How To Buy A Domain Name For Your Website: A Step
ByDesire Athowlast updated 11 October 21
A domain name is what people enter into their web browser in order to access a website. Theyre a much faster and intuitive alternative than having to remember an entire IP address and have become one of the most crucial branding elements of a site.
Domain names typically consist of their name, separated by a dot from the TLD , such as .com or .xyz. Your choice of both of these elements will significantly impact how easily visitors can find, remember, and recommend your website to others.
With that in mind, there are currently over 350 million registered domains worldwide. This makes finding and buying the perfect domain name pretty challenging because you desired domain name could have already been purchased by someone else. Whats more, not every domain registrar offers the same prices and conditions.
If youre planning to purchase a domain for your site, this article is for you. Well show you how to buy a domain name from various registrars and web hosting providers, as well as showcase some domain name registration tips to keep in mind.
Domain Name Vs Ip Address: What’s The Difference
With a domain, you dont have to enter a long set of numbers in the address bar. Instead, you only need to type an easy-to-remember domain name and it will get you to your desired location.
To better understand how this works, take a look at this brief explanation of the entire process:
Domain names and information are registered and maintained by domain registries. They work with domain registrars in order to provide registration services to users. The end-users select the registrars that provide the registration service and that way registrars become designated for the domain chosen by the user.
Finally, only the designated registrar is able to modify or delete information about domain names in a central registry database, and that is the reason why users sometimes switch registrars. This is called a domain transfer process between registrars and it is governed by specific domain name transfer policies.
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How Do You Secure A Domain Name
Domain name security is one of the most important aspects of web site security. Domain name security is the process of protecting your web sites name, which is the name that is used to identify the site on the internet. Domain name security is important because it helps to ensure that your site is not stolen or used by someone else. Domain name security is also important because it helps to ensure that people cant find your site if they are looking for it.
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Good To Know Before You Apply:
- In the spirit of keeping the .CA domain Canadian, Registrars must meet Canadian Presence Requirements.
- Registrars will have to read and accept the Registrar Agreement.
- CIRA will ensure that applicants can demonstrate understanding of the Domain Name System and CIRAs polices, and that your systems are up to an adequate technical standard.
- An audit and credit check will be conducted by our finance controller and compliance officer.
- There are various Registrar fees associated with application and certification.
Want to partner with CIRA to grow your Registrar business? Fill out the form and well be in touch soon!
Unfair Domain Registrar Practices
Some domain registrars have been using questionable tactics to acquire new customers by trying to trick registrants into transferring their domains to a different domain name registrar service without the persons knowledge. Typical methods of doing this have been to send out misleading notices via email, fax or letter of domains expiring unless their recommended course of action is followed. Remember, all of this information is readily available via the WHOIS database , so a good course of action to follow would be to perhaps make your domain a private registration so that only your real domain name registrar has access to your contact information and can contact you when necessary.
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How To Get A Domain Name From Domaincom
Domain.com is a reputable domain registrar, launched in 1998. Over 1.2 million websites are registered with them.
Domain.com features the most popular top level domains such as .com, .net, .org, .co, along with over 25 county-specific domain extensions .
They are mostly selling affordable domain names with most names priced in the $9.99-$12.99/year range. If you are lucky, you can also steal a deal and buy your domain name for as low as $2.99/year.
For that price you get:
- 1-year domain ownership.
- Free SSL certificate for extra security.
- Automatic email forwarding to your domain.
- DNS registration and management tools.
Also, you can purchase extra Domain Privacy+Protection for your domain . In this case, your personal details will not be displayed publicly in the WHOIS/ICANN directories. Plus, the registrar will also run extra security checks.
Sounds sweet? Heres how to register a domain name on Domain.com.
Step 1: Run a quick search to verify that the domain name you are eying is available.
Step 2: Pick your domain extension. Go for .com since its the most familiar option among users and thus, people, tend to type .com before trying anything else.
Your choice gets automatically added to your cart with a 2-year privacy protection subscription. This ones optional, so you can remove it during the next step. Also, you can change your domain renewal period from one year to five years.
Moreover, you can pick some add-on services such as:
Step : Get Business Insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your companyâs financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If youâre unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so itâs a great place to start for your business.
Learn more about General Liability Insurance.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workersâ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, itâs a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Recommended: Learn what business insurance for your Domain Registration Business will cost.
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How To Choose The Best Domain Name Registrar: 8 Of The Top Firms
What is the best way to get a domain name? Should you choose a hosting package with the domain included, or buy your domain and hosting in separate places? And with all of the options available, how do you choose the best domain name registrar for your business?
A custom domain name makes your business look professional online.
Not only that, but the right domain name also tells search engines and customers alike what to expect when they come to your site.
In this guide, well take a look at what makes a good domain registrar, list the best options available, and share which registrars we would suggest for different types of businesses.
Do They Offer Free 24/7 Support
If youre running a business, technical issues can cost you time, money, and consumer trust. Theres huge value and peace of mind in knowing youll have access to help whenever you need it. Some registrars offer free 24/7 support to resellers, while others offer limited hours, or charge extra for the service.
Its also worth investigating the quality of support they provide. Do they outsource this part of their business or have they invested in an in-house team? The best way to gauge is to call them and see!
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How To Get A Domain Name From Namecheapcom
Namecheap is another popular website for buying domain names and getting website hosting. As their domain name prompts, they often have a lot of good deals and somewhat lower annular prices than GoDaddy, for example.
So if you love a good bargain, heres how to buy a domain name via Namecheap.
Step 1: Run your desired domain name search first and review available options. Namecheap has a really huge collection of new TLDs such as .art .digital, .luxury among 400+ other options.
Also, if your name isnt available or youd like to get some more ideas, switch to their advanced search view aka the Beast Mode:
As you can see from above, you have a lot more features to play with such as price range, suffix/prefix, and so on. This can help you drill down to that perfect domain name that is short, memorable, available, and yet cheap!
Step 2: After youve chosen the best contenders, proceed to your cart to start the checkout process. At this point, you can also add some extras and customize your order:
With Namecheap, you get a lifetime free WHOIS protection for every domain name, plus they recently added a bonus premium DNS offer . When you enable it, your domain gets yearly protection against DNS/DDoS attacks , plus ultra-fast global DNS response. This gives you some extra leverage in terms of your website speed.
On top of that, you can select some affordable up-sells such as:
Also, you can play around with your renewal. Namecheap provides a small discount for 2+ years.
Initial Prices And Renewal Pricing
Most domain registrars require you to pay one year at a time, or you can choose to pay for multiple years to get a discount. The price for your first year of registration is often lower than the rate for subsequent years. So, while a low year one rate might catch your eye, youll want to make sure that the subsequent renewal prices are both affordable and in line with those of other registrars.
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What Are Some Insider Tips For Jump Starting A Domain Registration Business
Business owners should concentrate on their policies before getting started. From domain transferring to pricing, youâll attract more customers if the policies are as clear as possible before anyone signs up. Thereâs a lot of advice out there about who to sign up with and who to avoid, so make sure youâre giving people plenty of options and being as fair as possible. For example, if a website owner fails to renew their domain name after a year, you may want to keep that domain name off-limits for a month as a courtesy in case the person decides to renew.
Entrepreneurs should also put some extra effort into their customer service response times. Websites by nature are incredibly immediate, and problems can happen at any time. If a person is paying you for their domain name and loses business because there’s a flaw with your equipment, then youâll likely be held responsible for any subsequent loss of revenue to their brand. You may also want to think ahead when it comes to promoting new suffixes. As the .com names continue to diminish, companies may benefit from less popular suffixes with a strong start
How Domain Registrars Work
Domain names are not something that can be bought off the shelf. Theres a top-level non profit authority for managing domain names ICANN .
ICANN oversees domain registration. The domain names are all entered in a central registry , and needless to say, your domain name will have to find a place in it to be valid.
In fact, its the domain registry that actually manages and maintains domain names. The registry leaves the task of commercial sales of domain names to domain registrars.
In order to be a domain name registrar, you need accredition from ICANN. In turn, domain registrars can sell domain names to you directly, or through re-sellers. If youre looking for proper service, its best to buy the domain names directly from the domain registrars.
To widen the choice of domain names, we use different domain extensions for example .com, .edu and .org. Or country specific extensions such as .en, .in and .au. You should know that not all domain registrars sell all extensions and this may limit your choice of domain registrars.
Lets do this with an example Verisign maintains the registry for .com domains. In case you want a .com domain for your website, youll have to buy it from a domain registrar who deals with the .com extensions. The registrar will inform Verisign to reserve the domain for you and pays a fee to Verisign on your behalf. The registrar includes this fee in the amount he collects from you.
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If The Domain Is Taken Input The Url In Your Browser And Access The Website
What do you do if the domain isnt available? We have good news. You still have a chance at buying it.
First up, access the URL on your browser. Its possible its a parked domain, which means that someone bought it for the purpose of reselling it. Usually, in these cases, you can easily submit a request for purchase. Heres one example of a parked domain at greatstore.com:
When you click on the top banner, youll be taken to a form where you can reach out to a sales team to buy the domain.
Once there, it may or may not be easy to tell who the domain parking authority is. In this case, its GoDaddy. If you head to the GoDaddy website and search for the domain, you can easily find pricing information and then immediately add it to your cart if its within your budget.
Complete the domain buying process just as you would for any other domain.
What Is Private Domain Name Registration
Part of the domain registration process includes providing the registrants information to the database of domain owners. In addition to the domain registries, the WHOIS directory tracks information on every website domain thats registered, who owns it, and their main contact information. Thats because someone needs to be able to identify website owners who use their site for illegal purposes.
But in our age of high-profile data breaches and growing concern around internet privacy issues, not every website owner wants to put their name and contact information out on the open web. And it shouldnt be a requirement for running a website.
Thanks to the private domain name registration options now offered by many DNS registrants, its not. Domain registrars usually charge a little more in order to shield you from having your own name and information included in the directory. They provide enough contact information to the WHOIS to keep you on the right side of the law, typically an email address associated with the registrants company, and keep the rest of it private.
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The Best Domain Registrars Of 2022
At the top of our best domain registrar list and perfect for small and medium businesses, Domain.com offers some of the most popular domains across over 25 country codes, and also sells premium domains as a broker.
With nearly two decades of online presence, the company – which is one of the worlds biggest domain name registrars – expanded in web hosting and now ranges a number of products including a full design service and web hosting.
Domain.com prices tend to be average but we have managed to blag a 25% discount off almost everything in your cart*. Non-premium TLD start from $2.99 for the first year . In line with the rest of the industry, they rise significantly after the second year).
You need to pay for privacy protection, a reasonable $8.99, plus you can add email, web hosting, SSL certificates and malware protection, none of which is compulsory. You can stick with its basic website builder which is free with every domain: you get a drag and drop website builder, tons of mobile-friendly templates, up to six pages, SEO tools , Paypal integration and even access to stock image library.
Support is more than adequate with 24/7 chat, email and phone support. Domain.com may not have the cheapest prices but it provides a very balanced offering.
Bluehost also gives you the option of auto-renewal, which saves you the trouble of manually renewing your website domain and ensures that there are no accidental lapses which could lead to the name being poached.
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Purchase The Domain Name
When you have settled on the domain name and a suffix, you will pay to register the domain name with the domain registrar. This is not a one-time purchase, however. Typically, you will pay to own the domain name for one year, after which you can renew your registration for a fee. You can expect a registration fee of about $10 to $15.
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