How To Register Your Website’s Domain Name
When you register a domain name for your site, you make it a lot easier for people to find you, ensuring that you reap the branding and marketing benefits of having an online presence.
A domain name is the address that visitors type into their browser address bar to arrive at your website. It replaces an IP address: a random, unique string of numbers that specifies where your sites files are located. While a website domain can be an investment, you can also find one for free, especially if you purchase it with hosting.
In this post, youll learn everything you need to know about registering your websites domain name either for free or for a low cost.
$10 Or $10 Million The Choice Is Yours
At the end of the day, your new website will need a domain. There are different types of domains and price points associated with each. As a business owner, you will have to weigh your options and purchase a domain that both fits within your budget and is easy for your customers to remember. When in doubt, start with an unregistered domain name to keep your cost low. You can always upgrade to a premium domain name in a few years when your business is more established and can responsibly afford the cost.
How Much Is A Domain Name At The Top 6 Domain Registrars
Ill spare you the technical mumbo-jumbo and say it as it is. The short version of a domain name is the address that you type into a website browser address bar.
Initially, people used numbers. But you all know how bad most of us are at memorizing numbers.
So, to make our work easier, computer scientists decided itd be better to translate 64.233.178.99 into something friendlier .
With that out of the way, its time to get to the juicy part:
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Tips And Insights For Buying A Website Domain
The three steps above should make the process painless for those seeking a reputable website domain. In order to make sure that you get what you deserve, keep the following tips in mind:
- Check the competition and make sure that you know what other companies are doing. Consider their URLs, the existing websites that you need to compete with, and so forth. This will all help you create a better strategy.
- Choose a URL thatâs easy to remember and type.
- Avoid slang, pop culture references, and other things that might not make sense to the average user.
- Always go shorter when you can.
- Check out social media handles and listings so that you can correlate your website properly.
- Consider other options besides â.comââtoday you can choose from just about any extension you desire, take advantage of that.
- Avoid trademarks and make sure that you protect your own brand when choosing and registering a website domain.
- Watch out for hidden fees and costs as some domain registrars arenât as reputable and might try to get you with different added charges that are unnecessary. When you work with reputable companies, thatâs not usually a problem, though.
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Youll also need to think about the extensions available for purchase. The most common extensions are .com, .net, and .org, but there are many others available as well. Some extensions are more popular than others, so its important to choose one thats relevant to your website. For example, a domain name with the .tv extension would be a good choice for a website about television.
How Much Do Domains Cost On Average?
When it comes to buying a domain name, the average cost is around $10 to $20 per year. However, this price can vary greatly depending on the extension and registrar. For example, a .com domain name from a popular registrar might cost around $15 per year, while a .net domain from the same registrar could cost $10. Conversely, a less popular TLD like .club could cost as little as $2 to $3 per year.
Factors That Affect Domain Prices
Domain prices can vary greatly depending on some factors. Some of the most important factors that affect domain prices include:
1. The popularity of the domain name. The more popular a domain name is, the more expensive it will be to purchase.
2. The type of domain name. Certain domain extensions are more popular than others, and as a result, they tend to be more expensive.
3. The registrar. Some registrars charge more for domains than others.
4. The domain names length. Short domain names are often more costly than longer ones.
5. The availability of the domain name. If a domain name is already taken, the price will be higher.
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Siteground $999 Free With Hosting Plan
SiteGround is one of the most popular hosting providers, and we rank it as the #1 Canadian web host . However they make it a simple and user-friendly platform for domain name search, management, and transfer of domain names, as well as domain-name registration.
Given that most people curious about domain prices want to build a website on top of their new domain, it makes sense to include SiteGround in this list.
What Should You Look For In A Domain Registrar
We discussed this in-depth in our How to Select the Best Domain Registrar article.
Here are the most important things that you should look for:
- Low pricing. You dont want to spend more money than you have to. Fortunately, the competition in this industry is fierce, so all major companies offer affordable pricing.
- Free WHOIS protection. People can look up the details of any domain name and find out who owns it. This might present privacy issues. Its best to use WHOIS protection which prevents snoopers from seeing this information.
- Auto-renewals. If you dont renew a domain name it eventually goes back on the market. This might cause serious problems if some enterprising individual snatches your domain name and then offers to sell it back to you for a substantial amount of money. Thats why its best to go with a domain registrar that automatically renews your domain name.
Also, if a domain registrar is not transparent about their pricing, you should see that as a red flag and stay away.
Another thing to watch out for is a bad user interface. You shouldnt need a computer science Ph.D. to figure out how to do basic tasks such as parking or transferring domains.
Finally, if a domain registrar doesnt offer 24/7 customer support, it might be too risky to use their services. What if something goes wrong and you need immediate assistance? You can lose a lot of money in potential revenue if the problem isnt solved right away.
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Domain Pricing On Site Builders
Site builders are those services that do it all:
- They let you build a website yourself .
- They host the website.
- The vast majority of them will let you buy domain names as well.
Pros:
- Again, its often convenient to have everything in one place, and the site builder usually handles all the technical stuff.
- Almost all site builders offer free subdomains to start with.
- Not sure what a subdomain is? Weve got you covered.
Cons:
- Domain prices on site builders are often a little higher than on domain registrars but definitely more standardized compared to hosting companies.
- You may or may not have full control over your domain and how it works.
Observations
- All Jimdo domains are 20 euros per year, but there are not a lot of TLD choices. Depending on the plan, you can get a free domain for the first year.
Shopifys domain pricing is very what you see is what you get, with no hidden fees. And its definitely one of the more affordable places to get a .store or .shop domain.
- Square Online is only available in a few select countries. The list is expanding, but customers all over the globe should take note.
- While WordPress has low initial prices, there are super-high renewal prices.
- Zyros first-year prices are also lower, though the renewals are not as expensive as WordPress.
Note: The table below includes the name of the cheapest free plan on every site builder that offers a free domain for the first year.
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Why Register A Domain Name
Domain names have been around since the advent of the web. The first domain name in history was Symbolics.com, which was registered on March 15, 1985. Today, there are more than 300 million domain names, with millions more added each year.
Your domain name is an important part of establishing your brand. No two domain names can be exactly alike, although they can be similar. Ideally, your custom domain name will be unique and distinctive, so users don’t confuse it with other domain names or different businesses.
In addition, domain names allow users to easily connect to other computer IP addresses. For example, you can type in an address like “Google.com” instead of Google’s numerical IP address of “172.217.13.78.” In other words, domain names make our lives a lot easier.
You might be wondering isn’t a domain name, then, simply a website? Although they are similar, domain names and websites have important differences. Your domain name is the address for your website it is what people use to find your website, which consists of pages, images, and other files.
Choosing a domain name is often the first step when building a website. Read on to learn how to register and buy a domain name.
While a website domain can be an investment, you can also find one for free, especially if you purchase it with hosting.
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Hidden Fees On Website Name Price
If you comb through the dozens of complaints raised against domain registrars and website name price, the first thing that jumps out is that almost 60% touch on billing and collection issues with the companies.
Auto-renew and transfer out fees are some of the most common ills. Many times, such elements are hidden within the lengthy Terms of Service which few of us ever bother to read. Some domain registrars will charge you a transfer out fee when you transfer your domain to another registrar. Sucks, right?
Should that ever happen to you, give your credit card company a call and put in a complaint. If luck falls on your side, the transaction the web hosting/domain registrar will be reversed. More importantly, take note of domain registrars who practice this so as not to become the next victim.
Wix Domain Cost Explained
Depending on the specific Wix plan that you choose, you may or may not get a domain name included for free.
Lets break your options down one by one:
- Wixs free plan allows you to neither buy a custom domain from Wix nor connect a domain name that you bought elsewhere. All Wix free plan websites are hosted under Wixs subdomain like YOURSITE.wixsite.com.
- Wixs Connect Domain plan allows to connect a custom domain name to your site. You will have to buy that domain name separately. You can buy the domain from Wix or from any other registrar.
- The rest of Wix plans come with a free domain name for the first year. This is an introductory offer from Wix, valid only on annual payments. Subsequent renewals will require renewal fee separately for domain name registration and website plans.
The cost of your domain name when buying from Wix will depend on a handful of factors:
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Domain Pricing On Web
There are web-hosting companies that additionally offer domains on the side. Heres a look at the pros and cons of using these companies.
Pros:
- Its often convenient to have your domain and hosting services in one place.
- Support staff can usually make any necessary changes to your domain as needed.
- Some hosting companies will offer a free domain for the first year.
Cons:
- You may or may not have direct control of your domain and how it works.
- While some hosting companies have attractive domain pricing, others charge a fair bit extra.
Observations
- While Network Solutions was the very first domain registrar, the company seems to focus on all its services equally. You may come across some campaigns featuring its website builder, email client, IT services, or SSL certificate offering.
- Hostinger has some of the lowest starting prices, and some of the lowest hosting prices.
- InterServer doesnt have the lowest starting prices, but renewal prices are usually the same.
Note: The table below includes the name of the cheapest free plan on every host that offers a free domain.
Which Tld Should I Use
Technically, it doesnt matter. The TLD will function exactly as it is supposed toso long as it was registered properly. The .com TLD is the most common but if you want to variate, you can. There is no one TLD that is more efficient than the rest, nor is there one that comes more highly recommended than others. With that being said, the .com is what many suggest as your safest bet.
This, of course, depends on the type of business you are putting on the internet.
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How To Find An Available Domain
Buying a domain name from an investor is both more complicated and inevitably more expensive than finding one thats already available. If your heart is set on a specific name, the owner has all the power to set the price and you have to accept it or be willing to move on.
Youll save yourself a lot of trouble if youre willing to come up with a new domain idea that no ones bought yet. And by getting a little creative, you can probably figure something out you like nearly as much as your original idea.
Do some brainstorming. Think about keywords, synonyms, and words in other languages that mean something similar to what you have in mind. Consider animals or characters you can add to your domain name to give it some more personality .
Plug lots of ideas into our domain search tool, and then look at the available suggestions the tool generates.
How To Buy A Website Domain
You can do a preliminary search with any domain registrar like GoDaddy, Domain.com, Bluehost, or DreamHost. If the domain you want is already taken, the registrar will likely recommend alternative names that are available.
All of the top domain registrars offer unique advantages that might attract you to their services, but its worthwhile to do some research before committing to one. Consider how much of a difference the add-ons will actually make: will they meet specific business needs like email hosting and website building, or are they unnecessary extras that only add to your expenses?
The cost of owning a domain name can range from $10 to $60 or more per year, depending on the registrar you choose and how competitive or specialized the name is. Some registrars also offer brokerage services, which allows you to purchase a domain name thats already been registered.
Some platforms like Squarespace, Square, and Shopify offer domain registration and website hosting included with their core capabilities.
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Understanding The Two Main Domain Types
There two most common domain types are as follows:
- TLDs, which are Top-level domains
- ccTLDs, which are Country-code top-level domains
TLDs are those well-known extensions for domain names that youre familiar with, like .net and .com.
ccTLDs are country-specific domain name extensions, like .ca or .uk.
TLDs are often preferred because people consider them trustworthy, as they are so well known. Think about it: when you forget a URL, do you just assume it ends in .com and type this in any case? I know I do!
Nevertheless, ccTLDs are also considered trustworthy because they give the website national legitimacy. However, I must point out that some people buy domain names for reasons unrelated to their national association. For example, .co is an extension commonly associated with businesses, yet it is actually the ccTLD for Colombia. Other examples include .tv, which is actually for Tuvalu, and .me, which is for Montenegro.
How Do I Choose The Best Domain Name
Great question! Here’s a few core things to consider when choosing your new domain name:
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How To Register A Domain Name
There are many domain registrars companies that sell domain names and help with the domain name registration process. Different registrars will offer different services, prices, and packages.
Due to the number of online websites, domain name registrations are overseen by Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers . As a non-profit organization, ICANN has databases for all the available domain names and where they point to.
To safely register a domain, use an ICANN accredited registrars, such as Hostinger, , or Hover.
The ICANN database stores all related information of a domain name. In other words, an ICANN accredited registrar has the permission to change all your multiple domains information in the database on your behalf.
Another way to register a domain name is using a website builder. Some website builders integrate registering a domain as part of the sign-up process. Its a popular option for beginners who dont want the hassle of finding the best domain registrar.
The process of buying a domain name can differentiate depending on the registrar that you choose. Therefore, dont forget to consider every detail before selecting the right domain name registrar.