When Do You Need To Buy A Domain Name
According to Verisign, there were over 367 million domain registrations close to the second quarter of 2021, a 0.7% decrease from last year.
While domain name buying is slowing down, this shouldnt placate you. Its much harder to buy a domain from its owner than register it yourself. So, you should buy your desired domain name as soon as you know it, as you dont want someone else to take it.
If you have an idea for your domain, you are already on the right path to choosing a domain name.
When buying your domain name, consider purchasing any other names you want. That includes domains for your:
- Customer support program
- Customer loyalty program
If you want to use a domain in the future but not immediately, you can install a coming soon page on your domain with a WordPress extension like SeedProd. You can also park your domain. Domain parking is widespread, as ICANN estimates 52.95% of domains are currently parked.
Why Do You Need To Buy A Domain Name
It is important to have domain names to help potential visitors find your site. Without assigned website names, we would only be able to access them by entering their IP address.
With keywords and brand names in domains, it is much easier for people to look up websites and find what they are looking for online.
Domain Name Vs Web Hosting Whats The Difference
Domain names and web hosting are two different things however, theyre closely connected. You need both a domain name and a web hosting account to create a website. This means that you cant build a website without any one of them.
To get started, you can choose a domain name and register it with a domain registrar company. With most domain companies, you can register a domain name for a minimum period of 1 year. You need to renew your domain before expiring to continue using it.
Next, you can buy a hosting plan and link it with your domain name. After that, you can install a website software , install tools and plugins, and add content to your website.
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Choose A Hosting Plan
The hosting menu will expand and present you with three different options:
- Dedicated 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.
What Are The Benefits Of Shared Hosting
The four main benefits from shared hosting are:
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Tips For Finding The Perfect Domain Name
Keep It Short
While there is no minimum length for a domain name, the best ones are under three words. Longer website names are harder to read and won’t stand out.
Less Is More
Avoid hyphens, numbers, slang, and easily misspelled words in your domains. Complex elements like these will make your website address much harder to reach and remember.
Include Your Brand Name
A great domain name for your website or online store should include your brand name or the target keywords for your niche. A search result with a keyword in the site name will offer better brand recognition and increase your websites traffic.
Search Domain Availability
Before choosing your perfect domain name, check domain availability to make sure it isnt already registered. Also, its a good idea to verify if another entity hasnt trademarked the name.
Think Locally
While many people favor .com domains, you may want to buy a country-specific domain like .co.uk or .de especially if you target a particular country.
Act Fast
The best website names are quickly taken. Dont miss out on your dream name use our free tool to do a domain name search and complete the domain registration process in minutes.
Where Is The Best Place To Buy Domain Name And Hosting Domain Name Search Availability
Seven of the Best Domain Registrars in 2020:
Can I host my own domain?
Hosting your own domain on your own servers is very simple.
buy domain name and hosting from the registrar of your choice. Configure your own server to run a web server .
Create an A record for www for your domain with the DDNS provider and / or your registrar.
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How To Choose The Best Domain Registrar In 2022
When choosing a domain registrar, its important to consider a range of crucial factors, including what kind of domain name extensions you can access , and how long you can purchase your domain name with each provider.
If you visit the pricing page for a domain registration company, youll notice many companies offer a range of options, including the ability to choose a variety of TLDs like .com, or .net.
Some vendors will only be able to offer certain TLDs, so make sure you can get all the options you want. Youll also notice some domain extensions are more expensive than others.
While examining the pricing of your domain name registrars, keep in mind many vendors will offer a discount price on your first years subscription, while renewal prices can be significantly higher. For instance, a domain from Name.com starts at $8.99 and then upgrades to $15.99 for a .com TLD.
Check how long you can register your domain name straight away , and consider purchasing your name for as long as possible. Some providers allow you to register a title for up to 10 years, which can save you money, and the headache of remembering to renew.
Most vendors will also allow you to turn on automatic renewal, but before you do this, check for extra fees. For instance, you may need to pay for domain privacy , which stops other people from finding your details through your domain.
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Find A Credible Domain Registrar
A domain registrar is a company that is responsible for registering and managing domain names. Its accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers , a non-profit organization that controls the rules and regulations of website domain name registration.
Choosing a reliable domain registrar is crucial because it can impact a project or business for years. Pick the wrong one and you might end up paying hidden fees or even get scammed. For example, there have been cases where a domain registrar pressures users into purchasing domain names similar to the ones they hold under false pretenses.
It can be challenging to pick from hundreds of domain registrars out there as they all offer similar services. Therefore, consider the following when choosing a registrar:
As we mentioned earlier, people can also purchase a custom domain from a hosting company that offers domain registration services, like Hostinger.
In order to make a website, it may be more convenient to buy web hostingand domain name from the same provider.
Here at Hostinger, we offer low upfront and renewal costs for the most popular domain names and a dedicated 24/7 support team ready to assist you.
If you buy a domain name at Hostinger, it comes with free domain privacy protection. This feature can help hide specific details from being discovered through WHOIS domain lookup tools.
Whats more, we have a web domain checker the perfect tool to buy a domain.
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Namecheap: Cheap Prices Decent Service
NameCheap is as cheap as the name suggests. They offer great deals starting at just $8.88 for most .com domains, with some more obscure extensions even being under a dollar. Their DNS isnt bad either, offering free WhoIs protection and a robust DNS provider thats easy to manage and transfer.
They have a bulk search option that lets you search up to 50 domain names at once, so if you have a whole list of ideas, you can enter them all in, see which ones might be taken, and check the prices for different TLDs.
They do offer managed WordPress hosting through EasyWP, though its probably best to go with a better WordPress provider and forward the domain to that site.
Image Credits: Maxx-Studio/Shutterstock
Can I Transfer My Domain Name To Hostinger
Yes, its possible to transfer domain names from another registrar to Hostinger.
However, there are a few requirements before transferring a domain to your web hosting account:
- More than 60 days must have passed from the registration or last transfer date.
- You must have the domains auth-code from your current registrar.
- The domains WHOIS privacy protection has to be disabled.
- You have to point your domain name to Hostinger.
- The domains status cannot be Pending Delete or Redemption.
To transfer a domain to Hostinger, go to the Hostinger Transfer Domain page and enter your domain name. Then click Transfer.
After finishing the order and entering the domain EPP code, the transfer process will begin and youll receive an email regarding the domain transfer that you will have to confirm.
The domain registration will also be renewed for a year after the transfer, except for ccTLDs like .es, .co.uk, or .com.br.
Keep in mind that your website might be unavailable during the DNS changes, which can take up to 24 hours to propagate fully.
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What Is A Domain Registrar
A domain registrar is a service that sells domain names. When you register a domain name, you dont really own it, rather you rent or lease it, which is why you have to renew your domain name every year or term. There are some add-on services you should know about before you choose a domain registrar.
Verify Domain Name Ownership
The final step is to verify the domain ownership through the email address you used when registering the domain. The email usually arrives within a few minutes after finishing the domain setup. Simply click the verification link in the email to verify your contact information.
If the email doesnt arrive, resend the request from the control panel. We recommend doing it immediately, as waiting for 15 days or more will lead to a temporary suspension from the registry.
Thats all there is to it. Now you know how to buy a website domain name and complete the initial registration process.
Expert Tip
To make the most out of your newly acquired domain, consider authorizing it with the Google Search Console. This will provide you with important analytical insights and make it easier for Google to crawl the content of your site.
First, log into your Google account and head to the Search Console page. If you want your entire domain to be crawled, enter the URL in the bar on the left. Once thats done, click Continue and youll be presented with a code. Then, copy it and do not close the tab.
Now, log into your Hostinger account, head to the hPanel, and on to the DNS Zone Editor. Under Manage DNS Records, select TXT as the Type. Unless youre only adding a specific subdomain to the Search Console, leave @ as the Name. Next, copy the code youve received previously as the TXT Value. We recommend leaving the TTL Value as the default. To finish it all off, click on Add Record.
Darius G.
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How Much Should I Pay For Domain Buy Domain Name And Hosting
Typically, purchasing a new domain name will cost you between $ 9 and $ 14.99 per year.
However, these rates may vary based on the domain extension or domain registrar you choose.
If you are starting a new website, we recommend Bluehost. It is one of the best web hosting companies in the world.
How long do you own a domain name?
When you register a domain name, you can use it for the period of time you registered it for, which is typically between one and ten years.
Who owns domain GoDaddy?
GoDaddy is a web hosting and internet domain registrar and the primary concern of GoDaddy Group Inc. GoDaddy was founded in 1997 by Bob Parsons and has grown to become the largest ICANN accredited domain registrar in the world.
The company manages more than 40 million domain names.
What happens if your domain name expires?
Domain name search availability: When a domain expires it becomes immediately inactive and all services attached to it stop working.
You cannot perform updates to the domain while it is expired. The domain will remain available for reactivation at its usual domain rate on your list of expired domains.
How do I get a website domain?
Anyone can buy domain name and hosting .
To do this, you visit a domain name registrar, such as GoDaddy or Namecheap, enter the domain you want to buy, and pay a fee.
You cannot buy just any domain, of course, just one that is not already registered by another person or company and has a valid domain suffix.
Use A Domain Name Generator
If youre not the creative type, you can use a domain name generator to help spark some ideas. Simply enter in some words or phrases that describe your brand or website, and these tools will give you a list of ideas that you can then check for availability.
Bring your brand to life with your own website. Design from scratch, connect a domain, analyze traffic, and optimize for SEO.
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The 10 Right Places And Ways To Buy A Domain Name And Hosting
To my last count I own over 42 domain names, including ezpr.com, which I had to pay using an obtuse series of services and an escrow. Every service seems to look identical, regardless of the fact that many actually have different prices, far less reliable customer service or have a slight likelihood your site may just not work one day.
Domain name registrars, in case you didn’t know, are the companies that manage all the website domain names you’ll see – the fingerprint of your business, which may also include the hosting and privacy measures. For example, by default many companies will actually over-price the simple process of keeping your registration information private .
I’ve dug into it a little, and found the few that I actually respect and would trust with what money you and I have.
Tell Me What To Do Already
Okay, there are always tradeoffs with these things. Some additional convenience in one area costs you less convenience in another area. Same for security, pricing, and so on.
So, with all that being said, and taking all of the above into account, heres my general advice:
- If you want to launch your first WordPress website on a brand new domain name: Get the domain and hosting from the same company. Start with hosting research whats available in the market , and pick the best host for your needs, then get the domain from the same company.
- If you want to launch more than one website, or youre planning to expand your portfolio rather quickly: Get the domains and hosting from separate companies. Preferably two companies: All of your domains from one, and all of your hosting from the other. This gives you more room to move around and adjust your setup altogether in case your goals change or anything happens.
They say, dont keep all your eggs in one basket, but lets not go crazy here. I believe that both approaches buying your domain name and hosting from the same company versus from two separate companies have their place, and the right choice depends only on your requirements.
So whats your final decision? Are you buying your next domain name from a web hosting company or from a domain name registrar?
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