Godaddy Offers Website Hosting Google Domains Gives Referrals
Google Domains offers a simple control panel allowing you to manage your domain and related services. You can control your DNS, website nameservers, email settings, and other general settings from one location. However, Google Domains doesnt offer website hosting. Theyre partnered with several website builders you can use to create your website, but that requires that you manually configure your hosting and Google Domains. There is Google Sites, but this is only really suitable for very basic websites and configuring your domain to work with Google Sites is more complicated than it should be!
For those new to website building and domain management, GoDaddy makes things easier. During the signup process, you can opt-in for a free trial to GoDaddys site builder. Then, if you choose, you can sign up for a plan and use GoDaddy as your hosting provider.
If you do so, your domain is automatically added to and configured for your hosting plan no technical tasks are required on your part.
One option with Google Domains is to use your domain name in conjunction with a website builder like Wix. In addition to a free plan,Wix has plans starting at as little as $16.00, and its extremely beginner-friendly.
However, GoDaddys WordPress plans are relatively expensive if youre looking for WordPress plans, you can easily get a better deal elsewhere. Check out our top-rated hosts for WordPress to learn more.
Automatic Verification With Other Google Products
If you run a website, youll almost certainly need to verify your website with some Google products.
The most popular scenario is , but there are also other properties like Google App Engine, Cloud Run, etc.
When you register your domain with Google Domains, though, Google can automatically verify your domain with those properties, which saves you some time and effort.
Check Out And Purchase Your Domain Name
Once youve added your domain name to your cart, open your cart to check out.
Google Domains will show you a summary of your cart, along with two options, both of which are enabled by default:
- Privacy protection: this 100% free service keeps your personal information private. We recommend leaving this on.
- Auto-renew: auto-renew ensures you dont accidentally forget to renew and lose your domain. This is totally up to you, but we recommend leaving it on if you have long-term plans for your domain name.
Once youve made your choices, click the Check out button:
On the checkout page, youll need to enter your contact information. But remember: as long as you left the free privacy protection feature enabled, this information wont be public.
Then, enter your payment information to finalize your purchase:
You May Like: How Important Is A Domain Name
Final Thoughts About The Best Domain Name Extensions
While your domain extension isnt as important as your primary domain, its still an element to consider. Having a trustworthy and recognizable domain extension could mean higher traffic, more backlinks, and better SEO. On the other hand, having a less common but stylish or informational TLD could be great for your branding and quickly communicate to visitors what your sites about. You also have the option to purchase several domains with the best domain name extensions and direct traffic to the main one, like your .com. And if you have your eye on a domain name thats already taken, we have a guide for that.
Featured Image via WeeStudio / shutterstock.com
Also Check: How To Find All Domains Owned By A Company
Use The Best Domain Name Extension
The final step, once youre happy with your domain nameideas, is to find the best domain extension.
#18 Choose .com first
As we saw earlier, .COM is by far the most popular domainextension, and users intuitively type .com when they enter a website in theirbrowser.
Its the most-established and most-trusted domain extension.So, if its available, always go for the .com extension.
If it isnt available, then you could consider using another TLD, like .NET or .ORG. But you face the prospect of losing traffic to the existing .COM site. For example, davidhartshorne.com is the website of a US voice-over artist. Imagine the confusion and potential lost traffic if Id decided to go with davidhartshorne.net.
#19 Choose your ccTLD
Depending on your business, it may make more sense to chooseyour country code top-level domain. For example, if you run a French restaurant in Paris, servingtraditional French food, then the .FRccTLD might be more appropriate.
#20 Consider other domain extensions
There are now hundreds of domain extensions to choose from, so you can consider choosing one of the new gTLDs. For example, the .io extension is quite popular with tech and SaaS startups, like parlor.io. But, our advice is still to go for .com whenever possible.
Don’t Miss: How To Change WordPress Domain
Create A Regular Free Email Account
First, youre either going to want to use an existing personal Gmail account or create a free new one.
This is where all the emails from your custom email address will be forwarded, so make sure its an account you use regularly.
This can be a professional account through Google Workspace, but it doesnt have to be.
Your free, personal Gmail with work just as well.
How Do Domain Extensions Affect Website Seo
Domain names and extensions can indeed affect your websites SEO. However, its also important to note that there are almost 200 algorithms that Google looks at when ranking a website.
Therefore, dont expect a massive SEO improvement from a change in domain name or extension.
There are other ways a domain name and extension can affect your website.
Also Check: How Do I Get A Domain Email Address
Recommended Reading: Who Is My Domain Name Provider
How To Choose The Right Domain Name
In the last three years, almost 1,000 new generic Top Level Domains, also called new gTLDs, have become available for registration. This exponential increase from the previous 22 options like .com, .net, and .org. has created a historic change in the way people navigate the web. Companies looking to provide the next big domain extension have sparked a flurry of activity, along with investors looking to cash in on the next domain craze. Before diving into the countless new domain extensions that could make or break your business, Jeannie McPherson, domain evangelist and marketing expert at Verisign, answers some key questions about the new landscape and the implications for businesses and individuals.
Also Check: How Can I Get A Free Website Domain
Google Forwards Your Emails Godaddy Offers Email Services
One advantage of having your own domain is setting up a professional email address. Both Google Domains and GoDaddy allow you to give off a professional email presence, but how they work is starkly different.
With your Google Domains domain, you can create up to 100 email aliases that will forward to an email address of your choosing. By contrast, GoDaddy provides a truly professional email setup, but for a fee.
GoDaddy offers three email plans, with their smallest plan offering 5 GB of email storage along with the ability to sync email, calendars, and contacts across all your devices. For those who want a separate email plan rather than using Gmail or their personal email, this is a solid alternative but does incur a monthly fee.
Read Also: How Do I Get An Ssl Certificate For My Domain
Google Domains Key Features
Some key features that Google Domains offers are:
- DNS hosting website hosting
- Domain sharing you can share your domain with multiple people
- Multi-domain registration you can have multiple domains registered at once
- Free Cloud DNS you can host your DNS servers on alternate/third-party servers
- DNS export you can save your DNS zone file as a copy so you can import it elsewhere
- Domain transferring you can transfer domains you already own to Google Domains
There are also resources for professional emails, website creation tips, and ad services. They arent innate functions of Google Domains, but they work well with it.
Faqs About What To Do With A Domain Name
1) Now I have my domain name and an idea of what I want to do. What is next?
If you have an idea of what to do with your domain, the next obvious step is to get started with it. I have listed 10 ways to use your domain. The best use of a domain is to start a blog or website with it.
2) How do I permanently buy a domain name?
You cannot buy a domain name permanently. However, here are 3 ways to keep a domain name permanently:1) You can register it for as many years as you want while you are registering it.2) If you have already have bought a domain, you can login to your dashboard of your domain registrar and renew it for as many years as you want.3) You can also setup auto-renewal so that you dont have to pay the total amount at once. Your account will be auto debited for as long as your bank account has money for it.
3) I bought a domain name and hosting now what?
If youve already bought a domain name and hosting the next logical step is to set up a website or blog on it. Here is how to do it:1) Login to your domain registrar and point the domain to your hosting2) Login to your hosting dashboard3) Install WordPress
Go to a domain lookup tool likethis one from ICANNAdd your domain name and fill in the captcha if anyYou will then get the name and full details of the new owner of your domain name.
7) What can I do with a domain name?
Dont Miss: Transfer Domain Squarespace
Also Check: What Is My Computer Domain
How Much Does A Google Domains Email Cost
When you register a domain on Google, you get a free domain email.
The free domain email address comes with 100 aliases and includes forwarding services.
You can also assign professional email addresses to your employees by signing up for .
There are three options available for a Google Workspace email:
- Business Starter at $6 a month
- Business Standard at $12 a month
- Business Plus at $18 a month
Allow Gmail To Send Emails Using Smtp
Next, youll have to set up your Gmail so that you can send emails through SMTP.
You have to first find the SMTP information for your email hosting service.
This is usually located near the POP3 information section.
> Afterwards, go to Accounts and Import in your Gmail settings.
> Go to Send mail as
> Add another email
> Use smtp.gmail.com as the server address
> Use your full name, email address, and password
> Use Gmail SMTP port 587 for TLS
> Use Gmail SMTP port 465 for SSL
After you put everything in, you should be able to send emails through your Gmail now.
You May Like: How Do I Transfer My Domain To Godaddy
How To Buy A Domain
Follow these instructions to purchase a domain:
Also Check: How Much Does It Cost To Host A Domain Name
Considerations Before You Buy A Domain Through Shopify
Before you buy a domain through Shopify, review the following considerations:
- Email hosting services arent provided on Shopify. Instead, you can connect your Shopify-managed domain to a third-party email hosting service.
- Some domain extensions include WHOIS privacy, which is a service that keeps your personal contact information hidden from public domain registration records. If you want WHOIS privacy, then make sure that your domain extension isnt on the WHOIS exceptions list.
- Some domain extensions have specific residency or business registration requirements. Make sure that you can meet these requirements, because you might need to verify your registration information. If you cant meet these requirements, then your domain might be suspended.
- A new SSL certificate is created automatically when you buy a domain through Shopify. You dont need to buy SSL encryption for your domain.
- You need to pay the registration fee every year to renew your domain subscription. Domain renewals are charged separately from your monthly subscription charges. The exact pricing depends on which domain extension you choose.
- Domain hosting services are only available with a paid Shopify plan. If you want to close your store or your Shopify account, and you want to keep using your domain, then you need to transfer your domain before you close your store. You can transfer your domain to one of the following:
- another domain registrar
Recommended Reading: How Do I Purchase A Website Domain
Wouldnt Something New And Different Help Me Stand Out
Possibly, but going against the grain involves many risks, and its important to know what they are. It may be tempting to go with novelty to stand out, but three decades of trust and ingrained user behavior around established domain extensions may be a large hurdle to overcome.
Many of the businesses and organizations that have been enticed to try out new domain extensions are experiencing unforeseen issues, such as customer confusion about their web address, and the technical limitations that compound that confusion. Reports of clients skepticism and operational problems, like incompatibilities with commonly used email validation systems, browsers, and other websites, has some small business owners urging caution to those interested in adopting new gTLDs.
Even some of the most experienced companies have found that choosing the wrong domain extension can have big consequences. Online retail giant Overstock.com switched to O.co in 2011 and learned this lesson first-hand. Overstock reportedly lost scores of visitors because customers instinctively typed in O.com and were greeted with an error message because it was not an active domain name. The customer confusion prompted Overstock to reverse its rebranding in less than a year millions of marketing dollars lost and customer confidence shaken.
Recommended Reading: How Do I Change The Domain Name On Wix
Choose The Best Domain Name Option
When youre checking for available domain names, youll often find that your first, second, and tenth choices are already taken. Some of the different approaches you can take when this happens are:
- Keep searching. Let your creative juices flow, and continue to search until you find something you love or at least like.
- Choose another extension. If the .com isnt available and youre set on a certain name, consider the .net or .org if you think it will work.
- Reach out to the owner. Maybe the domain is already owned, but its not being put to much use. You could reach out to the owner with an offer.
Also Check: How To Setup A Google Domain
The Google Seo Advantage / Disadvantage
Before looking at the next steps, I have to touch on one bit of SEO mythology. In the SEO world, there are 3 camps on Google products.
The first camp says that Google is inherently untrustworthy. They say you should never use their products because they just spy on you and are out to punish you. Its all about tricking and outsmarting Google.
The second camp says that Google is SEO. They say you should use all their products and do everything they say. Google will always prefer their own products and will reward everyone that uses them. Its all about cooperating and sucking up to Google.
The third camp says that neither of the first two camps rely on evidence or testing. The answer to all things SEO is it depends. Use Google products that suit your business dont use Google products that dont work for you. Either way, focus on testing and doing the right things for your customers.
Im in the third camp. I have never seen any evidence that Google Domains will cleanse or un-blacklist a domain. Ive never seen any evidence that domains registered with Google get an advantage in the search results. I also have no idea why Google would even make that a factor.
Dont buy into SEO snake oil when you are looking for a domain name registrar. The only tested SEO truth is that the internet is made up of domain names. And you do need a custom domain to build a long-term project around.
The registrar you choose should be based on pricing, convenience, usability, and support.
What Is Google Domains
Google Domains is a website domain registration and hosting service released by Google back in 2015.
In Google Domains, you can verify whether a domain name is taken or not, purchase an unused name, and use that domain to host your personal or business website.
Google Domains should not be confused with Google Sites, which is a website creation tool similar to WordPress or Weebly.
Read Also: How To Create A Fake Domain Email
Get A Premium WordPress Theme
Theres a reason why we mentioned premium WordPress theme.
Most beginners go for free WordPress themes but most of them dont provide you support, frequent updates, mobile friendly design and they are not SEO friendly.
Thats the reason why you need to invest money on getting a premium WordPress theme so youre good at from day 1 of launching your WordPress site.
You dont have to shell out thousands of dollars on a premium and good looking web design as there are few theme developers available out there which provide you themes at affordable prices.
Elegant themes is one such theme provider which offers you stunning premium WordPress themes at unbeatable prices.
Why use Elegant themes?
Elegant themes is used by over 500,000 people worldwide and you can get access to 87 professionally designed WordPress themes at just $80 per year.
That means, you literally get 1 theme for less than $1, its a steal you shouldnt miss out.
It doesnt matter what niche you are in including eCommerce to real estate to fitness, you can find at least one premium theme you can use from Elegant themes. The best part is, you dont have to pay for Elegant themes as you can use the 87 themes for lifetime.
Another thing about using Elegant themes is that it offers you Divi Builder which is a drag and drop builder that lets you customize your website design however you want.
Heres how it looks like
So what about the pricing?
Elegant themes offers 2 pricing plans.
Read Also: How Much Does A Domain Name Cost