Why Do You Have To Pay For A Domain Name

What If I Never Received A Renewal Reminder

Registrars are required to send two renewal reminders one month and one week before the expiration of a domain name. The registrar must display on its website the methods for sending these notices.

If you did not receive renewal reminders from your registrar , please submit a Domain Renewal Complaint Form.

Get A Web Hosting Plan

The first thing you need to do after buying a domain name is, buy a web hosting plan to host your site. Its especially important when youve bought the domain name from domain registrars like GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.

Though most of the domain registrars offer cheap web hosting, you should avoid them. Rather you should buy web hosting package from top web hosting providers like HostGator, Bluehost, DreamHost, etc. They will provide the best service. In fact, its a good idea to buy domain and web hosting separately.

There are several types of web hosting plans. is the most popular and affordable plan. If its your first site, you should start with shared hosting. You can change your plan later for free if needed.

Here is a list of top 3 recommended web hosts for shared hosting.

Tips For Choosing A Registrar

Determine which services you require

You may want services like email hosting or support offered in French, so find out what each registrar offers. Remember, if you registered your .CA domain name as an individual you have free WHOIS privacy protection already included.

Check references

Seek out customer reviews and testimonials, and ask friends or colleagues for a recommendation. You may find that some registrars come highly recommended by your peers. If you make a mistake, you can always transfer your .CA domain to another registrar.

Shop around

Shop around to get a good understanding of how much your domain name, and additional services, will cost. Registrars may offer bundles, packages, or special promotions. Keep in mind that cheapest isnt always necessarily best.

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How Much Does A Premium Domain Cost

There is no definitive answer to this question. The price to register a premium domain is set directly by the registry based on the estimated value of the domain. Why they put a particular price on a given name is not public information. Existing domains that are considered to be premium are priced solely by their owners. Regardless of the type of domain you want to buy, registry or aftermarket, the initial price will often be quite high â either to register, or to acquire and transfer the domain. The renewal price is usually the standard one for the particular extension, but this is not always the case. Registries sometimes set a renewal price that can be equal or close to the registration price. If you decide to buy a premium domain, you should check how much you will have to pay the following year as well, not just for the initial purchase.

What Makes A Domain Name Premium

There are no clear rules which domain will be a premium one. This is decided solely by the registry, at their own discretion. Whether an existing domain will be premium depends on its owner and the price that potential buyers are willing to pay. Yet, there are a few characteristics that differentiate a premium domain name from the pool of all names. They can give you an idea whether the price you have to pay is justified.

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What If My Domain Is Already Taken

If someone already has your domain, you might still be able to buy it, but it will cost more. This is because instead of buying it from a registrar for a standard price, youll have to buy it off of whoever has it. Many people register domains they think could be profitable and then sell them on domain marketplaces like Sedo and Afternic. You can try searching those services if you need that specific domain.

The cheaper thing to do though is to try a different top level domain . There are many mainstream ones like .org, .net, and .co, but also some more obscure ones like .xyz, .biz, and .business. Often these wont be taken, and you can find a domain with the same name by buying one of these.

How Web Hosting Works

Once you find the right Web Host, the next step is pointing the domain name to your hosting service. For this purpose, you should first obtain the Nameserver addresses for your hosting account from your Web Host.

Then revisit your domain registrar and log into your account in their system. You will need the login name and password you first created when registering your domain name. When you access your account, you will be able to find the list of domains you own. Select the ones that you wish to direct to your website. Change their DNS settings to the nameserver addresses from your Web Host and save.

Your domain name is now pointing to your Web Host. Anyone can now find your website by simply typing in the domain name into their internet browser.

Feeling overwhelmed?

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Which Tld Should I Use

Technically, it doesnt matter. The TLD will function exactly as it is supposed toso long as it was registered properly. The .com TLD is the most common but if you want to variate, you can. There is no one TLD that is more efficient than the rest, nor is there one that comes more highly recommended than others. With that being said, the .com is what many suggest as your safest bet.

This, of course, depends on the type of business you are putting on the internet.

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Put simply, a domain name is the mechanism that helps identify and locate computers and resources connected to the Internet and while there are free domain names, you usually have to purchase them through domain registrars.

One of the most essential features of a domain name is that it is unique, which is to say that no two computers on the Internet can have the same domain name.

If you want a presence on the Internet you need to register a domain name that will then serve as your unique online name. Visitors will interact with you using this domain name either via your website or via email.

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How Do Domain Names Work

When you enter a domain name in the browser, it will send a request to a domain name system server. This can either be hosted by your ISP or by a reputable third-party that relies on a distributed global network of servers for superior performance.

It is the duty of these servers to look up the name servers associated with the domain name and then forward your request to those name servers. The name servers are computers that are managed by the websites web hosting company.

The name servers will in turn forward the request to the computer that hosts the website. This computer is called a web server and is powered by a HTTP server software such as Apache, Nginx, and Tomcat, whose duty it is to fetch the website, which is then sent back and rendered on your web browser.

How To Choose A Good Domain Name

Now that the crucial concepts have been explained, its time to get into what makes a good domain name. In order for your domain to be successful, it needs to be:

Simple: It should be simple enough for people to pronounce, spell and therefore remember. Saying that, avoid using peculiar spellings or arbitrary symbols.

Short: Because the longer it gets, the harder it is for visitors to remember.

Branded: Your domain should incorporate your business name, or at least a variation of it. This will make your website immediately recognizable and consistent with your other branding elements.

SEO friendly: Your domain name is one of the first things Google looks for when ranking your site. Consider incorporating relevant keywords that describe your biz. Examples include your type of business or your location if youre looking into acquiring customers through local SEO.

Extra reading: Whats in a name? Many factors need to be taken into consideration when choosing your address on the Internet. To help you out, you can consult this very helpful guide on how to choose the best domain name for your website.

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However, with 2 billion websites in existence, it can be difficult to find or create a relevant, high-quality domain that isn’t already in use or doesn’t infringe on another website’s URL.

Domain cost will also vary depending on the domain extension, your domain registrar, your domain renewal length and local fees incurred.

Additional Domain Costs

Renewal pricing: Many web hosting and domain name providers offer a special rate for the first year as an incentive to sign up with them. But domain names have to be renewed, and these prices usually increase after the first year. The average renewal price for a .com domain is between $8.27 and $29.99 per year. If you want to lock in a price on your domain name, you can pay for multiple years upfront. With most domain registrars, you can prepay for a domain for up to 10 years.

Privacy: The WHOIS database is a registry that shares public information about who is responsible for a domain name or IP address. This information is required by the not-for-profit business ICANN.

Having your domain listed publicly could lead to future opportunities and partnerships, but when your contact information is readily accessible, you might also receive unwanted spam and emails. Domain privacy is often available as an add-on feature that hides your private information. Some registrars offer this service for free, but pricing will vary depending on your provider.

Premium Domain Names Are High Cost, High Value

Expired Domains

Wrapping Up

I Paid For My Renewal But My Domain Name Still Hasn’t Been Renewed What Can I Do

If you paid a renewal fee to your registrar and your domain name was not renewed, the registrar may be in breach of the registration agreement that you entered into when the domain name was initially registered.

You may want to consult an attorney for legal advice to determine your options, or submit a complaint to a consumer protection agency .

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How Do I Buy A Domain

Youve got a couple options. Domain registrars like GoDaddy and Register.com let you choose a domain name and register it for a fee . That gives you the right to the domain name for a year. If you want it for another 12 months, you pay a renewal fee thats often a little higher than the registration one. Youll also have the option to pay extra to get an email associated with your domain, and to add privacy protection that keeps things like your address, phone number, and email from being listed in a public database.

The challenge with this approach? You still need to connect your domain name to a website, which requires choosing a host and then transferring your domain name. It can be a little trickyespecially if you dont have much of a technical background .

Many website-building platforms let you avoid the hassle by purchasing your website and domain name at the same time. Thats actually how I got my domain name: When I signed up for Squarespace, a custom domain was part of the package. In fact, Squarespace makes your custom domain free for the first year if you sign up for an annual plan, after which its an easy flat fee that includes that privacy protection.

Now that youve got a name, why not consider building a website? It doesnt have to be a huge endeavor in fact, well show you how to create your personal site in just seven days!

What Qualifies A Domain To Be A Premium Domain Name

Premium domain names are the most valuable and sought after domain names in the world.

They are one or two-word domains, mostly one-word .com domains, that are short and memorable.

In addition, premium domains can easily command high visibility across major search engines and draw global traffic for businesses that utilize such search-friendly gems.

Before you go out declaring premium domain names, keep in mind that not just any ole domain name can be considered a premium domain name.

The keyword of a domain is of absolute importance. They determine the actual value and premium classification of the domain.

Consider natural and single-word .com domain names like InternetMarketing.com, SEO.com, or this list of premium domains.

Do those domain names sound appealing?

They should if youre an internet or search marketing company.

Truth be told, there is very little chance for these domain names to be available for an affordable registration.

Currently, 400 million .com domain names are registered across the globe. This number changes daily by the millions.

Some person or a business registered a similar premium domain years ago. This likely occurred decades ago when you were probably yet born, still attending school, or had absolutely no idea of what a domain name was.

Now that time has passed and just like every other investment and asset under the sun, your business can expect to pay hundreds of thousands or even millions for these types of premium domain names.

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Picking A Domain Name

The right domain name boosts your websites chances of success so take the time to think about this.

There are lots of things to consider when choosing a domain name. Obviously, you need something that relates to you and your business. This will help people find you.

Including keywords in your domain name can also help. This means that when people search those keywords youre more likely to come up as a result.

And dont go for anything too long. The longer your domain name, the more likely someone is to make a mistake when typing it out.

Or they might misread it when its written down. You need a domain name that clearly shows what the website is all about.

Avoid things like numbers or hyphens. This reduces the room for errors when typing out your domain name.

People might forget where the hyphen goes. Or they might write out the word six instead of putting the number 6. All of these things make you harder to find.

It might be tempting to use slang in your domain name. For example, changing you to u might offer more available domains. But this can also make you harder to find.

If youre struggling to find a domain name that you like try doing some research into the market. Seeing what else is out there might inspire you to think outside the box.

Finally, use an appropriate top-level domain. If youre based in France it doesnt make sense to use an extension for New Zealand!

Keep it short and memorable. This will make it easier to find you.