How Are Domain Names And Search Engine Optimization Related
Its important to start thinking of ways to make your site search engine-ready from the outset. Since keywords are used by search engines for ranking your content, you might want to consider including a relevant keyword in your domain name.
Keep in mind that Googles algorithm is resistant to keyword-stuffing: the practice of cramming your domain name with keywords so as to rank higher than other websites. So dont try to include multiple keywords in your domain as this can have a detrimental effect.
The good news is . The search engines algorithm treats new TLDs and legacy TLDs equally.
Related: The Top 11 SEO Best Practices for Domains
What Are Premium Domain Names
A premium domain name is any domain name that is already owned by someone else. The someone else in question can often be an investor that purchased the name at a standard price and is looking to make a profit from a business that needs that specific name. Thats why they can be quite pricey. For example, Facebook famously purchased the domain namefb.com for $8.5 million.
How can this even pay off, you might ask? Well, if youre buying a domain name like carinsurance.com, it sure can. Given the fact that search engine optimization relies on domain names, among other things, having your website be an exact match of what people are looking for might bring you a lot of visits.
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.
Recommended Reading: Should I Buy My Domain Through Shopify
How Do I Buy A Domain Name
Its easy to get a new domain. Here are the steps:1. Decide on a domain name extension. The extension is the part at the end of the domain name .net, .biz, .org or .com, for example.2. Think about what you’d like on the other side of the dot. It could be your business name or your specialty.3. Type the domain you want into the box at the top of this page. We’ll tell you if that particular domain is available and show other you may like better.4. Pick a domain, add it to your cart and check out. You are now the proud owner of your very own domain. As long as it’s registered to you, no one else may use it.
How Much Do Domain Names Cost Really
Here are a few domain web hosting tips to read first. They will help you wade your way through the hype before you end up starting a long term contract with one of the shady companies whose only design is marketing to you.
After the fact, they will provide little to no support to people who buy domains for their websites. These guys are dedicated only to themselves, and will likely charge over the top renewal fees after the first year is up.
You May Like: Transferring Domain From Wix To Shopify
Hostinger Web Hosting Prices Starting At $139
As the competition in the affordable shared hosting industry continues to tighten, Hostinger somehow manages to give customers tons of extra features while still keeping web hosting cost among the lowest around.
While unlimited storage and bandwidth are the norm elsewhere, Hostinger also throws in limitless websites, databases, FTP users, subdomains, and parked domain names for most customers.
- Unlimited everything, from storage to databases
- FREE site builder & WP performance upgrades
- FREE daily or weekly backups
- Custom control panel and auto-installation scripts
- SSH access & SSL certificates
Setup time:
Laura Bernheim : As the shared hosting market becomes increasingly saturated, unlimited storage, bandwidth, and email accounts have become surprisingly average. Hostinger, however, extends the routine, expected metrics to greater lengths the number of websites, databases, FTP users, subdomains, and parked domains are all unrestricted for most customers. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | ||
|---|---|---|
| 30 GB to 200 GB SSD | FREE | www.hostinger.com/shared |
Hostinger users can choose a weekly or daily backup, along with an optional SSL certificate for added security protections.
We especially appreciate the growth potential Hostinger affords site owners. You can start with a no-frills, stripped-down plan for one site.
If youre interested in seeing what the industrys upstart hosting option is all about, .
Godaddy Web Hosting Prices Starting At $299
Where better to turn than the worlds largest hosting provider and domain registrar? GoDaddy, probably the most well-known brand for website management, offers remarkably affordable and powerful hosting infrastructure.
Combined with support services and marketing tools to help you grow an online business, beginners and those who prefer to use a drag-and-drop site builder can even get started for free with GoDaddys website or online store builder.
- Get a free domain from world’s #1 registrar
- Industry-leading page load times for your site
- Unlimited bandwidth and up to unlimited storage
- Choose between cPanel or Plesk control panels
- Award-winning support on hand 24/7
Setup time:
Ryan Frankel : A major pull factor for GoDaddy’s hosting services is certainly the cost. It’s hard to beat web hosting for a dollar per month, especially when the company includes a free domain name, control panel, impressively fast load times, and unlimited websites with most plans. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee |
|---|
| www.godaddy.com/shared |
For site owners looking for more oomph, GoDaddy also offers high-powered shared, WordPress, and VPS hosting, along with dedicated servers.
Weve secured a great GoDaddy discount for our readers that makes this an extremely high-value hosting pick. Like many providers, the cheap web host ups its prices when you renew for your second year of services but we still think GoDaddy will always be a solid choice.
Read Also: Transfer From Wix To Shopify
The Hidden Costs Of Domain Names
Lets say youve found your perfect domain name, and its available. Whats more, its extremely affordable, so affordable that you become suspicious.
If thats the case, youre probably not that far off. Domain registrars have many tricks to lure you in with cheap domains and then pull the rug from under your feet. It is important to be aware of the tactics used by domain registrars and to recognize warning signs that come with domain registrations.
As we already mentioned, auto-renew options are often where some domain registrars like to play tricks and attach hidden fees. The same goes for when you want to transfer out to a different registrar you might be charged a hefty fee for transferring out. Make sure that the registrar you choose when buying a new domain is transparent about their fees and options.
Also, you may find that the cost of renewing a domain name is more expensive after a first-year discount. Some registrars may have contracts that lock you in for up to several years, with prices rising dramatically after the first or second year. You can save money with multi-year contracts and most registrars offer them, but make sure that you understand what youre signing up for before you commit.
Some registrars also charge high fees for domain privacy.
Thats why many domain registrars offer an add-on called Domain Privacy: to protect their clients from unwanted emails, phone calls, and other types of spam.
The Costs Associated With A Domain Name
When creating a brand new website, there are several costs associated with the process, from hiring a web development company and purchasing a hosting plan to signing up for a continual support plan and registering a domain name. A good domain name is critical to any new website and will allow users to easily remember and find your website. When people can find your website quickly, it makes it easier for them to make a purchase and for you to increase your sales.
An important question that comes up frequently when a website is being developed is, How much does it cost to purchase a domain name? The short answer is anywhere between $10 and $30+ million. Unfortunately, there really isnt a specific answer, but here is some information that can help you understand the pricing differences you may encounter as you search for that perfect domain name.
Recommended Reading: How To Switch From Godaddy To Shopify
Picking A Domain Name
Once you have decided which TLD to use, its time to determine the best domain name for your business. An important first consideration is the length of the domain name. Keep it as short as possible. The shorter the domain name, the easier it will be to remember and type correctly. Shorter domain names are also visually more appealing on marketing materials, both physical and digital. Thisisarray.com looks much cleaner than something like Wearethecompanyarraydigital.com and is much easier to remember and type. This is an obvious exaggeration but the more concise your web address, the better chance you have of gaining web traffic. Spelling is also important try not to get too creative with spelling, thatll just confuse users. Stick with common spellings in your domain name.
Whenever possible, domain names should also represent the brand or image that you or your company are trying to portray. Generally, companies will try to get their actual company name or at least a part of it as their domain name because it makes it much easier to remember or find through a search engine. For example, walmart.com, amazon.com, and google.com all use the company name as the domain name. Even if a user cant remember the specific website domain, they are likely to type in the company name into a search engine and find the site that way.
Siteground Web Hosting Prices Starting At $399
OK, so the SiteGround monthly rate is noticeably higher than others on our price comparison list. Why include them?
Because, with SiteGround, youll get a world-class cloud hosting experience powered by Google Cloud Platform. That means incredibly fast performance, unmetered bandwidth, and unrivaled uptime.
- FREE website transfer service to get started
- 99.9% uptime guarantee and unlimited traffic
- User-friendly WordPress installation
- 24/7 support featuring custom systems
- 4 caching options plus staging and Git
Setup time:
Alexandra Leslie : Providing hosting with the perfect balance of technological innovation and superior customer support, SiteGround offers a range of affordable hosting services to meet your needs. In addition to the expected cheap web hosting perks a free website builder and unlimited bandwidth the company specializes in custom-built tools to deliver strong and positive user experiences. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee | ||
|---|---|---|
| 10 GB SSD – 30 GB SSD | New or Transfer | www.siteground.com/shared |
The hosting company is known for creating custom solutions for customer support, promising sky-high satisfaction rates and customer retention.
SiteGround is perfect for those with a burgeoning WordPress website, as the web hosts services come recommended by the content management systems leadership team.
Read Also: What Is An Io Website
Bluehost Web Hosting Prices Starting At $295
When you think of Bluehost, the first thing that comes to mind should be big value at a low premium. The hosts shared web hosting service is a great way to get the most bang for your buck.
Bluehost allows for simple domain management, allowing users to track, transfer, or update domains in a centralized location. Unlimited email accounts are also included and come with filters, secure POP3, and third-party client compatibility, among other features.
- Known for high performance at a low price
- Endorsed by WordPress.org team
- FREE Weebly site builder and CloudFlare CDN
- FREE domain and unlimited storage
- Get 63% off today
Setup time:
Ryan Frankel : If youre looking for an affordable host, Bluehost is a solid, reputable choice The company’s low costs, coupled with its supremacy in the shared hosting arena, is what makes this provider such a valuable deal. The Bluehost name is listed toward the top of many of our reviews categories, and with good reason. Go to full review »
| Money Back Guarantee |
|---|
| www.bluehost.com/shared |
Site owners can rest assured their sites and content are safe, as Bluehost creates hosting account backups on a daily basis.
Bluehost also ensures optimal site performance even in a shared environment by recognizing sites that are consuming a lot of resources and temporarily reassigning them to another web server.
If youre looking for a cheap, scalable website hosting solution, Bluehost may be for you.
Web Hosts And Domain Names
You needn’t go to a dedicated registration service to buy a domain name, though. The best web hosting services, such as DreamHost, HostGator, and Hostwinds routinely offer a registration mechanism as part of the sign-up process. Hosting services typically offer a free domain name when you sign up for a web hosting package.
Keep in mind, however, that free domain names are usually free only for one or two years, after which the registrar will bill you for the annual or biennial fee. In other words, the provider of the free domain name pays only for the first billing from the registrar. Also take note of whether or not the provider charges a fee for setting up a domain name. Most services offer to transfer an existing domain name to their servers at no cost, but sometimes you’ll find a setup fee over and above the registrar’s fee.
Please note that not all web hosts give you the option to register a domain name. Cloudways, for example, is a solid web host that requires you to purchase a domain name from elsewhere.
Registrars offer a wide variety of registration durationsone year, three, five, and even ten. Be careful about registering for more than a year, though. First, there might be restrictions on your ability to transfer the domain name should the registrar give poor service. Second, the registrar could go out of business, leaving your domain name without a host. Check the policies closely.
Also Check: How To Transfer Domain From Wix To Shopify
How To Buy A Domain Name In 5 Steps
Before we go any further, its worth noting that its only possible to register an existing domain name with a valid domain extension that other people or businesses dont already own.
Were going to dive deeper into the steps to register a domain name from finding a trusted registrar through which to buy a websites address to finally getting into the registration process.
Here are the five steps to buy a domain: