How To Register A Domain Name

Setting up a website is an important step in starting your business. Your website not only allows customers to contact you and learn more about your company, but it also serves as a representation of your brand. As a result, it is critical that your website’s domain name accurately and successfully represents your company and identity. Many new business owners find it daunting to register their website domain name. In this post, we’ll walk you through the process of registering a domain name and getting your website up and running.

Here are some website you can register your domain name:

• Bluehost
• Hostgator
• Namecheap
• DreamHost

Step 1. Choose a Domain Name

Your domain name is basically the name of your website. It’s the part of the URL that comes before “.com” or “.org.” When selecting a domain name, make sure it’s memorable, catchy, and consistent with your company’s name and branding. Finding a domain name that is available and appropriately expresses your company and brand might be difficult, depending on how popular the name is.

You may verify the availability of a domain name through a domain registrar like Namecheap, GoDaddy, or Google Domains. In certain circumstances, the domain name will be “available” but will come at a high cost—sometimes hundreds of dollars. Unless you are ready to pay a significant amount of money for a domain name—which most people are not—you should investigate names with extensions other than.com. In many circumstances, a domain name ending in.org,.biz, or.net is free (or extremely inexpensive).

In many circumstances, the domain name registrar will recommend similar domain names that are available. For example, if myperfectdomainname.com is unavailable, the registrar may recommend myperfectdomainname.biz.

Even if a domain name is available, you should double-check its availability on social media to ensure that your website and social handles are in sync.

Step 2. Choose a Domain Name Registrar

Although cost is certainly a consideration, selecting a domain name registrar is a little more involved than simply shopping for the lowest price. Some low-cost domain name registrars may not provide enough privacy measures; depending on your requirements, you may want to consider utilizing the same business to register your domain name and host your website.

For example, A2 Hosting and GoDaddy both offer web hosting services, so you can buy and register your domain name as well as host your website in one place.

On the other hand, you may be able to sign up for a web hosting provider that also includes domain registration, such as DreamHost or HostGator. However, it is critical to read the fine print in these cases because the domain name registration may only be included for a year or two, after which additional fees may apply.

Not all web hosting companies allow you to register a domain name, however. In this instance, you will need to buy and register your domain name from one firm while hosting your website with another.

Step 3. Purchase and Register Your Domain Name

Although you can register your domain name for free and meet the standards of the worldwide ICANN registry, not everyone is happy with their personal information being exposed on the public ICANN registry. A domain name registrar will usually provide the opportunity to provide the essential information to ICANN while respecting your privacy. Because of this, many people prefer to purchase and register their domain name through a private domain name registrar. This privacy protection may require an extra charge.

Once you’ve found an available domain name, you can buy it for a small cost, often between $10 and $15 CAD every year. This charge is normally paid annually, but some registrars provide multi-year terms. When registering the name, you should pay special attention to the registration period.

Rather than selecting a long-term registration, you might want to try a shorter term with automatic renewal. This way, if you’re dissatisfied with the service, you can still transfer your domain name to another company, but you’re not at risk of having your domain name taken over by another party if it expires before you have a chance to renew the registration.

You may also be able to bid on an already-owned domain name, but be aware that the costs might be rather high, depending on the domain name’s popularity.

Step 4. Familiarize Yourself With the Domain Name Contract

The domain name contract governs the service given by the domain name registrar, your rights and obligations, and the registrar’s authority to amend the agreement. To avoid surprises, read and understand the domain name contract.

Step 5. Don’t Lose the Domain Name

Renewing your domain name is crucial for guaranteeing that you may continue to use it. If you have enabled auto-renewal with your domain name registrar, this step is as simple as updating your payment information. If your domain name expires before you renew it, anyone can purchase it and you risk losing use of it.

Step 6. Build Your Website

If you intend to use your domain name to create a working website, the next step is to build it. If your registrant does not offer both services, you will need to locate another company to host your website. If you don’t have coding knowledge, you can use a drag-and-drop website builder like Weebly, Squarespace, or Wix to create your website.

Bottom Line

Before acquiring and registering a domain name, take some time to analyze your company’s objectives, goals, and branding. You may make informed judgments regarding domain name registration and usage by planning how you intend to utilize the domain name and your website to represent your business and brand.

FAQ

What is the best domain name registrar?

• The ideal domain name registrar will be determined by your desired level of privacy protection, registration period, and ancillary services (such as web hosting). Namecheap, Domain.com, and Google Domains are some of our top-rated domain name registrars. Read more in our article about the best domain name registrars.

How do I know if a domain name is available?

• Domain name registrars will allow you to search for various choices and see if they are available. If the domain name is unavailable, the registrar may provide alternative domain names that are available.

How do I permanently buy a domain name?

• The short answer is: You cannot. Domain registration functions more like a renting or leasing business. Most domain registrars allow you to register your domain for up to ten years at a time, and they normally provide an auto-renewal service to ensure you don’t lose it.

What happens if I want to switch hosting providers? Can I still keep my domain name?

• Absolutely. Once you’ve registered your domain with a hosting service or website builder, you can move it to another. Transferred domains are frequently free for a year. However, it is crucial to note that ICANN mandates domain providers to lock most names for 60 days after registration, thus you will be unable to transfer your domain within the first 60 days.

What is a name server?

• When you enter a website name into your browser bar and hit Enter, your browser begins a process of decoding the website you’re looking for and routing your traffic to the appropriate web server. The name server sits in the middle of this process, keeping track of which websites are located where.