Domain names fulfill several functions, such as enabling users to access and remember your website. Additionally, they often become a part of your brand. The problem is that registering a domain name can be intimidating if you\u2019ve never done it before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fortunately, the process of buying and registering a domain name is quite simple. All it takes are a few steps. In less than ten minutes, you could have a new domain name ready for your website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In this article, we\u2019ll talk about some things you should consider before you buy a domain name. Then we\u2019ll show you how to set up a new domain. Let\u2019s get to work!<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
Ideally, whichever domain name you pick for your project will stick with you for a very long time. That means you need to give the choice a lot of thought. Let\u2019s go over some things to consider before and during the process of buying a domain name<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Typically, when you want to buy a custom domain you\u2019ll go to a website that sells them, called a \u201cregistrar.\u201d There you can look up the name you\u2019re interested in. The domain registrar will show you whether it\u2019s available or not, as well as other extension options beyond .com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, you\u2019ll also see how much it costs to register each domain for a year. However, some registrars will also tack on additional charges to your purchase or offer you extras, such as domain privacy or domain lock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To get a full picture of what your domain will cost, add it to your cart and go through the checkout process until you see the final pricing, but don\u2019t complete the purchase. This way, you\u2019ll know exactly how much you\u2019ll end up spending, and can avoid extra charges for features you don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Domain names are part of the public record. That means anyone can look up who owns a particular domain. This can be problematic, as those records often contain sensitive information. Privacy protection should be included when you buy a domain name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What you can do to protect your information is sign up for domain privacy (also known as Whois<\/a>) while buying your domain. Every reputable registrar will offer this option to protect your information from prying eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you use Whois privacy, when someone tries to look up your domain they\u2019ll just see some proxy information:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some people try to circumvent this by using fake information when registering domain names. This is against most registrar policies, however, so we don\u2019t recommend it. However, it is<\/em> worth mentioning that most hosts will charge you a small additional fee for Whois protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before you commit to a particular domain name, it\u2019s best to verify a few things first. For example, determining whether the name is already trademarked or not can save you a lot of problems later on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Your first stop should be the U.S. Patents and Trademark Office (USPTO) website<\/a>. There, you can search the registered trademarks for any that might conflict with your desired domain name:<\/p>\n\n\n\n From there, you can conduct a customized search, and even look for both \u201clive\u201d and \u201cdead\u201d trademarks. This should help you determine whether or not you may be challenged at some point over your ownership of the name you want.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Top-Level Domains (TLDs)<\/a> are the extensions at the end of every domain name. The most popular TLD option is .com<\/em>, because it\u2019s the one that people most often associate with websites.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there are hundreds of TLDs<\/a> you can choose from. Some of them tend to go for cheaper than dot-coms, while others are much more expensive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In our experience, sticking with .com <\/em>is a safe choice. These TLDs usually cost around $10 per year, which is a bargain. Other safe TLD choices include .net<\/em>, .org<\/em>, and even .io <\/em>if you\u2019re in the tech business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Of course, you\u2019re free to pick any TLD you want. However, some TLDs can look a bit gimmicky (we\u2019re looking at you .ninja<\/em>) or be hard to remember. So we recommend mulling over your options before making a purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you consider the fact that the United States alone has a social media penetration rate of more than 90 percent<\/a>, it\u2019s safe to say that you can\u2019t ignore those platforms. With that being said, you\u2019ll want to be able to claim usernames on your target social media platforms that are similar to your chosen domain name.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, it\u2019s important to make sure you can represent your brand consistently across all of your online channels. Therefore, it\u2019s a good idea to check out key social media platforms to see if usernames related to your desired domain name are available. If not, you may want to reconsider your choice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of buying a domain name is simple, but what happens in the background is quite interesting. When you buy a domain name, what you\u2019re doing is registering ownership of it with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers<\/a> (ICANN).<\/p>\n\n\n\n ICANN maintains a registry of who owns which domain. The purchase process usually involves registering a specific domain for at least a year. At the end of that period, you\u2019ll have the option to renew that ownership by paying a fee, usually for the same amount as the initial purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t renew your domain registration, it becomes available for purchase once more, which you don\u2019t want unless you\u2019re planning to stop using the name. Usually, all of this happens through registrars, which are authorized middlemen for ICANN. In some cases, however, web hosts will also enable you to purchase domains directly from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With all of that in mind, let\u2019s walk through the process of picking out a domain name and setting it up with your website builder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this stage, you should already have multiple domain names in mind. What you\u2019ll want to do first is choose a registrar<\/a> you like and visit its website. You may want to explore several options, looking for one that has reasonable prices, no hidden fees, and a straightforward purchase process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In most cases, we recommend going directly through a registrar instead of using a web host. The former tends to offer more TLD options, and in many cases better prices. No matter where you buy your domain, you\u2019ll be able to use it with any hosting service, so that\u2019s not a concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To see if your desired domain is available, you\u2019ll need to conduct a simple search at your chosen registrar:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The registrar will show you if that domain is available, and which TLDs it recommends. In many cases, it will also list several alternative options:<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the event that your first choice for a domain isn\u2019t available, you may have to do a few searches. Once you\u2019ve decided on which domain to purchase, there should be a button you can click on to add it to your cart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This part of the process is pretty straightforward. You get to choose how long you want to register your domain for right off the bat, and enable auto-renewal if you like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can also decide to use Whois protection, which some registrars throw in for free. In addition, you\u2019ll probably see some extras you can opt into, such as a Domain Name System (DNS)<\/a>, email hosting, and more:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve made your choices, confirm the details of your order and move on to the next stage. To complete the process, you\u2019ll need to enter payment information and your full billing address:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember that if you enabled Whois protection, these details won\u2019t be available to the public. So don\u2019t use fake information. When you\u2019re ready, complete your purchase and you\u2019re good to go. Now, all that\u2019s left is to add the domain to your hosting provider, so you can link it to your website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some situations, you\u2019ll be asked to verify ownership of your domain name. For example, in order to use Google Search Console<\/a> or certain tracking tools, you\u2019ll need to prove<\/a> that you own the domain in question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several ways to verify your domain. However, the easiest option is to first create a simple HTML page. This page will include information provided by Google (or whatever application you are providing verification to). <\/p>\n\n\n\n Then, you\u2019ll upload that page to your website\u2019s file directory. By doing so, you\u2019ve verified that you own and can access the domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Buying a domain name for the first time might leave you with quite a few questions. Before you throw down cash for the name you want, check out these answers to common inquiries about domain names. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s hard to give an average cost for domain names<\/a>. This is because they run the gamut from a few dollars per year to a couple thousand. With that being said, you can expect most .com <\/em>domains to be pretty budget friendly\u2014around $10 to $20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You may be enticed by a website builder or web hosting service that boasts free domain selections. Oftentimes, a free domain will include the web host’s business name at the beginning of the URL. For example, creating a blog on WordPress may look like www.blog.wordpress.com\/blognamehere\/ instead of www.blognamehere.com.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a premium domain like newer TLDs with .inc<\/em> can be at the higher end of the price range. Just to give you an idea, the average cost of a .inc<\/em> domain is around $2,000. This is also true of domains that contain popular words or phrases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In some cases, you can purchase domain names<\/a> that have already been claimed. As with car parts, these are called \u201caftermarket\u201d domains.<\/a> They might have been purchased and not used, or were bought with the intention of turning a profit on their resale.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just as you\u2019d research the history of a car or house before purchasing it, you should do the same with an aftermarket domain. You can check its ownership history on Whois, or do some Google research to see if it has been used in the past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is possible to change your website\u2019s domain name. However, it\u2019s best to avoid doing so unless you have a very strong reason to. Since your domain is an important part of your brand, you don\u2019t want to cause confusion unnecessarily. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Essentially, changing your domain name<\/a> involves three steps. After you obtain your new name, you\u2019ll need to change it in your WordPress settings. Then you\u2019ll have to make sure your wp-config.php<\/em> file is updated with the new information. Finally, you\u2019ll want to verify that the new domain is up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a lot of registrars that enable you to buy and manage domain names with ease. However, once you have a domain, you\u2019ll also need a WordPress host<\/a> and the appropriate developer resources<\/a> to help get your website up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\nKeeping an Eye Out for Hidden Fees<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Protecting Your Domain’s Privacy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Checking for Trademark Infringement<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Picking a Top Level Domain (TLD)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Creating a Social Media Presence<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to Buy (and Register) a Domain Name<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Choose a Domain Registrar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Choose a Domain Name and Make Sure It\u2019s Available<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 3: Buy the Domain Name You Want<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Verify Ownership of Your Domain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Frequently Asked Questions About Domain Names<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How Much Do Domains Typically Cost?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can I Buy a Domain That Is Already Registered?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Can I Change My Domain Name in the Future?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Start to Build Your WordPress Website With WP Engine<\/h2>\n\n\n\n