How Do You Buy Domain Names
You can buy domain names from one of the many domain name registrars, such as Bluehost , GoDaddy , HostGator , and several others. The registrars usually charge for the domain name in 1 year increments, though some allow you to pay upfront for up to 10 years at the time of registration.
In addition to a domain name youll also need a website hosting account as well. In fact, you almost always approach one of the many hosting companies, which in addition to selling you a hosting plan also offer domain registration services. This arrangement allows you to manage both services under one account.
While the exact process of buying a domain name varies, you usually start by searching if your desired domain name is available. Almost every domain name registrar has a dedicated tool for this purpose. Some of the good ones will go one step ahead and give you suggestions for other potential domain names, if the one you were looking for has already been taken.
Youll then have to pay for the domain name and the price depends on the TLD, with some being more expensive than others. Again, the good domain name registrars will give you the option to buy and park the domain name with different TLDs, and perhaps even offer a discount if you choose to do so. Once the domain name is paid for and registered youll be able to use it to host your website.
- We’ve featured the best website builder software.
Bottom Line About Google Domains:
Although still in beta mode after more than two years in the domain registration business, Google Domains will not go away anytime soon. If youre looking for a reliable domain registrar, Google Domain fits the bill.
Youll be sure that your nameservers will always be up, as these are the same hardware on which Googles own infrastructure runs.
True that the pricing is a bit higher compared to other domain registrars, particularly since Google Domains do not seem to offer any promo pricing, but Googles name and reputation is more than enough to compensate for the higher pricing.
Add to that the fact that you get Whois privacy plus a slew of other add-ons, and Google Domains makes a sweet enough deal.
If youre an individual or small business owner on a limited budget, the added expense may not be justified.
But if youre looking for a domain registrar that also simplifies the process of putting your website or app on hosting from Google Apps Engine or the Google Cloud Platform, Google Domains is an attractive option.
If youre lucky enough to live in those available countries where Google Domains operates, the company is an excellent domain registrar to consider.
What Is A Parked Domain
A parked domain is a domain name that is registered, but not connected to an online service like a website or email hosting. In other words, it is a purchased domain name that is not currently being used. Instead, it is parked for future use.
Whereas most domains were familiar with point to a web page , parked domains usually point to either a basic parked domain page, a but this domain page, an ads page, or no web page at all. In the latter case, youll see an error in the browser like this:
A parked domain can also send visitors to the same web page as another, more primary domain name. In this case, the parked domain is referred to as an alias domain for the primary domain.
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Create A Website With A Website Builder
A website builder is a tool that lets you create and design a website without having to deal with code. It uses a drag-and-drop editor to alter the sites appearance and offers plenty of pre-made template options to get you started.
To access the platform, youll have to pay a subscription fee. However, one of the advantages is that it includes hosting, simplifying the process of website creation. Some website builder platforms even let users register custom domain names.
The only limitation is that you will be bound to the features that come with the subscription plan, making it tricky if you want to build a more complex site.
Therefore, we recommend using a website builder if youre looking for the simplicity of the process and aiming to create a simple site with few pages, such as an online portfolio and a personal blog.
There are plenty of website builders in the market, but we will demonstrate the process using Zyro.
1. Set Up a Zyro Account
First of all, sign up for a Zyro account. You can create a new account with your email or using a Google or account.
Then, you have to subscribe to one of the four plans. The Basic entry-level plan costs $2.90/month and comes with 3 GB of bandwidth and 1 GB of storage, suitable for small websites.
We recommend the Unleashed planif youre not planning on creating an online store. It comes with unlimited bandwidth and storage, as well as advanced features like Google Analytics,for $3.90/month.
2. Choose a Template
What Is The Url
A Uniform Resource Locator is a string of characters in a web browser that tells the server to display a specific resource to an end user. While a URL and domain name have similarities, the URL is much more descriptive. In fact, a URL actually encompasses the domain name.
For example, https://www.godaddy.com/help/what-is-a-url-8809.html is a URL that includes the domain name GoDaddy.com within it. In fact, lets look at the other elements of that URL. It also includes several other components which well dive into below.
The protocol
URLs include schemes or protocols that communicate how to access that specific resource. In the example above, https:// is the protocol. Most web addresses will use either HTTP or HTTPS .
The difference between HTTP and HTTPS is the S which refers to security. HTTPS websites have SSL security which is an encryption that protects the sensitive data of its users. If your site doesnt have an SSL certificate, you should strongly consider adding it because visitors are hyper-aware of their personal data online, and 85 percent of online shoppers will actively avoid an unsecure website.
Related:
The subdomain
A subdomain is an optional part of a URL that creates a completely separate section of your website. If a URL has a subdomain, it will precede the domain name with a period.
For example, Tumblr uses subdomains for each of its users.
- Example.tumblr.com
- Example2.tumblr.com
Related: DNS records A beginners guide
The domain name
The path
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Complete Control Over Your Domain
There are some registrars that only provide partial control over your domain.
This could include the registrar adding their own contact information to portions of your domain details , or even preventing you from making critical updates to your domain settings .
Your potential domain provider should be able to tell you their policies on this before you register your domain name, so dont be afraid to ask if youre going to have full control of your own domain before you register it.
Domain Names Can Communicate Expectations
Sometimes you cant find a great branded domain name or your market is too competitive to earn business through brand recognition. In these cases, you can strategically use your domain name to set consumer expectations and increase click-through rates.
For instance, if you operate a lawn care service in a large city like Tampa, you might find it difficult to grow a brand identity due to the amount of competition. Rather than choosing a branded domain name that few people would recognize, you might get more value by picking a domain name like TampaLawnCare.com.
While you cant trademark the name because it is a general term, it does help you clearly set expectations to your website visitors. Moreover, choosing targeted keywords in your market or industry can help you improve your local SEO.
Related: Domain SEO Can including keywords in a domain name improve search ranking?
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How To Buy A Domain Name
Before we go any further, its worth noting that its only possible to register an existing domain name with a valid domain extension that other people or businesses dont already own.
Were going to dive deeper into the steps to register a domain name from where to get a domain name to finally getting into the website registration process.
Here are the five steps to buy domain names:
Choose A Hosting Plan
The hosting menu will expand and present you with three different options:
- Dedicated Hosting
- VPS Hosting
Youll still be able to bundle your hosting plan and domain registration if you select dedicated or VPS, but most of you wont need to worry about that right now. Just stick with shared hosting.
Bluehost offers four different shared web hosting plans to choose fromBasic, Plus, Choice Plus, and Pro:
If youre launching a small personal site, the Basic entry-level plan starting at $2.95 per month should be fine for you. For those of you launching a site for your business, Id go with the Choice Plus plan, at a minimum.
The extra features that come with this plan are worth the few extra bucks per month.
To continue, just click the Select button under the plan that fits your needs.
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How To Park A Domain
If you want to park a domain, either to save it for later or to utilize it as an alias, the process is similar to securing a normal domain.
First, check whether your desired domain is available to be purchased. The simplest way to do this is by entering the domain in your browser bar. If theres no website associated with the domain, the domain name might be available, or it may already be parked.
So, a good next step is to conduct a WHOIS lookup. The ICANN lookup tool will tell you if a domain is owned, who owns it, and other potentially useful information if you want to acquire the domain from someone else.
If your perfect name is taken, try variants on the name and the domain extension . If not, head to your domain registrar of choice and purchase the domain.
And thats it! If youre just holding onto the domain for now, you can keep it parked as long as you renew your ownership of the domain. When youre ready, you can link the domain to your active website.
Why Should You Get A Domain Name
The online world is rich with opportunities to create a business or blog on free or paid hosting sites, or even on social media. Free Facebook pages and blogging platforms like BlogSpot or Medium allow users to claim a space for posting content and images of all kinds. Online marketplaces like Shopify and Etsy provide storefronts for entrepreneurs to sell physical and digital goods. Sites like Squarespace make it possible for creatives like photographers and designers to set up an online portfolio without creating a whole website from scratch.
These sites demonstrate that its possible to have an online presence without owning your own domain. But if your aim is to be widely visible and build authority for your brand, these platforms and social media sites have considerable drawbacksproblems that can be avoided with the purchase of your very own domain name.
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Why Should I Transfer My Domain Name To Domaincom
Domain names are our bread and butter, and weve been a leader in the industry since 2000.
However, it isnt our age that makes us a great fit for your domains its the fact that were designed to make managing your domains a breeze. Heres how we do it
Straightforward domain management.
Your domain dashboard lets you quickly and easily manage your domain names. That means no hunting around for hidden tools toggle the most important features on or off as you need them.
Once logged in, you can manage additional domain features from the menu immediately to the left of your summary dashboard.
Plentiful hosting options.
Were here to make your life easier when it comes to domains and to help you create and build your online presence.
We dont just offer over 300 TLDs for registration we offer various website hosting and builder services, email, and more!
Automatic domain name renewal.
Your claim to your domain name has an expiration date.
When your domain registration period runs out, so does your ownership of that domain name. You can leave yourself a reminder on your calendar to manually renew it, or you can use Domain.coms Auto Renewal feature so that its one less thing to worry about.
Cost-conscious pricing.
We offer some of the most competitive pricing available in the domain name industry. Dont believe us? Check it out for yourself. Were not in the business of hiding our pricing and making it difficult to find.
24/7 customer support.
Application Domains And Alternative Definitions
application domain applies to a specific software application and separates it clearly from other applications. A domain-specific language is a programming language designed only for one particular domain. For example, SQL is a domain-specific language for database management. It applies only to certain databases.
A domain in general computer terminology is also the range of values that belong to a specific attributefor example, the range that applies to certain data types. Within a , the list of possible values that the user has designated for a specific column is that columns domain.
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Transfer The Domain To Your Name
Finally, you need to find an ICANN-accredited registrar for your new domain so that you can transfer ownership to your name. You can use the same registrar the old domain owner used.
While many registrars have their internal transfer process, most require you to confirm that the old owner has sold you the domain and that you are the new owner. The registrar will then process the transfer and notify both parties once the transfer is complete. The domain transfer process may take up to 60 days, and you may need to pay a fee.
If the old owner purchased the domain less than 60 days ago, the domain might be subject to a Change of Registrant lock. Youll need to wait until this period passes to change ownership.
Complete The Domain Registration
As soon as you have completed the payment, youll be redirected to the control panel. Inside, there will be a setup box that youll need to fill out to complete the domain name registration.
Youll need to fill in all the fields with the correct details, such as your name, address, andcontact information. This data will be stored on WHOIS, the official domain ownership database.
After submitting your details, the domain registration will be processed.
Its possible to modify the domain ownership details using the domain management section within the control panel. Once the changes are made, you will have to confirm them via email.
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Domain Names Are Designed For People
Everything could theoretically be handled using just IP addresses when you want to bring up a web page in your browser. In fact, adding a domain name adds an extra step in that there needs to be a way to convert from a domain name to an IP address .
So, why do we use domain names at all?
Imagine that, instead of remembering everyone’s name, you had to remember their phone number or social security number whenever you wanted to talk about them. Or imagine going into an electronics store and finding there are no more brands, device names, or model names. Everything just has a serial number that you have to remember if you want to buy it.
We, humans, are much better at remembering names than we are at remembering strings of digits. That’s why we talk about catchy brand and model names, and that’s why we use domain names instead of IP addresses.
What Comes After Picking The Right Domain Name
Understanding domain names and the ancillary components are important steps when deciding on the perfect domain name.
Its not enough to know what a domain name is you need to understand why the domain name can help you grow your business and how to register that domain name.
The detailed guide above should provide the clarity you need to differentiate between the domain name and your website or URL.
In addition, you should now know the unique levels of a domain name and the meaning of various domain extensions.
Finally, you should have a better understanding of the domain name system , the differences between the registry, registrar and registrant, as well as the legal components associated with domains and websites, and the importance of domain names for businesses.
If youre ready to take the next steps with choosing and registering your domain name, see below:
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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.