Some of the most important steps in making a website are to learn how to buy a domain name and how to come up with one. This is because a good domain name makes it easier for people to find and remember your site. At first, choosing and buying the right domain name may seem like a hard task. But this guide will show you how easy it is when you do things the right way. If you want to start a blog or a new online business, you’ll need to register domain name, which is the name of your website.
Getting the right domain for your needs might sound complicated at first, but it’s actually not that hard. This domain registration guide will tell you everything you need to know about domain name extensions, how to choose the right one for your needs, and the steps you need to take to check if a domain name is available and to register your domain.
When you’re ready to build a website and market your brand or product, you need to take a few steps. But one of the first things you need to do is register and buy a domain name for your website. You’ll need to make this choice right after you choose a web host.
How to Buy a Domain Name Permanently
Choose a Domain Registrar
First, you need to choose a registrar that is approved by ICANN to register your name. Your web host is not the same as this registrar. Your DNS host connects people to your website through your domain name, while your website host gives you a place to put your website. DNS host is like a phone book, and your website host is like your landlord.
Follow the Registrar’s Checkout Process
Next, use the tool provided by the registrar to see if it can sell you the domain and TLD you want. If you can buy your domain, choose a plan and follow the steps the registrar gives you for checking out. Some registrars offer a base plan with extras like a professional email address tied to your domain. Others have ways that can be changed to fit your needs.
Many registrars will also sell you multiple TLDs all at once, like “contacttree.com,” “contacttree.net,” and “contacttree.org.” These plans are great for people who are worried that visitors won’t be able to find the right address or that a competitor will buy the domain.
Once you reach the checkout process, you’ll need to provide your registrar with your:
- Name
- Address
- Organization name
- Contact details (email and phone number)
- Payment information
If you don’t want your contact information to be public, make sure you purchase domain privacy. You should also check the duration of your registration carefully. Many registrars will allow you to buy your name for several years at a time, but you may want to select a shorter plan if you haven’t used that registrar before.
Register Your Domain and Verify Your Ownership
The next step is to register your domain. Most of the hard work will be done behind the scenes by your registrar, and the process may take a few days. You’ll need to confirm your information to make sure you’re registered.
Depending on who you registered with, you may need to verify your phone number or email address. Also, if you want to buy a TLD like.edu, you may need to provide more proof. If this is the case, the registrar will tell you what to do to prove who you are.
Set Up Website Hosting
Lastly, find a website host if you want someone else to do it for you. Kinsta is a good choice. Websites made with Kinsta load quickly, are easy to build, and are protected by hardware firewalls, SSL support, uptime monitoring, and DDoS detection. Kinsta also has expert help and lets you choose which of the 28 Google Cloud Platform data centres will host your site.
How to Buy a Domain Name That’s Taken
Identify the Owner, and Find A Broker
First, you need to find the owner’s contact information on the website. In general, there are three things that could happen here:
- The owner of the domain is a domain trader. Someone who buys and sells domain names for money is called a “domain trader.”
- The domain is owned by someone, but that person doesn’t use it or has “parked” it.
- The domain is owned by someone who is using it.
Once you know what your situation is, you might want to think about hiring a broker. A broker will work for you and make sure the seller doesn’t take advantage of you. Some brokers take a percentage of the money you pay for the domain, while others charge a flat fee or an hourly rate.
You may need a broker if you don’t know who owns the domain or if someone else is using it. If someone else is using the domain, it will be harder to get the owner to sell it.
Express Your Interest
- If you don’t want to sell, you may have to back out of the sale and come up with a new domain name.
- If someone makes you an offer, you can move on to the next step.
- If you don’t pay close attention to your TLD and domain name, it could hurt your brand in the long run. In the end, which site would you be more likely to trust? “r3ta1lbizadvice.io” or “retailbusinessadvice.com?”
Make An Offer
If the domain owner is open to selling the domain, make a formal offer in writing. This offer should include:
- The domain you want
- The price you’re offering
- Your name and contact details
- When the domain will become yours if the seller accepts your offer
- The terms of the contract
If you work with a broker, they may give you a sample offer letter or do this step for you. For best results, make sure you:
- Set a price range and an upper limit (a “walk away price”) for yourself.
- Offer less than you can pay so you can negotiate.
- Get ready for another offer
- Never make a verbal offer over the phone without putting it in writing.
Sign a Contract
After you and the seller agree on a price, you will both need to sign a contract to make the deal official. A contract will protect both sides and make sure that the deal is still good for both.
- Full upfront payment
- A deposit when the contract is signed and the total amount after the domain transfer
- Payment following the broker’s instructions
Some people who own domains may try to trick you out of money. To protect yourself, use a safe way to pay or an escrow service. Also, you might not want to pay for the domain with cryptocurrency. If the seller doesn’t keep their end of the deal, it may be hard to dispute a cryptocurrency transaction.
Transfer Domain to Your Name
Lastly, you need to find a registrar for your new domain that is approved by ICANN so that you can transfer ownership to your name. You can use the same registrar that the previous owner of the domain used.
Even though many registrars have their own internal transfer process, most require you to confirm that the old owner sold you the domain and that you are now the owner. The registrar will then take care of the transfer and let both parties know when it’s done. Transferring a domain could take up to 60 days, and you might have to pay a fee.
If the old owner bought the domain less than 60 days ago, a Change of Registrant lock could be put on it. To change ownership, you’ll have to wait until this time is up.
What is Domain Name
A domain name is a string of text that points to an IP address made up of letters and numbers. This is how client software gets to a website. In plain English, a domain name is the text that a user types into a web browser window to get to a certain website. For example, Google’s domain name is “google.com.”
The real address of a website is a complicated set of numbers called an IP address, like 192.0.2.2. However, thanks to DNS, users can type in simple domain names to get to the websites they want. The name for this is a DNS lookup.
A domain name is like a street address for your website. It makes it easy for people to find your site without having to use its Internet Protocol (IP) address. Domain names, which are made up of a name and an extension, are an important part of how the internet works.
“Buy a domain name” is not possible. This is done so that domain names that aren’t being used can be made available again for someone else to use. If everyone bought a domain name, the web would quickly be full of locked domain names that no one could use.
You pay instead for the right to use a domain name for a year or more. You can keep your right, and your application to keep it has priority over other people’s. But the domain name is never yours.
Benefits of Domain Name
Absolute control
With a domain, you’ll have full control over your business’s online identity. Once you buy it, no one else can buy that exact domain. This means that your competitors or someone with bad intentions won’t be able to pretend to be you.
Personalized email
For a small fee, you can usually get a custom email address with a custom domain. For example, it’s a great idea to give your business a personalised email address. It will make you look more trustworthy than a personal address that clients don’t believe is real. Also, it will make it easier to run email campaigns. They will know that they are talking to you and not a scammer if they email info@yourdomain.com.
Easy marketing
Because it is related to your company name, your domain name will make it easier to market your business. Also, your customers will have to remember less information because it’s easier to understand and use. If someone remembers your domain quickly, they can tell a friend about it or text it right away.
Reliability
One of the best reasons to buy your own domain name is that you can do this. It will make your business look more professional, which will make your customers feel like they can trust you more. A good domain can also help them believe that you care about giving them a complete and well-done product or service and that your business is serious.
In order to do this, you need to have your own domain. When your domain has an odd ending, like yourdomain.info, or other words in it, like yourdomain.hostwebsite.com, it takes away from your professionalism and idea.
SEO
Lastly, a domain will make it easier for you to keep track of how many people visit your site. If you know how people act, what they search for most, and what they read the most, you can improve your page’s organic performance. Also, it will be easier to get your website to the top of search engine results.
FAQ
Does it matter where you buy your domain name?
When you register a domain, you own it, no matter what service you bought it from. Usually, if a domain is available, you can buy it wherever you want. But some domain registrars have services or benefits that others don’t have.
How much does a domain name cost?
Most of the time, it costs between $10 and $20 per year to own a domain name. This cost can vary a lot depending on things like how popular the domain is and how many people want to buy it.
Do I have to pay yearly for a domain name?
Domain names need to be renewed every year. Most domain names have a small ICANN fee and an annual fee (although not all domain extensions will include that fee). Privacy is an extra feature of many domain extensions that keeps your registrant information from showing up in WHOIS searches.
