Choose A Domain Name Suffix Such As Com Or Net
After settling on the domain name, consider the suffix. The most popular suffix is .com, although .net and .org are also popular. These are considered to be top-level domains, or the highest-level domain suffixes in the domain naming system.
There are also other varieties to consider, such as country code top-level domains. These domain names end in a suffix that is particular to a specific country. A website in Germany might end in .de, for example.
Finally, there is another class of domain name suffixes called “sponsored, top-level domains,” which are sponsored by a specific community related to the domain name. For example, .gov is for the U.S. government and .edu is for education organizations.
For most websites, .com is the best suffix for its ease of use, but if you have a specialized website, you might consider a country code or sponsored top-level domain.
Why A Good Domain Name Is Important
A domain name is your unique identifier among billions of other websites on the web. Thats why having a memorable and easy-to-type name is essential for having an online presence.
Your domain name serves as an extension of your personal or business name. In that sense it:
- Improves recognition and awareness.
- Adds extra credibility to your venture.
- Eventually boosts visitors recall.
Also, choosing a good domain name is important for SEO. Several years ago exact match domains were all the rage, but today most people choose brandable domain names.
Memorable domain names get typed to Google more frequently. Algorithms keep track of that and assign more authority to your website. As the branded search volume grows, your domain name earns extra authority points, so that it gets easier to rank for related keywords.
With that being said, lets move on to the how-to part.
Note:how to make a website with WordPress
Can You Get A Domain Name For Free
So far, weve covered two ways to buy a domain name. But can you get one for free? The answer is yes. There are three ways to get a free domain:
While you can get a good domain name for free, you should consider how professional your domain makes your website look. Your TLD conveys legitimacy, authority, and trustworthiness to visitors.
People trust familiar TLDs the most, and over 37% of domains currently have the TLD .com. So, while you might be able to get a .ml or .tumblr domain for free, investing in the .com domain may pay off better long term.
You May Like: How To Transfer My Domain From Wix To WordPress
Are You Actually Buying Or Leasing A Domain Name
Technically when you purchase a domain youre not buying it, youre leasing exclusive rights from the registrar. This is a company like GoDaddy or NameCheap that customers interact with directly.
This is only one part of the hierarchy. To understand how the full process, it looks like this:
- ICANN sets the governing rules enforced by a registry
- A registry overlooks one or more TLDs
- The registry does business with registrars, which offer domains to the general public
- A registrant is a person who buys a domain from those registrar companies
This GoDaddy article goes into this system more in-depth and in detail.
The question of owning a domain name or leasing a domain name isnt helped by unclear language. Some registrars discuss selling a domain as transferring ownership which while true from a practical standpoint, is not from a technical one.
In short, youre leasing exclusive rights to use a domain name from a registrar. Once you have made that transaction you can continue to renew the domain but you dont own it. Although for all practical purposes, you have control as if you do.
Find A Credible Domain Registrar
A domain registrar is a company that is responsible for registering and managing domain names. Its accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers , a non-profit organization that controls the rules and regulations of website domain name registration.
Choosing a reliable domain registrar is crucial because it can impact a project or business for years. Pick the wrong one and you might end up paying hidden fees or even get scammed. For example, there have been cases where a domain registrar pressures users into purchasing domain names similar to the ones they hold under false pretenses.
It can be challenging to pick from hundreds of domain registrars out there as they all offer similar services. Therefore, consider the following when choosing a registrar:
As we mentioned earlier, people can also purchase a custom domain from a hosting company that offers domain registration services, like Hostinger.
In order to make a website, it may be more convenient to buy web hostingand domain name from the same provider.
Here at Hostinger, we offer low upfront and renewal costs for the most popular domain names and a dedicated 24/7 support team ready to assist you.
If you buy a domain name at Hostinger, it comes with free domain privacy protection. This feature can help hide specific details from being discovered through WHOIS domain lookup tools.
Whats more, we have a web domain checker the perfect tool to buy a domain.
You May Like: How To Protect My Domain Name
How To Register A Domain On Godaddycom
GoDaddy is also known as a web hosting provider, but you can also buy a domain name from them.
Step 1: Look up a new domain name first. If you havent come up with a good name yet or are assessing different options, GoDaddy has a nice set of extra features to help you out.
You can use the Bulk Domain search to check a bunch of domain ideas for eligibility in a click. Or you can play around with their free domain name generator to get some alternative suggestions if your primary choice is already taken:
Also, if you are feeling very determined to get your desired domain for branding purposes, GoDaddy can try to broker a deal for you with the owner. But remember, the original owner may name any price they deem appropriate so in that case, youll be paying:
- Domain purchase fee to the seller.
- GoDaddy Domain Brokerage commission.
- The regular yearly subscription price for the selected domain and add-ons.
If you are running a small business, going into a heated negotiation with some cyber squatters may not be the best investment of your time and budgets.
Wait out and see if the other person forgets to renew their domain or abandons it so that you could snatch it then. GoDaddy has a Domain Backordering service where you can reserve your place in line for a specific domain. If theres more than one buyer, the domain goes on auction. If its just you only, you get it immediately.
Again, youd be pitched several upsells in case you change your mind.
Bluehost Free Domain Name And Hosting For WordPress
Bluehost is a recognizable leader of the niche and the number one hosting provider officially recommended by WordPress. The platform comes with lots of advantages that distinguish it from the competitors. These include one-click WordPress installation, abundance of integrable scripts and plugins, strong uptime rates, fast page load speed, affordable pricing, eCommerce features, localized SEO and content marketing options, widgets and apps for business websites and many more.
Bluehost provides extensive free domain name connection options included into its subscriptions. The choice of the most suitable plan should depend upon your website type, complexity, structure and some other crucial aspects like storage space, bandwidth, extra SSL connection options, email accounts, security options etc. Whatever plan you decide to pick, you will get a domain name as a bonus without having to pay for it.
Its up to you to choose the most suitable solution that works best for your project and comes up to your individual web design needs. Whatever option you eventually pick, you will get a possibility to get a domain name absolutely for free.
Don’t Miss: How To Transfer Domain From One Account To Another
Hostgator Best For Budget
HostGator is a web hosting company that guarantees uptime 99.9% of the time. It also offers 24/7 support an impressive 365 days a year via phone and live chat.
HostGator is also affordable. There are three hosting plans to choose from: the Hatchling Plan, the Baby Plan, and the Business Plan. If you go with the most affordable plan, youll pay just $2.75 a month for web hosting.
Keep in mind, however, that youll need to sign up for three years of web hosting to receive the lowest monthly price and your domain name is only free for the first year. After that, it renews at $17.99 per year.
But HostGators plans are incredibly affordable, to the point where they make it easy on your wallet if you dont want to settle for the most basic of hosting plans.
If you need shared hosting for more than one site, the Baby Plan allows you to host as many as you need for just 75 cents more per month.
What makes HostGator particularly scalable is their unmetered bandwidth and site storage on all shared hosting plans. That means you can accomodate as many site visits and use as much storage space as you need, within reason.
Most sites wont have to worry about using up too much of their servers resources. And youll never again have to count monthly visits to make sure you dont exceed your limit.
If you prefer a one-year term, the monthly fee increases to $3.95 for the Hatchling Plan and $5 for the Baby Plan, with a free domain for the entire one-year duration.
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.
Don’t Miss: How To Transfer Domain To Squarespace
Verify Domain Name Ownership
The final step is to verify the domain ownership through the email address you used when registering the domain. The email usually arrives within a few minutes after finishing the domain setup. Simply click the verification link in the email to verify your contact information.
If the email doesnt arrive, resend the request from the control panel. We recommend doing it immediately, as waiting for 15 days or more will lead to a temporary suspension from the registry.
Thats all there is to it. Now you know how to buy a website domain name and complete the initial registration process.
Expert Tip
To make the most out of your newly acquired domain, consider authorizing it with the Google Search Console. This will provide you with important analytical insights and make it easier for Google to crawl the content of your site.
First, log into your Google account and head to the Search Console page. If you want your entire domain to be crawled, enter the URL in the bar on the left. Once thats done, click Continue and youll be presented with a code. Then, copy it and do not close the tab.
Now, log into your Hostinger account, head to the hPanel, and on to the DNS Zone Editor. Under Manage DNS Records, select TXT as the Type. Unless youre only adding a specific subdomain to the Search Console, leave @ as the Name. Next, copy the code youve received previously as the TXT Value. We recommend leaving the TTL Value as the default. To finish it all off, click on Add Record.
Darius G.
Register Your Domain And Verify Your Ownership
Next, youll need to register your domain. Your registrar will do most of the heavy work for you behind the scenes, and the process may take several days.
Youll need to confirm your details to ensure your registration is complete. Depending on your registrar, you may need to verify your email address or phone number.
Additionally, you may need to provide extra verification to purchase TLDs like .edu. If this is the case, youll need to follow the registrars instructions to verify your identity.
Recommended Reading: Is A Net Domain Bad
Is It Possible To Buy A Domain Name Permanently
While you can negotiate to buy a domain name with a one-time payment with the domain registry, this is still not counted as a lifetime purchase. The lifespan of a domain depends a lot on the existence of the domain registry. Hence, as long as the company is in existence, your domain name is safe.
If the registry shuts down for any reason, the domain name you registered also goes with it.
Choose Auto Renew Option
Auto renew is one of the most important tools at your disposal to help keep the domain names you want in your possession indefinitely. This charges to renew the domain when it comes up for expiration, and helps protect you from a wide variety of potential issues.
This way you wont just forget, or you wont lose the domain because youre away from an internet connection. This even covers if youre in a hospital or injured. If everything is set to auto renew then as long as the payment information is current, youre good to go.
Which brings up a pro tip:ALWAYS have a current backup payment on file. You dont want to lose a business domain because your old credit card expired one month before renewal and there was no backup payment plan in place.
Recommended Reading: Can I Move My Domain Name To Another Provider
Inmotion Hosting Best Vps Web Hosting
InMotion Hosting offers both shared hosting and VPS web hosting. Both types of hosting come with a free domain as long as you sign up for a minimum of 6 months.
VPS hosting is an excellent choice if youve outgrown shared hosting and are seeing considerable site performance issues.
Going with VPS ensures your site loads faster and efficiently handles dynamic resource demand. Plus, you get a lot more control over your hosting environment.
With that said, VPS hosting is a bit more expensive since youre getting more features and improved site performance.
InMotion Hostings three-year VPS plans include:
- 2 GB RAM $31.99 per month
- 4 GB RAM $41.99 per month
- 6 GB RAM $61.99 per month
- 8 GB RAM $77.99 per month
If youre switching from shared hosting, the introductory plan is more than enough and you can upgrade as you need more server resources.
You can choose from monthly, six-month, one-year, two-year, and three-year agreements. However, you have to opt for at least a six-month contract to get a free domain name. But signing up for three years in advance gives you the best deal.
InMotion Hosting also offers unmanaged VPS hosting options for developers and advanced website designers looking for even more flexibility with advanced command-line control.
How Can A Company Offer A Lifetime Domain Registration
There are some registrars who make the offer of lifetime domain registration. If the maximum amount of time ICANN allows is 10 years then how is this possible? The short answer is questionable ethics on the deal .
The only way this works is when the registrar purchases the domain on your behalf and leases it to you. Meaning while they give you the access and use of the domain as if you had ordered it through another registrar, they technically own it.
They take care of the renewals every ten years. If the company is good to their word and stays in business, then everything runs smoothly.
However, since youre not the one who has officially registered the domain, if the company went bankrupt, was hit with regulations or fines, or even was bought out, you could lose your domain.
You would not have the protections that come from having registered it yourself. Since the company is acting like a middleman on your behalf, if they have problems you lose the domain and whatever was paid for those extra years.
This Forbes article talks a bit about the practice, its not one that most registrars offer and although some attempt to do this honestly, its a red flag situation for sure.
Also Check: How Do I Find My Domain Provider
Search For Your Domain Name’s Availability
Once you have found the right domain registrar for you, you’ll need to search for your domain name using the registrar’s search bar. There are millions of domain names out there, with thousands more added daily.
If you have your heart set on a domain name before doing a search, you might be disappointed to find it is already taken. Keep an open mind and incorporate important keywords into your domain when appropriate.
Bluehost Best Shared Hosting
Bluehost is one of the most popular web hosting service providers on the market. Its known as being reliable, beginner-friendly, and affordable.
Plus, you can get a free domain name for the first year when you sign up for their web hosting services.
After the first year, you can expect to pay $12.99 per year for your domain.
Each domain name also comes with full control via an intuitive interface, DNS record access, auto-renewal options, domain locking, and 24/7 expert customer support.
Plus, Bluehosts web hosting plans are hard to beat if youre on a budget since they start at just $2.95 per month.
To get this price, however, you have to pay three years in advance. Which may sound scary at first, but building a profitable website takes time and youll save money by paying in advance.
If you decide to sign up for 12 months instead, its $5.95 per month.
However, this is still an affordable price, putting you at $71.40 for a years worth of web hosting.
You can also upgrade to a better plan as your website grows and you need more advanced hosting features.
Bluehost also offers VPS hosting, managed hosting, WordPress hosting, and dedicated hosting if you end up needing more than your shared hosting plan provides.
You May Like: How To Create An Email With A Domain
Also Check: How To Buy A Used Domain Name