Look At Alternative Tlds
In most cases, if your domain name is taken, it means the .com is taken. Often, the other TLDs arent taken, so you could technically opt for one of those.
But wait! Dont rush off and buy whatever TLD you can find.
This is a complicated decision.
Here are some of the factors to keep in mind.
First,people trust .com URLs more than any other TLD.
The .com extension has a lot on its side. Its familiar, its been around for a while, and its been the gold standard of TLDs for years.
Second, many people think some TLDs are spammy. People tend to think of .com URLs as safe and other TLDs as unsafe or untrustworthy.
Obviously, thats not always the case, but some people will think that no matter what. They cant get their heads around the idea of a trustworthy site that doesnt end in .com.
Third, alternative TLDs have no SEO advantage. No TLD is inherently better than any other.
That information :
So what does this mean for you?
If you want to use a TLD thats not .com, you can do so without losing any SEO power.
However, your audience might not trust it.
It helps if the TLD is directly related to your business or niche. Twitch, a site that broadcasts users playing video games in real time, smartly uses the .tv TLD:
In the end, you have to consider how easy its going to be for your users to remember your URL and whether or not theyll trust a domain thats not a .com.
Wpbeginner Business Name Generator
If youre starting a new business and want to find a domain name that represents your brand perfectly, then, WPBeginners Business Name Generator is the best platform.
WPBeginner offers a smart Business Name Generator tool that searches for new company names using artificial intelligence. It is also a reliable tool for finding what domain names are available.
With the integration with Bluehost, this domain name generator tool gives you domain suggestions that are available in real-time.
The tool is fast and reliable. Plus, you can secure an available domain name right away with a discounted offer from Bluehost. In case your preferred domain name is already taken, youll see similar suggestions and an option to make an offer on the domain name.
This will take you to the WHOIS database lookup where you can find the domain owners details to contact them and make your offer to buy an already taken domain name.
Choose A Different Domain Name
If you cant find out who owns the domain you want, or they arent willing to sell, you may simply have to choose another name. Fortunately, you wont necessarily have to start from scratch.
Instead, you could look at the list of alternatives provided to you by any domain checker tool, and use those ideas to find a suitable replacement. This can save you valuable time and effort, and youll often be able to grab a name thats almost identical to the one you wanted:
Of course, there are other methods for finding an alternative domain name. You can try using a keyword tool to discover promising options. This can help you find terms to incorporate that are relevant to your audience, and have strong search volumes.
As an example, if youre opening an organic cafe, you might find that people often search for organic cafe in combination with the name of their city. In your domain, you could try combining your citys name with the term organic cafe in order to attract traffic.
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How Is Whois Changing
In light of the General Data Protection Regulation, or GDPR, coming into force within the European Union in May 2018, many Registries and Registrars that operate within that region, or globally, are required to gain Registrant’s consent before disclosing Personally Identifiable Information to any third parties or the public. As a result of the implementation of the GDRP, much of the data historically found within WHOIS will no longer be included or be redacted. The absence of this information has a trickle-down effect throughout the domain industry, affecting WHOIS data output for domain names and Registrants that do not have an immediate or obvious nexus to the European Union
How To Safely And Securely Search A Domain Name:
Its easy! Simply go to Namecheap.com, a reputable domain search & registration company. You can safely research your options there without worrying that the company helping you research is about to take your options away
Or, start even simpler and just use google. Simply type the URL into your browser bar to find out if anyone out there is already using that domain name. Sometimes, however, a domain name is owned by someone but just not being used yet Youre looking for a blank screen like the one below:
Need guidance on how to go through the steps of choosing a domain? Here are my step by step guides to choosing a domain and domain registration, as well as a good one on why you should say yes please to the option for domain privacy.
p.s. If you ever get an email or snail mail letter offering you the chance to buy a domain out of the blue, this is, in general a domain scam. You get the purchase that domain at a higher rate , AND pay that company for a required period of hosting that domain before they will let you get it out of their hands. Theyll even try this trick with a domain that you already own! Its a crafty way to try and get you to transfer your domain to them, when in fact your domain was already safe and sound on your chosen registrar.
p.p.s. I strongly advise against choosing a web hosting or website building tool from GoDaddy as well. > > Learn more about web hosting options here.
Also Check: Can I Buy A Domain Name Without A Website
Extend Your Brand In The Url
Until 2016, Tesla Motor didnt own Tesla.com because it was already taken.
What did they do? They used TeslaMotor.com instead.
That URL served them well for years because the word motor was such a natural extension of their brand.
This method has the advantage of preserving trustworthiness in your URL.
The catch? You have to make sure you dont throw in just any old word to extend your brand. It has to be relevant and say something about your business.
Gogo, an in-flight Internet provider, uses air along with their brand name:
That makes perfect sense when you think about it.
On the other hand, if they used something like GogoToday, their brand wouldnt have been as obvious, and it wouldnt have sounded as organic.
The trick is to consider related words that you can add to your brand name without sacrificing meaning, memorability, or naturalness.
Some words lend themselves to certain niches. For example, if you sell software, you may be able to use the word app in your URL like Invision does:
This might be your best bet if youre after a .com and want to keep your brand name in the URL.
If Im Canadian Should I Choose A Ca Or Com Domain Name
As a Canadian, choosing between a .CA or .COM really depends on the nature of your business. In short if youre in Canada and you have a Canadian target market, choosing .CA is the ideal choice. However, if youre planning on offering your services abroad, then a .COM domain name is better for reaching an international audience.
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I Have A Domain Name With A Different Registrar Can I Transfer It To Domaincom
Yes. You can transfer either the domain registration or simply update the DNS at your current registrar to point to your Domain.com hosting account, or both. We would recommend both hosting and maintaining the domain registration with us in order to ensure the optimum support experience.Learn more about transferring your domain to Domain.com, or start your transfer now.
Consider What The Company Does
Your domain name can incorporate what you do. Think of a few keywords that represent your business, product, or services, and consider using one or two as part of your domain name. Try to think long-term though. If the company expands in a few years, will the descriptive words you selected still be relevant?
Recommended Reading: When Does My Domain Name Expire
What Is Domain Name Hosting
When you buy a domain name, you are purchasing the right to use that name exclusively for a certain predetermined length of time. On the back end, your domain name host will register that domain name using the Domain Name System , so that you can use it for websites, email, or other domain services.
Domain name hosts usually offer more than just domain name registration services. Many of them will offer hosting for websites as well as domain names. They will also provide data storage services and security features to protect your domain name from theft.
The most common way to use your domain name is for a website, but many hosts also allow you to use it for one or multiple email addresses, or to forward users to another domain.
Domain name hosts typically offer technical support, since you might need their help to set up security features for your site, connect a website builder, or do some other technical task.
Set Up Domain Monitoring
Still after that perfect .com URL?
Maybe none of these techniques have persuaded you to try something else, and thats okay. If your dream .com is what youre after, you can get it.
Lets say you only want a certain .com address, but its taken by someone.
If you dont have the funds to buy it outright , then the next best thing is to monitor the domain to check if it expires.
You can use a tool like DomainTools Domain Monitor to track any changes in its registration status.
If it expires and the owner doesnt renew it, you can swoop in and snatch it.
This isnt a surefire technique, but it can get you exactly what you want.
In the meantime, you can use one of these other strategies to set up a temporary domain. When youre able to grab your ideal domain, you can set up 301 redirects to the new URL.
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How Do I Find Available Domains Through The Whois Database
You can check the availability of a domain name by searching for it on the Whois database. It will give you the status of whether the domain name that you are looking for is available or not. Doing this for multiple domain names over time can help you build a list of available domain names.
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How To Find Out If A Domain Name Is Available
Most of the good domain names are already registered. This makes it incredibly hard to find a suitable name for your website without spending a huge amount trying to secure a taken domain.
Now there are many online tools you can use to check if a domain name is already taken or available for registration.
All you have to do is type in your domain name in the search bar and the tool will check if the domain name is available.
Depending on the tool you use, if a domain name is taken, youll see a list of similar suggestions with different extensions . Or the tool will give you the option of domain broker services to help you buy the taken domain name.
If it is available, you can go ahead and register it in your name. In case the domain search tool doesnt offer registration services, theyll redirect you to their preferred domain registrar where you can go ahead and buy it.
Since there are so many domain search tools out there, its important to pick a reliable one thats actually helpful in finding available domain names.
Weve narrowed down the search to the top 5 best ways to check if a domain name is available for your to register.
Also Check: How To Make A Custom Domain Email For Free
Whys It Necessary To Have A Whois Database
The ability to find domain info quickly and accurately is important for a couple main reasons: 1. A WHOIS check is essential for people in the business of buying and selling domains. These individuals need a method of communication for their transactions. A WHOIS search will provide one or more methods for reaching the current owner of a web address. 2. The WHOIS database is a way to maintain accountability for people who operate online. For example, if you felt someone was using your trademarks on their website, the WHOIS database provides a number of ways to resolve that dispute.
How To Find Out Who The Domain Owner Is
Youve spent time brainstorming domain names. Youve tried different domain suggestion tools. And youve finally figured out the perfect name.
But when you go to register the domain name youre set on, you find that someone has already claimed it. What a disappointment.
Before you give up on that perfect name and start the whole process again from scratch, know there might still be hope.
Registered domain names are sometimes still availableif you know how to find the owner.
People invest in domain names for a number of different reasons. Sometimes, its to start their own website at that domain. Sometimes its purely for investment purposes. And in a few cases, it may be for a website idea that either never comes to fruition, or that falls off the owners radar over time.
If the website youre interested in isnt being actively used and updated, then the owner may be happy to hear from an interested buyer. And even if the owner is clearly using the domain name right now, if youre willing to spend enough to make a sale worth it to them you may still have a chance.
In both cases, you should anticipate spending more for the domain name than if you went with something no one else owns yet. But if youre really set on that domain name, its worth trying your chances.
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How To Check Domain Name Availability
Last updated on March 26th, 2021 by Editorial Staff | Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us.
Choosing a domain name can be overwhelming because first you need to come up with an idea, and then you have to check domain name availability.
Since a lot of good domains are already taken, often beginners feel stuck.
Wouldnt it be nice if you can check domain name availability faster and even find new ideas while you do it?
In this article, well show you how to check for domain name availability with some of the easiest domain search tools.
New: We created an AI-powered business name generator tool that not only helps you come up with creative business name ideas, but it also helps you check domain name availability. Try WPBeginners free business name generator.
1. Domain.com
Domain.com is one of the best domain registrars on the market. They offer a wide range of domain extensions at discounted rates, and have the best domain management tools for beginners.
Most importantly, they have a powerful domain search tool that lets quickly check domain name availability. Simply go to their website and enter your desired keywords or phrase.
If the domain you are looking for is not available, then it will show you different combinations to help you brainstorm and come up with a unique idea.
2. Nameboy
3. IsItWP
4. Blog Tyrant
The Total Package For Starting Your Website
A trusted source
Since 2000, we’ve been focused on helping customers find the best domain name as the building block of their online presence.
Everything is covered
A domain name is just the beginning. We’ll help you host, design, and manage your site. We’ll even build it for you, if you’d like.
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We integrate seamlessly with WordPress, WebsiteBuilder, and SiteLock, to name a few. Weâll help you get online with ease.
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How Do I Find The Best Available Domain Name
If you have an idea for the name you want, start by searching for that. If the name isnt available, well show you our best recommendations for similar, available domain names. Or, if you dont have a specific domain name in mind, just type in keywords that describe your website or project, hit search, and check out the suggestions.
Godaddy Domain Name Search
GoDaddy is the worlds largest domain provider that has more than 70 million domains under its management. It offers almost all types of extensions.
GoDaddy has an advanced domain name search tool that will help you to find the availability of a domain name. It will also show you some suggestions and alternatives based on your search. Just go to GoDaddy site name Search and enter your site title. And click on the Search button.
In this case, it shows that the webdomain is taken as Ive entered my domain. It also shows the available domains for other extensions. Now lets try with a different name. Ive added a prefix to the title and found it available. Thats a pretty handy tool for checking name availability.
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