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.
Before We Begin Dont Just Go And Get A Different Tld
If your desired domain name is taken, you might be thinking that theres a third option worth considering: getting the same domain but with a different TLD, like .net or .org instead of .com.
However, this is not a good idea. First off, people will never remember what your correct TLD was, so they will usually go for .com anyway ending up at the wrong website.
Additionally, registering existing names can also result in legal trouble. The owner of the original .com might argue that youre trying to infringe on their brand name by registering a similar domain name.
At the end of the day, youre really better off either trying to get the original domain name that you wanted from the start, or changing your focus to a different name entirely.
With that said, lets talk business:
When To Use A Domain Broker
By using a domain broker, you are able to conceal your identity, which can help provide leverage in the negotiation. For example, if a domain investor is approached by ABC Co. to purchase a domain name and after a quick search the investor finds that ABC Co. has $100 million in annual revenue chances are the price will go up. Another challenge is trying to negotiate a domain name sale on your own without giving away your identity. Unfortunately, an email that says: To Whom It May Concern, I have a surprise sum of money Im willing to offer you but Im not willing to let you know who I am! sounds a lot like a phishing email and may be ignored.
Don’t Miss: What To Do After Buying Domain
Dont Buy A Dropped Domain Unless You Aware Of The History Of The Domain
I once saw a real estate website that had formerly been a Japanese adult site. Even if any penalties or negative association had been scrubbed in search engine ranking algorithms, you can imagine that the backlinks to that site were not pretty.
Theres no reason to be affiliated with negative topics when there are so many potential domains in the world.
Check The Domains History Before Buying
Like people, domains have a history. That history must be meticulously checked.
Check three crucial issues:
Recommended Reading: Transfer Wix Domain To Shopify
How To Register Your Website’s Domain Name
The first domain name in history was Symbolics.com, which was registered on March 15, 1985. Today, there are more than 300 million domain names, with millions more added each year. A domain name is essentially the address that visitors will type into their browser address bar to arrive at your website.
Domain names allow users to easily connect to other computer IP addresses by typing in an address like “Google.com” instead of Google’s numerical IP address of “74.125.239.116.” In other words, domain names make our lives a lot easier.
Your domain name is an important part of establishing your brand. No two domain names can be exactly alike, although they can be similar. Ideally, your domain name will be unique and distinctive, so users don’t confuse it with other domain names or different businesses.
You might be wondering isn’t a domain name, then, simply a website? Although they are similar, domain names and websites have important differences. Your domain name is the address for your website it is what people use to find your website, which consists of pages, images, and other files.
Choosing and registering a domain name is often the first step when building a website. Read on to learn how to register a domain name.
How To Register A Domain Name For Your Website
Your company needs a website, which means it needs a domain name. Your first step is registering a domain name, which can be daunting for first-timers. Don’t worry: Our guide walks you through it.
Once you’ve decided to build a website, you need to make an important decision, even before you consult our best web hosting services roundup: What’s your domain name going to be? You know, it’s the web address by which all your many customers find you. Your domain name is, in effect, the name of your website, so you want to make sure you get a good one. Purchasing a name is a relatively simple process, but finding one that isn’t already taken can be a challenge. In addition, you’ll also want to make sure you understand the contract between you and the domain name registrar. If this is starting to sound a bit complicated, don’t worry: This primer can help you get started.
Recommended Reading: Cost To Buy A Domain
How To Register A Domain Name
+ Ways to Get it for Free
Are you looking to register a domain name, but dont know where to start?
Part of creating a website is buying a domain name that has to be unique.
In this step-by-step guideline, were going to show you several options on how to register a domain name and also cover some commonly asked questions that might pop up in your mind while registering a domain.
Ready? Lets first start by explaining why is it crucial to choose a good domain name.
Add A Verb To Your Domain Name
This is a popular method of getting around a domain name thats already taken.
There are two big benefits to this technique.
First, you can still use your brand name in the URL itself. Second, you dont have to consider different TLDs.
Verbs like get and try are popular choices as additions to domain names.
For example, Pocket uses getpocket.com:
These also tend to look a lot nicer than some alternative TLDs, and theyre usually easier to remember.
Read Also: How To Transfer Godaddy Domain To Shopify
How Do You Secure A Domain Name
New TLDs are highly coveted but will only be released by ICANN gradually. If there is no release for a domain at the time of the availability check, you cannot buy the address youre after with this TLD yet. However, you can secure or reserve the domain with the provider of your choice. With IONOS, you proceed as described in step 4 :
Press Select when youve found your desired address and continue with the process by selecting Continue. Instead of the cost overview you will now find a contact form. Log in with your existing IONOS account or enter the requested information and finally confirm so that you can pre-reserve your domain name.
Secure your domain or domains with a SSL/TLS certificate from IONOS. The security procedure encrypts all communication channels of your web project whether form entries, comments, or user logins and in doing so ensures maximum protection of transmitted information against third parties.
What Happens If I Dont Renew My Domain Name
If you didnt set auto-renewal or forgot to manually do so despite the reminders from your domain registrar, your domain name will expire. This means several things:
- Your website will no longer be accessible by anyone who types your URL.
- The domain name will be available for sale again, typically in 30-days or so after expiration.
- It can also be auctioned on a website domain auction.
In essence, failure to pay a renewal fee means lost access to your domain.
Recommended Reading: Average Domain Name Price
Can I Just Register The Same Name With A Different Domain Extension
Sure, if theperfectdomain.com is already registered, you could always just register the same domain name with a different extension, e.g. theperfectdomain.info. The biggest potential problem with using alternative extensions is that people could forget your domain, and by default go to the .com domain instead.
Slowly but surely though, people are embracing top-level domains other than .com. And with hundreds of new generic top-level domains hitting the market, ranging from city names to hobbies and professions to surnames , its becoming more normal by the day.
However, it will take time for people to get used to this new world where anything is .possible. Just be aware of the hopefully short-term drawbacks to using a TLD other than .com. Heres a nugget from Christopher Steiner at FoundersClub about .com usage in Y Combinator :
But everybody knew, even then, that a company needed a dot-com domain. That wasnt debatable. But it seems a subject that is up for discussion now, judging by data. Promising startups still end up with dot-com domains more often than not, but the margin at which they do is decreasing.
This is assuming youre not trying to name yourself Apple, going with something like apple.online. Its always good to check the WIPO Global Brand Database to make sure youre not trying to infringe on the space of an already established brand.
Check What The Domain Is Currently Being Used For
Your first step should be to visit the domain you want to buy. Is there a real website there? Has it been updated in the past few years? If the answers to both questions are yes, the owner of the domain is probably not interested in selling it. If theres a real website but it hasnt been updated in several years, youre more likely to get the domain, but theres still a strong chance the owner will refuse to sell it.
On the other hand, if the website you see is simply a placeholder, you can approach the domain owner with confidence. If the domain owner buys and re-sells domains on a regular basis, they might even have a page up linking to the domain buying service they prefer to work with.
Heres an example of what a parked domain usually looks like owners of such domains are usually just waiting for the right offer to come their way:
Read Also: Migrate Wix To Shopify
Offer To Buy The Domain Name From Its Current Owner
If your top choice domain name is already taken, you can offer to buy the website domain.
Pros: You get exactly what you want.
Cons: Your dream domain name might not be for sale, it might cost more than you can afford, and youll have to do some research.
This is the most time-consuming and costly way to solve your domain name problem. That said, if youve already invested heavily in branding that relates to the domain name you wantfor example, if you own an established local business and want to add a websitethe effort and expense might be worth it.
First, youll need to find out who owns the domain name you want. If the website is live, is there contact information listed directly on the website? If theres contact information on the site, thats the easiest way to reach out. If not, you can check the WHOIS registry. However, the domain owner may have privacy enabled, and you wont find their contact information.
Sometimes the domain you want is both privacy-protected on WHOIS and lacks a contact form on the site. In those cases, or if you just want to save time looking up the site owner, you can use a domain name broker service like Sedo to make an offer for the domain name you want. Be prepared to negotiate if the owner is interested in selling.
Once you complete the purchase, youll need to register the domain as your own and transfer it to your web hosting service.
Finding The Domain Of A Function Using A Relation
Don’t Miss: What To Do After Buying A Domain Name