Your Desired Name Is Available Now What
Once youve found that your desired domain is available, you should buy the domain name ASAP. There are several domain registrars. I use and recommend Namecheap. Its the cheapest domain name provider.
Once you have bought the domain name, its time to build the website. You can use WordPress to build your site. Its the most popular CMS. You will need a web host to install WordPress. You can buy web hosting from popular web hosts like HostGator or Bluehost. HostGator is my personal favorite.
After installing WordPress, you need to design your site and install necessary plugins.
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.
Got Any Tips On Picking A Good Domain Name
When searching for a good domain name, keep these 4 things in mind:
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Contact The Domain Owner
First things firstyou need to reach out to the domain owner. You might find their contact information using the steps listed above, often in the form of a physical mailing address. But if you want to reach out in a different way, there are some steps you can take to find the appropriate contact.
The best place to start is with a Google search. Simply enter the persons name on Google to see what comes up. You might also search email address or contact information. If that doesnt yield any results, check out databases like Hunter.
Once you get in touch with the domain owner, be prepared to negotiate a deal for the domain. Have a number in mind and be prepared to hear a counter offer. When preparing your number, consider the domain authority, or how much search equity the existing site has. If its clearly out of date and doesnt show up high in search result pages, you can offer a lower number. But for updated sites with a robust digital presence across multiple channels, youll likely have to start higher.
How Do You Check If A Domain Name Has Been Taken
If you are considering registering a new domain name, you will want to check to see if the domain name is available. There are a few different ways that you can check to see if a domain name has been taken.
1. Use a Domain Name Search ToolOne way to check if a domain name has been taken is to use a domain name search tool.
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Why You Need A Quality Domain Name
On its own your domain name doesnt mean much. However, your domain name is important when combined with other aspects and it encompasses a major section of your SEO campaign. You may not think it but your domain name does have an impact on your performance. Your domain name is one of the ways people find you on the internet.
If you choose the wrong domain name it can certainly impact your SEO negatively. A poor domain name may make it difficult for your potential consumers to find you. Or even confuse consumers. This is certainly something you want to steer clear of.
It is also important to keep your domain name similar to your brand name. This is because it is a major way that people search for your business online. For example, our business name is SEO Shark and our URL is www.seoshark.com.au. See! If people search for SEO Shark on Google, our website should be highly visible for users to find.
A quality domain name will add so much value to your brand. Your domain name will also help distinguish the type of branding and the direction of your marketing campaigns. Your domain name reflects your image .
It is recommended that your domain name reflects a keyword of your business. Although it doesnt provide as many benefits as it used to, it is still a good idea . When people search for a certain keyword and you have that word in your URL this will show the consumer that you are a business that provides the product or service they are looking for.
What If Domain Name Is Already Taken
Try to buy it You can always offer to purchase the name that you want from the current owner. If the Whois information is public, you can contact the domain owner directly and see if theyre interested in selling. If the info is private, you can see if they have contact information listed on their website.
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Using Your Domain Name As A Competitive Advantage
A domain name isnt just a web address in someones browser. Its how to position your brand and present yourself to the digital world, whether youre blogging or selling products online.
Your domain name doesnt need to be overly clever for it to be perfect. Instead, choose one that is simple, memorable, and has a nice ring to it. Youll look more professional and gain instant credibility with your shoppers, which will likely lead to more awareness and sales for your business.
How Important Is It That I Use The Ionos Domain Check
The domain name for a website is essentially the first impression or image that a potential visitor to your site is greeted with, so finding the right domain name for your website is vitally important to the success of your site. Thankfully, IONOS is here to help you check your domain name once you have come up with a good idea.
The best domain names are the ones that define what your site is and what it does. You can use the IONOS domain checker to find the right name and ensure that it’s easy for potential visitors or customers to locate you. For example, if your site sells ballet shoes, you would want your domain name to clearly indicate this, guaranteeing that those searching for ballet shoes would find you and visit your site. If your domain name is too vague or complex, potential customers may skip over your site, thinking it’s irrelevant to their search.
In addition, as the world wide web grows bigger with each passing year, you want to ensure that your site can be found amongst all the others that are competing for attention. IONOS can check your domain to see if it has already been taken and which names are still free for you to register. Finding the right domain name should be your first step when constructing your site, as in many ways it is the most important one. Let IONOS help you get it right.
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How Do I Choose The Best Domain Name
Great question! Heres a few core things to consider when choosing your new domain name:
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Use The Right Domain Name Extensions
When you choose your domain name extension, you can be sure of one thing: .com is still the best.
According to research from Domain Name Stat, 43% of all domains have the .com extension.
Why? Well, .com is the most familiar and easiest to remember.
While there are many successful websites with a .net and .org, your website will probably do better if it has a .com extension. Its the safest bet.
Our advice: Go with .com. If thats taken, try .net or .org. If these are taken too, youd be better off brainstorming a new domain name. And oh! Avoid those weird extensions like .club, .space, .pizza and so on.
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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.
The Domain Name Is Available What To Do Next
If the domain name hasnt been taken yet, then congratulations! The next step usually involves registering the domain name under a domain registrar or a web hosting platform. While both get the job done, there are a few differences in how they operate.
Domain registrars usually charge less because you are basically just getting the domain name to yourself and nothing else. Meanwhile, registering to a domain hosting platform usually gets you a free domain name but at a higher price because you are also paying for their hosting solutions on top of other services.
The price of a domain usually varies depending on several factors. The more popular domain extension like .com and .net are more expensive than lesser-used ones like .shop and .xyz. On average, a domain name can cost you anywhere between $1 to $20, depending on the keywords and the platform you used to purchase it.
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Add Your Country To The Domain Name
Have you heard of the Nissan domain name lawsuit?
Back in 1994, a company called Nissan Computer Corp registered the domain nissan.com.
It was headed by an entrepreneur named Uzi Nissan who had used the business name since 1980.
Then in 2000, Nissan Motor sued Uzi Nissan. The goal: To get the nissan.com domain name.
The famous car company didnt end up getting the domain. If you type nissan.com into your search bar, youll see Uzi Nissans site:
So what did Nissan Motor do? They added USA to their URL:
This last resort strategy is actually a solid option if youre having domain name problems.
It can actually look quite nicenissanusa.com isnt a bad URL at all, and it still has the brand name in it.
You can also use your city if youre local to a major metropolis. The company Loud Marketing uses Barcelona in their URL:
And The Eugene, a luxury apartment building in New York City, uses the abbreviated NYC:
Its best to use this strategy if you provide services within a certain country or city.
You can use your country in your URL to designate where youre from, but some of your users may think you only work within that country. Think about it carefully before you pull the trigger.
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.
Have You Found Your Perfect Domain Name
Thats great! Now all you need is a hosting account to develop your new website. Did you know that you can get website hosting for under $3 a month?
Building your own website is super easy with Bluehost. Just register quickly and take advantage of the low price!
If you want to know how to create your own website or blog using WordPress, here is a blog article that will help you create your website, or you can also take our step-by-step WordPress course.
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Already Have A Domain
If youve already got a domain from a third-party provider, you can simply transfer it to Squarespace.
Search for your name, business, or brand name.
Check the availability of your domain names on a wide range of domain extensions.
Select one or more domain names and domain extensions.
Register your selected domains with Squarespace so you can manage them in one place.
Check out and pay.
How Long Does My Domain Name Registration Last How Do I Renew My Domain
How long your domain registration lasts can vary depending on the domain you purchase. Many domain name registrars will allow customers to register domains for 10 years at a time, but typically customers will register domains for one to three years.
If you want to extend your registration, it’s easy to renew your domain with GoDaddy. You can choose to manually renew or set up auto-renewal, so you ensure it stays registered to you.
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How To Buy Your New Domain
Now that you know how to decide on a new domain name, youre less likely to change a purchased domain name later on down the line. So, lets move on to registering your domain!
Get started and search for your domain name right here at Namecheap. And, if youre looking to purchase website hosting and domain together, we offer an all-in-one package deal where you can save money.
Discover our dedicated page on the price of domain names, where you can take a look at our best prices for up to ten years.
Once you have your sparkly new domain name, its time to make sure that youre ready to prepare all the content youd like to take from your old website to your new one.
Stick With Your First Choice
Stuck on your favourite name? These may be your only options for landing it. It might not be possible, but it’s worth a shot.
Try to buy it You can always offer to purchase the name you want from the current owner. If the WHOIS information is public, you can reach out to the domain owner directly and see if they’re interested in selling. If the info is private, you can see if they have contact information listed on their website. Keep in mind: It’s pretty unlikely the owner will want to sell, or they may demand a steep price.
Legal action If you own the trademark to the name used in the domain, you may have an option to take legal action to claim the domain name. This generally applies only if someone is offering goods or services similar to yours, and if they began using the name after you. The first thing to do if you believe your trademark is being infringed upon is to discuss the issue with your lawyer or legal team.
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Two: Check The Whois Directory
Every time someone registers a domain name, the domain registrar that processes the sale is required to collect basic contact information. In some cases, that information then gets submitted to the WHOIS directory, so that theres a record of who runs each website online.
The WHOIS directory is therefore our next stop for seeking out a domain name owner.
Put in the name of the domain youre looking for and scroll down to find all the data the WHOIS directory lists for it. In a few cases, that may contain the owners contact information. If so, you can skip the next step.
Even if not though, it will always include at least their domain registrar and domain expiration date. That lets you know if the domain will be coming up for renewal soon. If so, you may be able to snap it up for cheaper when it expires than if you buy it from them directly. But that only works if they dont renew, so youre taking a chance.
Either way, knowing the domain registrar enables you to take the next step.