centralized authority: the ICANN .
In order for this to happen, you need to acquire your domain through an accredited registrar, which is accredited to deal, on your behalf, with the ICANN. Your registrar will thus ensure that your domain name is registered correctly and therefore protected. On top of this, it will be responsible for managing your domain and keeping track of monthly or yearly renewals.
Because the registrar you select will be the one dealing with your domain, we cant recommend enough to check its reputability. Many registrars are active on the market, but not all of them offer the same conditions, and some even practice hidden fees that make your domain acquisition much more expensive than it should be. Make sure you go for a reliable registrar, one that is fully transparent about fees and other terms and conditions.
Our suggestion is to pick a registrar that is also a web host, to make sure that your website and your domain are all dealt with under the same umbrella. That way, your entire website process is centralized in one, easy to access place. Considering Wix has over 150 million users, we would say its the preferred choice of many businesses worldwide.
Domain Name Cost: Quick Overview
Every website owner will need to factor domain name cost into their budget. You have the choice of either registering a new domain name, or purchasing one thats already been registered. A new domain will cost around $10-20/year, while the price of a preregistered domain will be more expensive, and vary depending on popularity.
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How Much Does A Domain Cost
The price of a regular domain for small business costs from $0.99 to dozens of dollars.This is the annualprice. The domain must be renewed after the duration for which you bought it ends.
On average, a regular domain for a small business costs around $10-$15.
The price of a domain depends on:
How popular it is if many other people are looking to buy it, it could drive up the price.
Its availability, as many domains are already taken. You bet that the domain www.candy.com is taken it was sold for $3 million.
Different domain registrars have their own pricing and extra fees for services such as privacy protection, business email, and web hosting.
The top-level domain will also affect the price of your domain.
Look for an available domain and buy it here.
Which Factors Contribute To The Cost Of A Domain Name
The registration fee isnt the only charge to consider when calculating your overall domain name cost. Pay attention to any hidden or extra fees, including:
Renewal fees
Domain names are purchased for a set period of time, e.g. one year, three years etc. When the term length finishes, youll be required to pay a domain name renewal cost. While this is usually similar to the initial registration cost, some providers renewal charges can be a lot higher than the initial payment.
For example, A2 Hostings pricing offers registrations and renewals for the same amount.
By contrast, with Domain.com, a .com registration costs $9.99 per year, whereas renewal costs $13.99 per year.
As well as this, many providers offer auto-renewals, taking the stress out of having to do it yourself. But if youre uncertain about a domain name, then assess if auto-renewal is the best option for you. Also, auto-renewal can be an unwelcome surprise, particularly if the charges are considerably higher than the first year fees.
Privacy protection
If you own a domain name, the registrar must provide the owners contact information including name, address , and phone number to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers . This information is stored in the WHOIS database, which is a publicly available resource.
Transfer costs
Extension type
- gTLDs include general, popular extensions like .com or .org
- ccTLDs are country-specific, such as .co.uk for the UK, or .ie for Ireland
Term length
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Which Option Is Best For Me
For most people, buying a new domain is going to be the preferred route to take. Youll not only get the best deal, but the registration and purchase process will be the simplest.
In time, as your experience and online assets grow it might make sense to negotiate for a domain or purchase an expired domain.
But, when youre just starting out make it easy on yourself and find a solid new domain.
HostGators domain registration is easy, the prices are fair, and you can take care of your domain management and renewals in the same place you manage your web hosting services and website updates.
Domain registration doesnt have to be expensive or difficult. Simply use our domain search tool to find the domain you want, and it can be yours within minutes. Still looking for a hosting provider to help you build your online presence? HostGator is a leading hosting provider that offers a number of different hosting packages so you can build your perfect website.
What To Do If You Cant Get The Domain Name You Want
Its not always possible to get the domain name you want. What should you do then?
- It might be unavailable or parked. You can contact the owner and make them an offer. Alternatively, you can modify your domain name by adding a word to it. For example, if you are using your product name, consider adding the word get to it, as Drip did with www.getdrip.com.
- It might be outside your budget. You can significantly reduce the cost of your domain name by choosing a less popular domain extension. Just dont go overboard with this. A whacky extension that no one has ever seen before might hurt your brand.
- It might be trademarked, like WordPress. When thats the case its best to just drop the idea and go back to the drawing board. Dont play with fire if you dont want to get burned.
Yes, its really annoying when you cant get a domain name that you want, but your only option is to get creative. And who knows, maybe youll come up with something even better?
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