We have many reasons why we create a website. It can be for a blog, for an online store, for an entertainment page, business page, and many more. And maybe you have someone doing it for you, or you’re doing it by yourself. But aside from the design, and functions of your website, there’s one important thing you also need to do. It’s about getting a domain or registering your catchy website name. That’s right! You can’t just simply name your website and expect that people will find it by just typing its name. Well, that’s… actually true. But not until you get your own domain or register it. Luckily, doing so was made simple nowadays. Thanks to reliable many web hosting or domain registrars. So if you’re looking for a guide to get one, this blog post is for you.
How to get a Domain
First of all, registering is not free. Yes, there’s a registration fee. Depending on the domain registrar and your chosen domain extension, it may range from $0.99 to $99.
Now, the steps or procedures on getting a domain from a certain web hosting company can be a bit different. Of course, they want to stand unique from each other. But pretty much these are the simple steps:
Domain Check
As I’ve said, they want it to be simpler for you, most web hosting companies or domain registrar has a domain search box. It allows you to key-in your desired website to check its availability. After that, their program will determine if your domain hasn’t been taken yet. If it is, then you might need to add some more words or try another name. Some web hosting sites let you see if your domain is available for different extensions (if .com is not available) like .net .org and many more. Otherwise, you may need to enter other extensions manually. Also, if you really want your desired domain to be yours even if it’s not available anymore, you might need to get in touch with the owner. But that will really be pricey.
Pick What Type and Pay
Once you settled for a domain that is available and its monthly fee or yearly fee is okay for you, all you have to do is pick it. Most web hosting websites have an “add to cart” function where you can shop for more before checking out. Otherwise, you just have to proceed with payment. Checking out has been made simpler too. All you have to do is use your Bank Account or PayPal or other available payment methods they have.
Completing The Registration
The registration of the domain and its ownership will be completed once you completed the purchase and you have provided the necessary details that will be asked. Most likely it will be through a fill-up form. And then, for security purposes, an email verification will be sent to you. All you have to do is follow their verification procedure. That will be the final step.
And that’s it! It’s like buying an item from an online store, right? It’s really that easy. But before you go buying or look for the best domain registrar, here are some things to consider first:
- Go with a catchy and easy to remember name – Long or difficult to pronounce domain names are easily forgotten. Your target audience may not feel visiting it too. To increase the chances of visitors and for them to remember your website, keep it short and catchy.
- Go with popular extensions – Most popular extensions such as .com, .net, and .org are easily recognized and remembered by web users. It is wise to use those. Going with a non-popular extension may cause a non-web savvy person to think of your website as a suspicious one.
- Avoid legal issues – Always check for trademark infringement. There are online tools that you can use. Just search. So you can avoid getting a domain that is closely similar to well-established brands.
- Grab mistyped or alternative variations – Web Hosting companies allow linking of your domain names to each other. Grab that opportunity to increase traffic on your website. Think of possible shortcuts or mistyped variations of your domain. For example, fb.com routes you to Facebook and amzon.com takes you to Amazon website.
With this in mind, getting a domain is now easy. The tricky part is picking the name and extension. But some web hosting or domain registrar may provide suggestions for your convenience. I suggest you go find the most reliable and user-friendly ones.
See Also: Best way to drive traffic to your e-commerce store?
