Couldnt I Just Get A Username On A Big Web Platform
Having your own domain name, even if its not perfect, is a far better option than building your online presence on top of another services URL, e.g. yourshop.shopify.com or facebook.com/yourcompany. This practice of building your brand, service, or web presence on another organizations platform is an example of sharecropping, and can be problematic for a number of reasons.
With this sharecropping setup, the platform youre hosted on:
- controls how your presence can look or function .
- can change services or raise rates, leaving you little recourse, since not accepting/paying could mean losing your site.
- can control how much exposure you get. Thereve been lots of articles about issues with brands on Facebook getting ever-lessening exposure of their content to their fans if they dont pay for advertising.
- can limit your access to analytics, making it hard to know how large your audience is, what theyre doing on your site, or where theyre engaging when theyre there.
- can simply take your site offline without much notice, explanation or recourse if you are deemed to have violated terms of service or other issues. It can take a lot of time and frustration to get these issues sorted out, and all the while your site is unavailable to anyone.
You can always switch domains later, but its a good idea to start with a web address you control while you build up your search engine visibility.
How To Buy A Domain That Is Owned
Isnt it frustrating when you come up with the perfect name for your business and then, after you run a search, find out that the domain name it already taken? And whats worse, the owner doesnt seem to be using it?
While you cant make someone give up a domain they own, there are things you can do so dont abandon hope just yet. Follow the steps below and you might just get the domain youve always wanted.
Can I Buy A Domain Name Without Hosting
Yes, you can. Domain registration and web hosting are two different services. You dont need to buy or have a hosting plan to register a domain name.Check if your preferred domain name is available, then buy and register it at a domain name registrar.Whether you have a website or not, the domain name will be yours as long as you renew the registration before it expires.
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The Patient Way: Wait For It To Expire
If youre not comfortable contacting the domain owner directly, or you tried and didnt get a response, you can attempt to procure the domain when it expires.
This is anything but a guaranteed strategy, however. Most registrars remind their customers early and often prior to domains expiring. Many registrars also auto-renew domains by default as long as the customers payment details are accurate and up to date.
Even if a domains ownership does expire, many registrars give their customers a grace period after expiration so they can still renew it, sometimes at a considerably increased cost.
You could also try a domain monitoring service, which alerts you to status changes and expirations for your domains, or others that are of interest to you. Be aware though that this offering can be an upsell attempt by some registrars.
Backordering services are also popular, and if you want a maximum chance of getting the domain if/when it expires, we recommend using all of them. Most of these services will only charge you if they manage to procure the domain, but some charge in advance. Here are a few popular options:
How To Buy A Domain Name From Someone Else
At Name Experts, we deal with buying and selling domain names on a regular basis. Domain broker Joe Uddeme has successfully sold and brokered over $80M in domain names and hes committed to making sure you get exactly the domain name you think will help your brand grow.
Let us walk through the process of buying a domain name that is owned by someone else.
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Take The Opportunity To Brainstorm A New Brand Name
You might be thinking this tip is a cop-out.
But theres a lot of value to this idea.
Let me explain.
Imagine two entrepreneurs have just created a search engine. The working name? BackRub.
But that could be easily confused with massage services. People dont normally associate search engines with the term back rub.
So these entrepreneurs choose another name, a better one: Google.
Thats rightthe worlds most popular search engine started its life as BackRub.
So if your perfect domain name is taken, it could be an opportunity in disguise.
Youll have to hit the drawing board again, but you can come up with a different, unique name that will stand on its own.
Making An Offer For A Domain Name
Now that you have the owners email address, your next step is to make an offer. As the one who needs something, you may want to be polite in your approach. For example, dont tell them that they have no right to the name because they havent setup a website for the domain name. They may just be using it for their email addresses.
You can let them know that you are interested in the domain name, and you may want to make an offer or even haggle. Prepare yourself for some rather outrageous prices. Many people tend to overestimate the value of their domain name, and some may even have already turned down other offers before.
If youre lucky, you can agree on a price, have it transferred to you and you can use it for your own purpose. If not, then perhaps you can use a brokerage service like Sedo. These services can buy the domain name you want and the fee will then depend on how much they got the domain name for, if they are able to get it at all.
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Choose The Right Domain Extension
When picking the extension or TLD for your domain name, .com is still the best choice unless you have a reason to choose something else. Roughly 43% of all domains have a .com extension, making it what people expect to see the most.
While Google confirms that your choice of TLD will not impact rankings, it does affect consumer perception. Many people view other TLDs as less trustworthy.
That said, .net or .org extensions are not uncommon, so they can be good secondary options if you find the perfect name and the coveted .com isnt available.
But if you do decide to go with an extension other than a .com, make sure you take a look at what type of website is currently on the .com extension. Someone is bound to go there accidentally while looking for your brand. If the site holds fishy or offensive content, you might want to steer clear of that name altogether.
Finally, avoid those niche domain name extensions like .space, .club, .pizza, unless you really think theyll enhance your brand.
How To Purchase A Domain That Is Already Taken
Jeffrey is the Co-Founder of Saw.com, focusing on domain sales and acquisitions. Visit www.Saw.com if you want to purchase a domain.
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Youre starting a business or undergoing a rebrand, and youve come up with the perfect domain name. The only problem is that the domain is already registered. In this case, you have one of two options: You can either choose an alternative domain name, or you can fork over the cash to the current owner. If your heart is set on your first choice, this article will explain how you can go about acquiring that domain.
Beware of buying the same domain with a different top-level domain.
One unfortunate occurrence I see all too often is when buyers decide to go with a different top-level domain of their first-choice domain. At first glance, this strategy makes sense. After all, its the same name, and its much cheaper! Registrars like GoDaddy.com and Domain.com will often suggest this option when you search for a .com domain that is already taken.
It is a fact that internet users typically enter .com at the end of the domain name when they type into the URL bar. This means if you decide to go with a .net or a .biz, users who end up at the .com could have a much harder time finding you. All in all, I believe its a better decision to pay up for your first-choice domain, and if that doesnt fit your budget, go with a different name altogether.
Visit the domain to see how its being used.
Find the owner of the domain.
Registration date.
Also Check: How To Transfer Squarespace Domain To Godaddy
Use A Catchphrase Slogan Or Keyword
If there isn’t an abbreviated option available, you can register a domain name that encompasses a slogan or catchphrase such as PlumbingDoneRight.com. You can even use an SEO keyword phrase that integrates your location with something like PortlandPlumbing.com. Take some time to brainstorm options and check to see what is available.
Stick With Your First Choice
Stuck on your favourite name? These may be your only options for landing it. It might not be possible, but it’s worth a shot.
Try to buy itYou can always offer to purchase the name you want from the current owner. If theWhoisinformation is public, you can reach out to the domain owner directly and see if they’re interested in selling. If the info is private, you can see if they have contact information listed on their website. Keep in mind: It’s pretty unlikely the owner will want to sell, or they may demand a steep price.
Legal actionIf you own the trademark to the name used in the domain, you may have an option to take legal action to claim the domain name. This generally applies only if someone is offering goods or services similar to yours, and if they began using the name after you. The first thing to do if you believe your trademark is being infringed upon is to discuss the issue with your lawyer or legal team.
Also Check: Cost Of A Domain Name Per Year
Use The New Top Level Domain
Without compromising the integrity of your domain name, you can simply change the end of the domain . Of course, the most used top-level domain is .com, but you have a variety of top-level domains at your fingertips, including .net, .biz, .co,. business and more. Using the top-level domain that applies to your business will help increase the communication of your brand and the products or services that you offer.
What If My Domain Is Already Taken
If someone already has your domain, you might still be able to buy it, but it will cost more. This is because instead of buying it from a registrar for a standard price, youll have to buy it off of whoever has it. Many people register domains they think could be profitable and then sell them on domain marketplaces like Sedo and Afternic. You can try searching those services if you need that specific domain.
The cheaper thing to do though is to try a different top level domain . There are many mainstream ones like .org, .net, and .co, but also some more obscure ones like .xyz, .biz, and .business. Often these wont be taken, and you can find a domain with the same name by buying one of these.
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How To Buy A Domain Name: Domain Registration Guide
What you need to know about domain names, how to choose the right one, and the steps to take to check if a domain name is available and to register your domain.
If you want to start a blog or a new online business, youll need to register a domain name, the name for your website. Getting the right domain for your needs might sound technical at first, but the process is pretty simple.
This domain registration guide will tell you what you need to know about domain name extensions, how to choose the right one for your needs, and the steps youll need to take to check if a domain name is available and to register your domain.
Approach The Owner And Ask If The Name Is Available For Sale
It is important not to make an offer at this stage, you may consider using the following approach methods:
Contact the owner directly
You should contact the owner of the domain directly only if you have no documented success. This means, if one googles up your name, then they will find no search results. For people with documented success, contacting the seller directly will raise the prices incredibly.
Hiding your info
This can be done in two ways, and they are:
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Why People Buy Taken Domains That Are Pricey
These pricey domain names are called premium domains. Here are common reasons why people buy them.
Help people find your blog: If your website visitors are going to try to find your blog by using a taken domain that closely resembles yours, then buying that domain probably makes sense. For example, if your domain is Looks.com and lots of website visitors may try to find your blog using Look.com.
Secure your brand: You may want to secure your blog from fraudsters and impersonators or from letting your competitors take advantage of your brand.
A fraudster can register a lookalike domain name and then pretend to be you. So theyd easily defraud people trying to visit your site but entering the wrong domain in their browsers. Your competitors can also use this tactic, but to take potential customers away from your business.
This point might explain why Hotels.com and Hotel.com lead to one website. Hotels.com sold for $11 million.
Gain more blog readers: If a particular domain is popular with a large number of people who might be interested in reading your blog, then consider buying that domain.
This point probably explains why the popular digital marketer Neil Patel bought Kissmetrics.com for half a million dollars.
Registered brand or trademark: You may want to buy a domain name if it has your registered trademark or brand name on it. Its for this reason that Facebook bought fb.com for $8.5 million.