How To Make A Website With Your Own Domain For Free
Author: Howard Steele
So, youve decided to create a website with own domain name for free. Someone may say that this is impossible as quality websites require deep web design expertise and application of professional web building tools. However, thats not quite so.
Creating a personal or a business website at no cost or using your own domain is possible, if you are aware of the most popular web design options and professional web building software you can use to complete the task.
When it comes to free website development, there are several things to consider. To start with, you should pick the right web building tool, many of which come with free subdomains or offer integrated free domain connection option.
If you already own a domain and wish to attach it to your website, you will have to take care of that during website setup. Mind that domain costs differ as well as the terms implied by their providers. Thus, the process of free website development is not that easy and it definitely requires certain web design background or awareness of coding nuances.
To simplify the task, we have singled out several must-have points that will help you cope with all the stages of the web design process successfully and with maximum benefit.
Why Should I Buy A Premium Domain
Buying a premium domain is an investment like any other sort of investment, the initial cost can be high, but the rewards make it more than worth it. They offer your website greater potential to rank highly on search engines and they strengthen your online branding. With a premium domain from IONOS, you have the opportunity to distinguish yourself from the competition and establish your brand as trusted and authoritative. By now, many of the best domain names have already been snapped up, which sometimes means that you have to settle for a less powerful option. Within this competitive market, premium domain names give you the chance to secure a valuable domain that give you an edge over your competition. Because they are easy to remember, contain popular keywords, and are SEO-friendly, a premium domain provides the ideal platform to build a strong online brand that attracts high levels of traffic. If you’re a business, having a short and snappy domain name can mean the difference between a consumer finding you online before a competitor, rather than the other way around.
Create A Landing Page Indicating That Your Domain Is For Sale
When buyers are choosing a domain they want to buy, they will often type the domain into their browser to see if its available. Creating a landing page on your website can often be a huge help in closing a deal.
There are several creative ways to point buyers to such a landing page. The most common method is to place redirects. Make sure to create landing pages for each domain youre selling. Having a page on lowinterestrates.com, for example, on a landing page for another domain confuses buyers. Most landing pages have an inquiry form end-users can use to gather more information, along with contact information.
Never underestimate the value of interpersonal communications when closing a deal! Some buyers actually prefer interpersonal communication, and you dont want to leave those buyers out, especially if youre looking for a fast sale.
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Is It Worth Buying A Premium Domain
There are many benefits to using a premium domain. Although they may cost more in the beginning, premium domains benefit significantly from their short, memorable names. Marketing efforts can be boosted, as the domain name is easy to remember, which leads to increased branding and recognition. Over time, these intrinsic benefits will help with your SEO and, in turn, your overall web traffic.
What Kind Of Domain Name Should I Pick
When youre choosing your domain name, there are a few rules you should keep in mind:
- If youre setting up a business website, your domain name should match your company name. For example: YourCompanyName.com
- If youre planning on making a personal website for yourself then YourName.com can be a great option.
For this site , I chose WebsiteSetup.org
Domain names usually end with .com, .org or .net, but in recent times, a large number of domain extensions have come out, ranging from .blog to .party.
My best advice? Avoid the unusual extensions and go with .com, .net or .org unless they precisely describe your website and even then, it is usually better to go with a more common extension.
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What Are Premium Domains
Premium domain names are high-quality domains that have been previously registered but are available for sale at today’s market value. A domain is considered to be high quality if the name is shorter, regularly searched, closely associated to the actual service or industry, and typically uses a TLD such as .com, .net, or .org. Such domains are easier to spell, easier to remember, and more intuitive.
Make Certain You Get The Name You Want With A Premium Domain Name
Premium Domain Names are addresses that have already been registered and are being resold by the owner. With Heart Internet, you can purchase them securely, without needing to pay hidden fees, look at outdated listings, or personally contact individual sellers. Everything is in one convenient place and ready for you to find the perfect domain name.
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How To Get A Free Email Domain
If youre running a business, its smart to obtain an email domain thats consistent with your branding. Using a personal address to communicate with your customers doesnt look professional and might undermine your credibility. However, finding a free email domain can be tricky.
Many web hosting companies offer free email domains if you purchase one of their plans. Some of them are a real bargain, and you can easily connect them to your Gmail account. Alternatively, if you dont want any associated costs, there are other solutions that might better suit you.
In this article, well discuss three methods you can use to create a free email domain, with or without purchasing web hosting or your own domain name. Lets dive right in!
Why A Premium Domain Name Makes Sense For Your Business
The Internet is a busy landscape. As of January 2020, there were more than 1.74 billion live websites.
While every website needs a domain name, not every person who registers a domain name actually builds a site and uses their domain. So, its safe to say that there are far more than 1.74 billion registered domain names.
Its been over 35 years since the first domain name was registered in March of 85, and its become harder and harder for people to find the exact domain name they want. Many have already been registered, especially if theyre composed of words found in the dictionary and popular extensions.
So whats a person to do?
First things first, just because a domain name is already registered doesnt mean its guaranteed to be unavailable for your use. Theres a big market of people who buy, sell, and invest in domain names that have already been registered, and more specifically, in premium domains.
Premium domains have already been registered and are considered valuable theyre shorter and keyword-rich, and thats often reflected in their cost. Despite the initial investment, they could end up saving you marketing dollars over time as you wont need to spend money slinging a second-rate domain name.
But what other advantages do premium domain names offer?
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How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Premium Domain Name
The demand for premium domain names are increasing, and with that, their prices as well. Prices vary from one premium domain name to the next depending on the industry, spelling, and trends in the market. The good news is our Domain experts are happy to help you find the perfect premium domain name in your price range. Consult our help page today for all your premium domain needs.
Why Use WordPress And Not Website Builders
- 1. Its FREE
Unlike website builders or web design software, WordPress doesnt cost a dime to download, install or use. Its built by web developers and theres a large developer community who have designed beautiful free themes and templates, making it easy to get going fast.
- 2. Its highly customizable and user-friendly
If you know how to use Google Docs, you already know how to add your own content. WordPress can be easily expanded with free add-ons to handle just about any site you can imagine from small business websites to e-commerce sites. With WordPress plugins youll be able to add contact forms, subscription forms, image galleries, stores, and so on for your website. And its all pretty simple.
- 3. Your site will be responsive. Meaning itll work on smartphones & tablets, too
The website you build will instantly be responsive, looking great on every mobile device, smartphone, and tablet. No need to hire a web developer for that.
- 4. Help available from the community
With so many people using the platform , its easy to find fast help when you need it. You can get help from here for free or you can hire thousands of WordPress developers from here.
In fact, I built WebsiteSetup.org using WordPress, too. Below are samples of my homepage and blog page:
WebsiteSetup Homepage
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Are There Any Good Alternatives For WordPress
There are some.
But, I would still use WordPress.
- Wix is an easy-to-use website builder with a simple drag and drop interface, but it has a higher cost, is not suitable for larger sites and its impossible to migrate your website out if the need should arise.
- Squarespace is a very aesthetically beautiful website builder which makes creating beautiful websites easy, but it comes at a higher monthly cost and doesnt have a function to migrate your website out.
- Drupal is a powerful platform that is popular with experienced coders and web developers, but it has a high learning curve that makes it not the best option for beginners.
- Joomla is almost like WordPress and is a good tool for website building, but it does require at least some basic understanding of how to write code to make things work the way that you want.
If you want more details, Ive put together a comprehensive comparison between WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.
If for some reason you dont want to build your site with WordPress, check out my Drupal, Joomla, HTML5 and website builder guides as well.
Receive A Free Email Domain From Bluehost
This method requires you to purchase a web hosting plan, so its not entirely free. However, if you need to host a website anyway, you can use an affordable option such as Bluehost and get an email domain as part of the deal.
This is an excellent choice if you want to establish a professional online presence. Its easy to set up, works seamlessly with WordPress, and gives you many tools to start your first website.
First, head to Bluehost and choose your plan. The cheapest option starts at $2.75 per month, which is still more affordable than purchasing a domain or a dedicated email hosting service.
Once youve selected your plan, youll be able to register a website domain. If youre unsure which name to choose, you can use a domain name generator that will give you suggestions and confirm their availability.
Once youve finished setting up your account, log in to your Bluehost dashboard and go to Advanced> Email Accounts. From here, youll be able to configure your email domain.
There are several ways you can start using your new email domain. For instance, you can use Bluehosts webmail interface, or connect to a popular email client such as Outlook, Thunderbird, or Gmail. Some users prefer this solution as its more convenient, as you dont have to log in to your hosting account to check your inbox.
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How Do I Buy A Premium Domain
When buying a new domain, premium domains will be highlighted with a Premium Domain icon in red. If you need to transfer the domain to us as a result of the purchase, one year will be added to the existing registration period. If the domain is not transferred, no additional year is added. It also enters the Automated Domain Renewal Server .
Where Can I Find A Trustworthy Domain Registrar
There are hundreds of domain registrars companies that sell domain names and help with the registration process. However, not all of them are safe to give personal information. Therefore, it is essential to find a trustworthy domain registrar to register a domain safely.You can do that by using the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names accredited registrars list, which stores all related personal information of a domain name.The accredited registrars, such as Hostinger, have permission to change your domain name information in the database on your behalf. Therefore, make sure to check the list first before registering a domain.If you get a free domain by purchasing a web hosting plan, then the registration will be taken care of by the provider. Whereas with free subdomains, there is no need to register.
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To Conclude: How To Register A Domain Name
Congratulations! If you followed through with our step-by-step guide, you should now know how to register a domain name.
What you need is come up with a sound word combo, decide on your domain extension, pick some handful add-ons, and pay for your subscription. Afterward, the registrar will provide you with further quick instructions for connecting your domain name to your website, so that you can finally become visible on the web.
Have a question about how to register a domain name for your website that is not included here? Leave us a comment below.
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Get Visitors Who Skip Google
As much as Google has taken over how we find content online, many people still bypass search engines altogether and enter a domain name that they believe will take them to a relevant website in their address bar. A premium domain will ensure that you capture these visitors who otherwise might not have found your website.
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Do All Tlds Have Premium Domains
The short answer is â no. A lot of the new generic TLDs like .auto, .club or .site, as well as some country-code TLDs like .ch, .tv or .fm have registry premium domains, but the original gTLDs like .com, .net, .org, and most country-code TLDs like .io or .ai do not. You can register a memorable domain name with the latter group of TLDs at the regular price, as long as it has not been registered by somebody else.
Aftermarket premium domains do not depend on the TLD. Usually two- and three-letter domains are considered to be premium regardless of their extension. Any existing name with any TLD and a random length can also become a premium one as long as its owner is willing to sell it and there is a buyer willing to pay its price. There are examples of seemingly worthless existing names with country-code TLDs that are bought for a lot of money by the owners of the .com name.