How To Purchase A Registered Domain
I’m working on a small start-up company and need a good domain name for it, but as expected all domain names and reasonable variables have been taken years ago. Most of the addresses are empty, or have just simple placeholders, leading me to believe that they’re available for sale.
My question is, how do I contact the seller , how do I avoid paying through the nose for it, and how do I avoid being scammed? Should I use some 3rd party service to make the deal? I’m willing to pay some hundreds of dollars for it, but obviously I’d rather use the money on developing the site.
My question is, how do I contact the seller ,
Because it likely is a squatter. If not the generic email will be because the owner has privacy enabled and that is the best email you are going to get. If privacy is enabled, it is safe to assume the owner doesn’t want to be contacted.
how do I avoid paying through the nose for it,
If you think the price is too high, don’t pay it.
and how do I avoid being scammed?
In what way? If you are worried that they will take your money and not hand over the domain, go through an escrow company.
Should I use some 3rd party service to make the deal?
I’m willing to pay some hundreds of dollars for it, but obviously I’d rather use the money on developing the site.
Why not consider one of the hundreds of new gTLD extensions e.g. .surf, .foundation, .hundreds_of_others
Keep Your Domain Name And Website Up And Running
Domain names play a crucial on the virtual marketplace. Choosing a creative domain name is a time-consuming and important aspect of giving your business the tools to thrive. Such an investment is essential for success, which is why a domain name expiration can be a demoralizing and business-crippling issue, that is only made worse if a competitor manages to snatch up your domain name. All the time and effort spent on building that brand and linking it to the domain name might be all for naught.
The best way to prevent this issue is to do everything in your power to prevent such a disaster from occurring in the first place. This includes regularly checking your email and spam folders for renewal notices, setting personal alerts of expiration, always ensuring that your domains billing info is up to date, and setting your account to auto-renew. If you take the right steps, you can save yourself a serious headache, so, do not be anything less than proactive when it comes to one of your domain names possibly expiring. With the right infrastructure in place, this should never be an issue!
Domain.com has the tools you need to continue building your business into a success.
Kristin Crabb
Content Marketing Strategist working in the digital marketing industry. Skilled in SEO-focused content creation, keyword research and competitive analysis, interactive content, web content optimization, and landing page creation.
Make It Brandable Not Generic
Creative, memorable domain names are always better than generic ones. After all, your domain name is how people will find, remember, and spread the word about your business on the internet. Its much better to have something that aligns with your brand instead of a domain name thats made up of a bunch of general keywords.
For example, can you tell the difference between cheapcarinsurance.com and affordableautoinsurance.com? Which one would you trust when it comes to buying insurance? Probably neither. Both sound a little spammy, and theyre terribly generic.
On the other hand, youll probably know where the domain names progressive.com or geico.com are going to point you to. Those companies have invested in their brands, and theyve used them in their domain names. You can trust that these sites are legitimate.
Even if you havent built up trust and loyalty yet, you can start by choosing a strong domain name that fits your brand.
You May Like: How Much To Purchase A Domain Name
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.
How To Buy A Domain Name
First of all, don’t procrastinate. You might be inclined to wait to purchase a domain name until you really need it such as when your business is launching or you’re almost ready to publish the website. But the longer you wait, the more opportunity there is for your ideal domain name to be purchased by someone else.
In fact, there are people and organizations known as cybersquatters that buy potentially attractive domain names and hold them for the specific intention of trying to sell them at an inflated price to businesses who want them. If you were hoping to acquire a simple conceptual domain, odds are it’s already gone. So buy your domain now and hold it for when you eventually need it.
To purchase a domain name, simply visit a domain name registrar, use the site’s search tool to find a domain you want to use, and then follow the instructions to purchase it. Common registrars include Domain.com, GoDaddy.com, and Namecheap.com.
Read Also: How Much Should A Domain Name Cost Per Year
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.
How To Buy A Domain Name When Yours Is Already Taken
You sit glaring at the screen, thinking that there must be some mistake. Maybe if you refresh a couple times, it will fix itself.
You came up with a creative business name, have your new logo design, and even snatched the Facebook page and Twitter handle, but after a search for the right domain, its taken.
If someone else owns the domain, what can you do?
This happens, as getting the perfect domain, although such a seemingly small task, can be one of the greatest challenges youll have in building your digital presence.
Find out what it means if your domain is taken, and the next steps you can take to secure one for your brand.
Domain.com has over 300 domain extensions to choose from to help set your website apart from the rest. It all starts with a great domain.
Don’t Miss: Who Owns Domain Name Checker
How To Buy An Existing Domain Name From Its Owner
What if you wanted to purchase a domain thats already active instead?
You can choose to purchase active domains and transfer ownership through services such as a domain name escrow.
Whats a domain name escrow?
A domain name escrow basically an independent third-party agent that assists in the selling-buying process of domain names on the internet. These sites provide a safe way for buyers to purchase domain names from sellers who want to let go of their domain name.
There are a number of domain name escrow services available, but here are a few that you can check out: Escrow.com, Sedo, and BuyDomains.
Where To Buy A Domain Thats Taken
From a branding and marketing perspective, its especially important to choose the right domain name for your website. For many people, its a truly personal decision. The domain just has to feel right and you dont want to settle for an alternative.
If this is the case in your search for the perfect domain, take heart. You might be able to buy your ideal domain name in the domain aftermarket. You can find most of the domain names from the aftermarket listed directly on auctions.godaddy.com.
If your dream domain isnt listed on the aftermarket, you can attempt to buy it directly from its current owner. However, youll want to keep a few things in mind before you take the plunge and contact the domains owner, namely budget and timing.
Set your budget
Its important to think about the budget you have for acquiring the domain. Put yourself in the other domain owners shoes for a minute. They spent time and money to get the domain, and they might be actively using it. Offering them $10 or even $100 probably wont even get you a response.
Think about what the domain name is worth, and be prepared to make a fair offer.
Editors note: Need help determining the value of the domain? As the largest reseller of aftermarket domain names, GoDaddy has access to extensive data that we use to analyze millions of historical domain sales. Try GoDaddy Domain Appraisals to determine the value of the domain so you can make an educated offer.
Give yourself enough time
Also Check: Transfer Wix Domain To Squarespace
Wait And Watch Method: Monitor The Domain In Case It Expires
In buying used domains, timing might mean everything for you. Youll need to wait on the wings hoping your preferred domain expires and that the current owner fails to renew it. Alternatively, you might want to consider seeking the services of companies that offer wait list services where you pay a fee to get prompt updates regarding the availability of your ideal domain. If youre lucky, you might grab the domain on expiry and end up with your dream domain name.
Brainstorm Concepts And Ideas
If you already have a name you want to buy, awesome! Head on down to the next section.
If you want to see if your domain name is actually good , keep reading.
This is crucial. Its the name youll use for your business, or a campaign, or a blog. You want to try your best to nail this on the first try.
Recommended Reading: How To Transfer Squarespace Domain To Godaddy
Contact The Owner And Ask If The Domain Is For Sale Dont Make An Offer
a. Contact directly If you are a student, first-time entrepreneur, or someone whom I would find no Google results for, then contact the people directly. If you have documented success, then dont contact people directly, as the price will be based on your status. With Grid.com I had such a hard time finding the owner that during my investigation I accidentally emailed the owner with my real details. This mistake probably raised my price by well over $50,000.
b. Hiding your info
i. Cheap way register a gmail/yahoo address with something like joe1234@gmail.com. Sign the email Joe and dont give any personal info out. You might look like a scammer so it lowers your chance of contact.
ii. Pricey way
Option 1: Use a service. There are a few services that allow you to mask who you are to contact the owners, godaddy.com, networksolutions.com, etc, offer this. I have tried these services and have had zero success.
Option 2: Use a small law firm or PR firm which has a website. Make sure that if you looked them up, you would think they are just above the poverty line on the business food chain. This is the best way that I have found. This service should cost between $100 and $300. To find these firms, I usually ask friends for referrals or just go to someone local . It allows the seller to see that they are being contacted by someone real and it does not jack up the price. This is how I got PhoneTag.com, Trustme.com, as well as a few others.
About Our Domain Host Partners
We partner with Google Domains and companies including GoDaddy.com, eNom.com, and DomainDiscount24.com to offer domain registration and hosting to our customers.
When you purchase a domain through Google during sign-up, you get an accountoutside of Googlewith one of these partners. Here, they host your domains DNS records, which are used to do things like set up mail for your users and create your business web addresses.
As long as you use your domain with Google services, however, you dont have to visit this external account. We configure your domains DNS records so you can set up email, web addresses, and other services without leaving your Google Admin console.
When you purchase a domain name through one of our partners, you get:
Read Also: How Much Should A Domain Name Cost Per Year
How To Choose A Domain Name
Since your domain name can have a major impact on your online presence, what you choose is a vital first step in building your brand. Finding the perfect domain name, however, can be challenging.
While its true that there are millions of domain names available, many of the popular domain names that are easy to remember are taken. Fortunately, you can still get what you need if you go through a simple process and use a bit of imagination.