Purchase Your Domain Name
If you’ve done the hard work of finding a good domain name that is available then the hard part is over.
You’ll simply purchase your domain name with the domain registrar of your choice and complete the transaction.
Keep in mind most domain name registrars will try to upsell you a lot of additional services that may or my not be necessary for you or your business. Also remember that you don’t have to host your website at the same place you purchase your domain name.
One additional service you may want to opt-in for if you have privacy concerns is “WHOIS privacy” which prevents making your contact information public record.
Other Domain Name Types
While the above-mentioned domain name categories are the most frequent, there are other variations that you can run into.
Second-Level Domains
Youve probably seen these domain names before. Were talking about a domain that sits directly below a top-level domain name. Were not going to get too technical here because its easier to show with examples, particularly when it comes to country codes.
For example, British companies occasionally use .co.uk instead of .com, and its a perfect example of a second-level domain. Another second-level domain is .gov.uk, which is often used by governmental institutions, and .ac.uk, which is used by academic institutions and universities.
Subdomains
Subdomains are useful because they dont require webmasters to purchase an additional domain name to create divisions within their site. Instead, theyre able to create a subdomain that effectively points to a specific directory on the server. This can be super useful for campaign sites and other types of web content that should be kept separate from the main site.
For example, Facebook uses developers.facebook.com to provide specific information for web and app developers who want to use the Facebook API. Another great example is support.google.com
Free Domains
There are also free domain names that you can get from different website builders such as WordPress.com, Squarespace, Weebly, etc.
Connecting Your Domain Name To Mailchimp
Whether youve bought your domain through Mailchimp or a third party, you can transfer your domain name and connect it to your Mailchimp account. Once connected, you can use that domain with a custom landing page or Mailchimp-hosted website. If you dont already have a website, Mailchimp offers a free website builder that you can use to make your brand stand out with no coding skills required.
Recommended Reading: How Much Should A Domain Name Cost Per Year
Verify Your Site With Google Search Console / Webmaster Tools
Google, as you may know, isnt actually the internet, nor does Google actually search the entire World Wide Web.
What Google actually does is search their index of the internet. This index is created by relentlessly scanning the web for new sites, pages and content. This is how Google can provide search results so quickly.
This makes Search Console an absolute necessity for any website looking to get found online via search.
Not only does it help Google find your site in the first place , but it also helps them keep track of changes and updates to your site, such as new pages and content.
Since Search Console spots any errors Googlebot may find with your web pages, you can easily identify and fix common problems including
- 404 pages
- Server error
- DNS errors
- Thin content
- Penalty notices
You dont need to use Search Console in order to be included in Google search results, but you get a heck of a lot more control over how Google processes and views your site and its content so why wouldnt you use it?
Setting up Search Console is pretty straight-forward, and it wont take you long to get to grips with the basics either.
How To Register A Domain On Godaddycom
GoDaddy is also known as a web hosting provider, but you can also buy a domain name from them.
Step 1: Look up a new domain name first. If you havent come up with a good name yet or are assessing different options, GoDaddy has a nice set of extra features to help you out.
You can use the Bulk Domain search to check a bunch of domain ideas for eligibility in a click. Or you can play around with their free domain name generator to get some alternative suggestions if your primary choice is already taken:
Also, if you are feeling very determined to get your desired domain for branding purposes, GoDaddy can try to broker a deal for you with the owner. But remember, the original owner may name any price they deem appropriate so in that case, youll be paying:
- Domain purchase fee to the seller.
- GoDaddy Domain Brokerage commission.
- The regular yearly subscription price for the selected domain and add-ons.
If you are running a small business, going into a heated negotiation with some cyber squatters may not be the best investment of your time and budgets.
Wait out and see if the other person forgets to renew their domain or abandons it so that you could snatch it then. GoDaddy has a Domain Backordering service where you can reserve your place in line for a specific domain. If theres more than one buyer, the domain goes on auction. If its just you only, you get it immediately.
Again, youd be pitched several upsells in case you change your mind.
Recommended Reading: 866-731-6556
Avoid Numbers And Hyphens
Imagine asking your 10 friends to spell or pronounce a domain name filled with numbers and dashes. It wont work.
If you choose a domain name with these elements, youre likely going to lose traffic to people who cant remember your domain or effectively tell someone else how to find it. We probably wouldnt have Facebook today if you had to go to Face-Book.com to reach the site.
Build Your Business By Registering Your Domain
After weighing the benefits and drawbacks of free or paid domains, you should get started on your search for the perfect domain name. Domain names can go quickly and there’s a little more competition than Symbolics had in 1985 so it is important to register the one you want before it is too late.
Registering a domain name is quick and easy, but it does take some time to brainstorm the right name, select the optimal suffix, and find the right domain registrar for you. As such, there’s no better time than now to get started on registering your domain name.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.
Originally published Dec 13, 2020 7:00:00 AM, updated July 20 2021
Topics:
Don’t Miss: Google Domain Access
Perfecting A Domain Name
Renew Your Registration On Time
At this point, youll have a domain name registered and ready to go. However, your registration is only valid for the time period that you selected, which is usually one year by default. After that year expires, youll need to renew your domain name to continue using it.
Some registrars hold onto your domain name for a period of time before auctioning it off. As we mentioned, NameCheap offers nearly a month grace period to renew. Most domain registrars will notify you by email at the 30- and 7-day mark before expiration, and you should think carefully before letting a renewal period lapse. Domains can be difficult to reclaim once theyve expired.
The best way to keep on top of this is to set up automatic renewals. In fact, youll often find that its set by default. In our opinion, you probably dont want to auto-renew all of your domains, but for the most important and permanent, letting your registrar handle renewals is going to save you a potential headache down the line.
Also Check: Io Domain Registrar
Why A Good Domain Name Is Important
A domain name is your unique identifier among billions of other websites on the web. Thats why having a memorable and easy-to-type name is essential for having an online presence.
Your domain name serves as an extension of your personal or business name. In that sense it:
- Improves recognition and awareness.
- Adds extra credibility to your venture.
- Eventually boosts visitors recall.
Also, choosing a good domain name is important for SEO. Several years ago exact match domains were all the rage, but today most people choose brandable domain names.
Memorable domain names get typed to Google more frequently. Algorithms keep track of that and assign more authority to your website. As the branded search volume grows, your domain name earns extra authority points, so that it gets easier to rank for related keywords.
With that being said, lets move on to the how-to part.
Create A Holding / Under Construction Page
With the excitement of a new business or website launch comes the urge to tell the world of your future plans.
If you do this before you have any kind of web page present its an opportunity missed. This is why its a good idea to get a holding page for your website online.
A holding page is useful for a few reasons
- Firstly, it proves you have an active presence
- You can give a website launch date
- Build your mailing list nice and early by including an email form
- Encourage social network shares
- Include a contact form / contact details so interested parties can get in touch
When building your website wed recommend trying out WordPress in fact, we use it for this very blog. Its extremely flexible and since it is so incredibly popular, theres loads of fantastic support guides available online.
A major benefit of WordPress is that by using plugins you can pretty much get any functionality you could dream of all at your fingertips, often without the need for any coding skills.
Don’t Miss: How To Transfer Domain From Wix To Squarespace
How To Register A Domain Name
+ Ways to Get it for Free
Are you looking to register a domain name, but dont know where to start?
Part of creating a website, is buying a domain name that has to be unique.
In this step-by-step guideline, were going to show you several options on how to register a domain name and also cover some commonly asked questions that might pop up in your mind while registering a domain.
Ready? Lets first start by explaining why is it crucial to choose a good domain name.
Provide The Relevant Information To The Registering Agent
Using a simple electronic form, you will provide the following information to your registering agent: company name, name of contact person, phone number, postal address and email address. As the only means of direct communication between the registry or registering agent and you, you must provide a valid email address otherwise it could lead to the deletion of your domain name, for example. If you wish to transfer your domain name, or change registrar, a transfer code will be sent to this email address for this purpose.
Read Also: How Much Does It Cost To Buy A Domain
How To Transfer A Domain Name
Domain names can also be transferred between domain name registrars. Though there are a few special conditions that must be met:
While it is not mandatory to transfer your domain, having all services in a single place can greatly simplify the management process.
Here on Hostinger, you can perform a domain transfer from any domain name registrars. The process can take somewhere between 4-7 days to be fully completed. However, our dedicated customer success team will be there to assist every step of the way.
Find The Perfect Domain Name
There are a number of factors to take into consideration when choosing a domain name for your site. Firstly, youll want a name that reflects your brand, remaining aligned with the tone and messaging of your website design, logo and other assets. Stick to a name that is short and catchy, so that people will be able to remember it easily, as well as type it directly into their browsers address bar.
To improve your SEO efforts, your domain name can incorporate a keyword that is associated with your brand. For example, an illustrator may opt for their own name plus the word illustration, or an animal rescue organization called Whiskers might go for whiskersrescue.com.
Once youre ready, create a shortlist of potential names. Youll want a few options, as its possible that some of them will already be taken by other websites. If you dont have a brand name yet or are not sure how to come up with alternative ideas in case its taken, use a business name generator to broaden your brainstorming efforts.
Recommended Reading: How To Transfer A Domain To Squarespace
How To Get A Domain Name From Namecheapcom
Namecheap is another popular website for buying domain names and getting website hosting. As their domain name prompts, they often have a lot of good deals and somewhat lower annular prices than GoDaddy, for example.
So if you love a good bargain, heres how to buy a domain name via Namecheap.
Step 1: Run your desired domain name search first and review available options. Namecheap has a really huge collection of new TLDs such as .art .digital, .luxury among 400+ other options.
Also, if your name isnt available or youd like to get some more ideas, switch to their advanced search view aka the Beast Mode:
As you can see from above, you have a lot more features to play with such as price range, suffix/prefix, and so on. This can help you drill down to that perfect domain name that is short, memorable, available, and yet cheap!
Step 2: After youve chosen the best contenders, proceed to your cart to start the checkout process. At this point, you can also add some extras and customize your order:
With Namecheap, you get a lifetime free WHOIS protection for every domain name, plus they recently added a bonus premium DNS offer . When you enable it, your domain gets yearly protection against DNS/DDoS attacks , plus ultra-fast global DNS response. This gives you some extra leverage in terms of your website speed.
On top of that, you can select some affordable up-sells such as:
Also, you can play around with your renewal. Namecheap provides a small discount for 2+ years.