Even if you don’t plan to use a website for business, it’s wise to register a domain name. The basic purpose of the business domain name is to allow visitors such as customers, vendors, and others, to identify your site on the World Wide Web.
To check available domain names, follow the steps below.
Your domain name is different from its IP address. Most users find it easier to remember a site name instead of its IP address (a string of numbers, such as 109.87.6.543).
Register a Domain.
It’s simple to find out if the domain you want is available. Type the domain name in mind into the registrar’s WHOIS lookup toolbar. If the ideal domain name dot com extension isn’t available, check other extensions if these interest you.
You must register the domain name through a domain name registrar. The registrar places your domain with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). When you register a domain for the first time, you pay an annual fee per domain name. It’s your decision to renew or not on the domain anniversary date.
Domain Name Registration Considerations.
Some web host companies offer to pay domain and registration costs for the customer. If you accept such an offer, follow up to ensure your host business placed your name and information with ICANN. If the domain is registered in host name and you want to change hosting services at some future time, you might learn the domain is held hostage.
In addition, direct ownership of the domain thwarts the host firm from charging excessive fees for your domain in the future. In essence, the host takes away the owner’s rights.
It’s very important to identify a reputable registrar. Read customer reviews about the registrar. If friends and family own domains, ask their preferences.
Be especially wary of domain registrars operating outside of the U.S. Let’s say you identify a cheap domain registrar online, and you purchase all the domain names on your wish list. If you don’t know the location of the registrar, ask about their business domicile. If you later decide to move domains you own to a U.S.-based host, delays in transfer may occur.
Premium Domain Names.
One of the reasons it’s so important to register your domain name is that more businesses, entrepreneurs, bloggers, marketers, and others go online each day. If your domain name precisely describes your business—and you’re not the only business of your type — don’t delay. Another business may pick up the domain name and prevent or delay your acquisition of it.
Although it may be possible to buy the domain later if the owner fails to renew on a timely basis, it’s also possible for the host firm to retain the domain thereafter.
To avoid disappointment, register your ideal name if it’s available. Purchase all available extensions if possible, such as .com, .net, .org, .us, .biz, etc. Registering your domain is a relatively small cost.
Costs of multi-year domain name registration are usually quite reasonable. Unless doing so breaks the bank, plan to register your domain name and extensions up to 10 years with a reputable U.S.-based domain registrar business.
