How To Buy A Registered Domain

Run A Domain Name Search

Now that you have found a registrar through which to register your domain, the next step is to perform a domain name search.

When choosing a domain name, make sure to pick the right domain extension as well its the suffix at the end of a web address. Domain name extensions are also referred to as top-level domains .

There are different types of domain extensions available, such as:

• Country Code Top-Level Domain . This kind of TLD represents a specific country, letting both users and search engines know that a site is designed for visitors from a particular region. An example of this is the .us domain, which is the ccTLD for the United States.
• Sponsored Top-Level Domain . Its a type of TLD restricted to certain types of groups and organizations. Some of sTLD examples include .mil, .gov, and .edu.
• Generic Top-Level Domain . Its the most common type of TLD it doesnt rely on a country code and can be used for general purposes. A few examples of gTLDs include .com, .org, and .net.

When deciding on the extension that is suitable for your domain, look for a TLD that represents the purpose of your website. Choosing the wrong suffix can confuse visitors and make your brand name prone to being misinterpreted.

For example, a .com or .biz extensionmight be best for an eCommerce business. On the other hand, if you plan to create a blog to keep an online journal, an extension like .me can be an excellent solution.

What To Do If The Domain Is Available And Not Taken

This would be your dream come true. It means your dream domain name is not taken after all. Go ahead and register it as quickly as you can.

But how do you know the domain name isnt taken?

Go to Scalahosting and type in the domain name you want to verify into the search box.

On the page that follows, under Actions, click Register a New Domain.

Now, enter your domain in the search box. Your search results will show if your domain is taken or not.

If the domain is not taken, youll see the message, Congrats, Your Domain Is Available!

However, if you go through this process with a different domain name, say techcontentlabs.com, and that domain name is taken, the message will be different.

You will see the message Sorry, techcontentlabs.com is unavailable, as you can see in the image below.

If the domain name you want is taken, then youll want to find out if its expired but not available yet, or the owner isnt using the domain name.

Got Any Tips On Finding A Good Domain Name

You bet. While it’s really easy to register a domain, having a good domain strategy helps you register the best domain name possible. Here are some hints:Make it easy to remember. This is why many businesses get domains with their business names in them. Some people even choose their business name only after they have a domain they like.Don’t register one that’s trademarked, copyrighted, or being used by another company. This can lead to losing the domain and legal problems.Shorter is usually better because they’re easier for customers to remember. It’s also easier to get matching usernames for Facebook, Twitter and any other social media accounts you have.Got a local business? Include your neighborhood, city or country in your domain so local customers can quickly see where you are. Check the list of geographic domain extensions .berlin .nyc to see if there’s one for your area.Avoid numbers or hyphens. Anyone who hears your web address won’t know if you’re using a numeral 5 or “five”. If your business name has a number in it, register both versions with the number and with the number spelled out .Get more than one. As traffic to your website increases, you may attract then attention of copycats who’ll snatch up similar domain names in hopes of drawing traffic away from you. Register similar or misspelled domains early so this won’t be an issue later.

You May Like: How Much Does It Cost To Purchase A Domain Name

Buying A Domain Through Shopify

Note

Domains has moved from the Online store page to the Settings page in your Shopify admin. To access your domain settings for your online store, go to Settings> Domains.

To help you set up your domain and manage all your domain settings from your Shopify admin, you can buy a domain through Shopify. If this domain is the first domain that you add to Shopify, then it’s automatically configured to be the web address thats displayed to customers. If you already use a domain with your store, then the new domain automatically redirects to your primary domain.

After you buy your domain through Shopify, you can do the following tasks on the Domains in your Shopify admin:

• editing your domain settings
• setting up forwarding email addresses
• paying for your domain
• renewing your domain

Domains purchased through Shopify are registered for one year, and can be renewed annually. After you buy a domain, you cant change the URL that you chose during purchase. Domain purchases are non-refundable.

Tip

To see more videos, visit our YouTube channel.

The Three Experiences With Taken Domains

Nothing. The domain name you entered into your web browser returned a blank page like the one below. So you found nothing associated with the domain, or the display read, This site cant be reached.

Active or partially active website. Didnt turn a blank page? Then it probably showed you a website with some content on it. This could be a page full of ads, a welcome page, a coming-soon page, or a fully functioning and active website.

Domain for sale. If you didnt see any of the two types of pages described earlier on, then you probably saw a page offering the domain for sale. Like this page from BuyDomains:

We have broken this guide into scenes 1, 2, and 3. Each scene explains how to buy a taken domain based on what you might have experienced when you typed it into a browser.

So how do you respond to each of these scenarios or scenes?

You May Like: How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Domain Name

Find Out Who Owns The Domain

The first step in trying to get it is to find out who is the current owner. Whois is the best service you can use to find information about the owner, including name and email address.

To run a Whois search, you can either look up the name at the registrar of your choice or go to the who.is for domains like .com, .net, .biz and more. Simply eutype in the full domain name and you will get the domains public information which usually includes contact details for the registrant.

For other extensions like .de,.uk etc, you can use the following Whois tools to get that public information:

Theres also the possibility that youll be stonewalled by a Whois privacy protection service, in which case you wont have access to the owners information. Instead you will see some generic information belonging to the privacy service provider. In this case, you can try sending an email to the contact address listed there and hope that your message will be forwarded to the owners email address.

Now, before you get in touch with the site owner, its important you check the status of domain first so you get a better understanding of how much its worth. Things like keyword use, search engine ranking, backlinks and traffic can help you measure its value and help you determine just how much you should be paying for it.

Concluding The Domain Sale

If you managed to agree on a realistic transfer fee with your negotiating partner, its now time to get the agreement in writing. There are many contract templates available online for free, such as the ones from IPWatchdog. Both parties should have identical copies of this contract with the exact domain name and transfer price agreed upon. Its advisable to note how and when the fee should be paid as well as when the transfer counts as complete . The purchase can alternatively take place through a third party. Youll find many of these services offered by various domain name marketplaces on the internet.

Don’t Miss: Multiple Domains On One Host

Connecting Your Domain Name To Mailchimp

Whether youve bought your domain through Mailchimp or a third party, you can transfer your domain name and connect it to your Mailchimp account. Once connected, you can use that domain with a custom landing page or Mailchimp-hosted website. If you dont already have a website, Mailchimp offers a free website builder that you can use to make your brand stand out with no coding skills required.

What Does Make Offer Mean In Domain Name Search Results

New domain extensions like .CLUB, .XYZ and .NINJA can cost as low as USD $14.99 while others including .ATTORNEY, .LAW and .CONSULTING can be priced a little bit higher. The varying prices are affected by the domain registry or domain operator of the extension.

You might also encounter domain names marked as Premium. These Premium domains are designated by the gTLDs registry and you’ll frequently see one-word and generic names marked as such.

For new domain extensions that don’t have any pricing information included, this simply means that the domain has not been assigned to an operator or the domain operator has not released information about it yet. When the domain becomes available and as we receive more information about it, we will update the domain’s pricing and inform you about it.

Read Also: Cost To Buy A Domain

Can I Use My Domain That Is Registered At Webnames With Another Provider

If you need to move your domain to another registrar, you can obtain a transfer authentication code as well as unlock your domain by browsing to the following, once logged into your Webnames.ca account:

• Navigate to Account > Manage Domains
• Under Domain Actions > Transfer Domain, click on Auth Code

Proceed through the screens to obtain your Transfer Authorization Code and unlock your domain.

A new Transfer Authorization Code will be generated each time one is requested, and this Code will be updated after 90 days, provided a transfer of the domain is not currently in progress.

Please be aware that each domain Registry imposes a restriction on how frequently a domain can be transferred between Registrars. Typically, this frequency is every 60 calendar days.

Verify Ownership Of Your Domain

In some situations, youll be asked to verify ownership of your domain name. For example, in order to use or certain tracking tools, youll need to prove that you own the domain in question.

There are several ways to verify your domain. However, the easiest option is to first create a simple HTML page. This page will include information provided by Google .

Then, youll upload that page to your websites file directory. By doing so, youve verified that you own and can access the domain.

Read Also: What Is Io Domains

Registering A Website Identify With Ionos

Headquartered in Germany, Ionos is without doubt one of the oldest gamers within the data know-how trade, having been round since 1988. Ionos presents area registration together with web site internet hosting plans.

To register your area with IONOS, go to the IONOS homepage:

After finishing your order, your area registration is full.

Evaluate Long Term Costs

In addition to the upfront costs of getting a domain name, consider costs like taxes and renewal fees. Some registrars charge increased renewal fees when your domain registration expires, and depending on where you live, your domain name may be subject to state and local taxes.

Remember to budget for your domain name alongside other potential startup costs, like website hosting or creating a logo for your business.

Don’t Miss: How To Transfer Domain From Wix To Squarespace

Have Your Domain Good Heres Whats Next

With your domain name registered, the next natural step to take is getting a good hosting setup, so that your future website is off to a great start.

• Heres our in-depth comparison of the best hosting options available for WordPress.
• If youre on the lookout for a cheap host, read this.

Lastly, if your ultimate goal is to start a blog, read this guide of ours. It covers all the steps to building a successful blog from 0 experience to 150,000+ readers every month.

I hope this guide on how to buy a domain that is taken has been helpful.

If any of the steps described above arent clear, feel free to ask away in the comments.

How To Buy A Domain Name

The process of buying a domain name is simple, but what happens in the background is quite interesting. When you buy a domain name, what youre doing is registering ownership of it with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers .

ICANN maintains a registry of who owns which domain. The purchase process usually involves registering a specific domain for at least a year. At the end of that period, youll have the option to renew that ownership by paying a fee, usually for the same amount as the initial purchase.

If you dont renew your domain registration, it becomes available for purchase once more, which you dont want unless youre planning to stop using the name. Usually, all of this happens through registrars, which are authorized middlemen for ICANN. In some cases, however, web hosts will also enable you to purchase domains directly from them.

With all of that in mind, lets walk through the process of picking out a domain name and setting it up with your website.

Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Purchase A Domain