The showtime domain name in history was Symbolics.com, which was registered on March 15, 1985. Today, there are more than 300 million domain names, with millions more added each year. A domain name is essentially the accost that visitors volition type into their browser address bar to arrive at your website.

Domain names permit users to hands connect to other computer IP addresses past typing in an address like "Google.com" instead of Google's numerical IP address of "74.125.239.116." In other words, domain names make our lives a lot easier.

Google's IP address could be used instead of a domain name.

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Your domain name is an important part of establishing your brand. No two domain names tin be exactly alike, although they can exist like. Ideally, your domain proper noun will be unique and distinctive, and so users don't misfile information technology with other domain names or different businesses.

You lot might be wondering — isn't a domain name, so, only a website? Although they are like, domain names and websites take important differences. Your domain name is the address for your website; information technology is what people use to find your website, which consists of pages, images, and other files.

Choosing and registering a domain name is oftentimes the first pace when building a website. Read on to learn how to register a domain proper noun.

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GoDaddy's home page, a site where you can register your domain name.

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How to Register a Domain Proper name

  1. Observe a domain proper noun registrar.
  2. Search for your domain proper name.
  3. Finalize your domain name choice.
  4. Cull a domain name suffix, such as .com or .net.
  5. Buy the domain proper noun.
  6. Add together Domain ID protection.

1. Find a domain proper noun registrar.

The non-turn a profit Net Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) oversees the entire organization of domain names, and information technology allows outside companies, called domain registrars, to sell and manage domain names. You will need to register your domain name through a registrar.

Some of the about pop domain registrars include GoDaddy, Bluehost, and Domain.com, although in that location are many more to cull from. Be sure to advisedly consider pricing and policies for each one before choosing your domain registrar, equally it will exist managing your domain name.

2. Search for your domain proper noun's availability.

In one case you have establish the right domain registrar for you, you lot'll need to search for your domain name using the registrar's search bar. There are millions of domain names out there, with thousands more added daily.

If you have your heart ready on a domain name earlier doing a search, y'all might be disappointed to find it is already taken. Keep an open mind and incorporate important keywords into your domain when appropriate.

3. Finalize your domain proper name option.

In one case you've brainstormed several domain options, consider which ones are bachelor and choose the i that fits your brand best and will also exist easy for users to find.

four. Choose a domain name suffix, such every bit .com or .net.

After settling on the domain proper name, consider the suffix. The most popular suffix is .com, although .net and .org are also popular. These are considered to be top-level domains, or the highest-level domain suffixes in the domain naming system.

There are also other varieties to consider, such as land lawmaking peak-level domains. These domain names end in a suffix that is particular to a specific country. A website in Germany might terminate in .de, for example.

Finally, in that location is another class of domain name suffixes called "sponsored, height-level domains," which are sponsored by a specific community related to the domain proper name. For case, .gov is for the U.S. regime and .edu is for didactics organizations.

For most websites, .com is the all-time suffix for its ease of use, but if you have a specialized website, you lot might consider a land code or sponsored top-level domain.

five. Buy the domain name.

When you take settled on the domain proper noun and a suffix, y'all will pay to register the domain name with the domain registrar. This is non a 1-fourth dimension purchase, however. Typically, you lot will pay to ain the domain proper name for one year, later on which you can renew your registration for a fee. You can expect a registration fee of about $10 to $xv.

WordPress allows domain name registration on its site.

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six. Add together domain ID protection.

When you register a domain name with ICANN, you lot must provide your contact information including your name, telephone number, physical accost, and email address.

As soon as your domain name is registered, this contact information becomes available to the public — unless you lot pay for domain privacy through your domain registrar. This domain privacy will shield your data from view keeping your personal data safe from spammers or worse, identity thieves.

Domain WHOIS Privacy allows domain ID protection.

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Once you've got the domain proper name in manus, you're ready to observe hosting and build your website. Consider a free CMS, like HubSpot, to design your website, strategize for SEO, and create a weblog.

Cost to Register a Domain Name

According to HostGator, domain name cost ranges from costless to tens of thousands of dollars, with the boilerplate domain name settling around $10-$12 annually. These factors will affect what you'd pay for a specific domain:

  • The demand for the particular name y'all choose (e.1000. cars.com sold for $872 meg because of how "valuable" that real manor was perceived to be)
  • The TLD domain extension (e.m. .com is perceived to be a more valuable TLD than less-used TLDs such as .info.)
  • The domain registrar you're purchasing from
  • Whether the domain has already been purchased by someone else (and at present has it for auction at a much college price)
  • Whether you commit to an annual payment or another payment schedule
  • Add together-ons such as privacy

Whether you lot choose a free or paid domain will depend on your upkeep and your website's purpose. For instance, yous might need a bones website or something uncomplicated and temporary. In that case, a gratuitous domain name might be a practiced pick.

However, paid domain names look more professional and are more likely to abound with your brand. You lot should ultimately decide what will work best for your business concern and goals.

How to Register a Domain Name for Free

Looking for a free domain name? There are several domain registrars, website hosting providers, and website builders offering free domain names, typically with the buy of another service or with no cost just some customization limitations.

Wix, a website builder, allows domain name registration.

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ane. Wix

Wix is a popular drag-and-drop website builder that allows you to register a free domain name with the stipulation that it includes Wix's name besides. This means that although you get your domain name for free, it will read yourdomainname.wix.com. This is a trade-off to consider when registering a domain name for gratis.

Weebly, a website builder, offers domain name registration.

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ii. Weebly

Like Wix, Weebly offers a unproblematic website builder with a gratis domain name that will appear every bit yourwebsite.weebly.com. You will have limited admission to the site-building features, but y'all will salve annual fees for domain names. This is a great option for temporary or bones websites.

Bluehost allows domain name registration.

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3. Bluehost

Bluehost is a web hosting provider that will offer you a free domain proper noun for ane yr with the purchase of its web hosting plan. If you lot are in the market for both a domain name and a web hosting provider to get your business organisation online, this tin assistance you save money on the starting time year's expenses by adding the domain name on for complimentary with a purchase you lot were already planning to brand.

WordPress offers domain name registration.

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four. WordPress

WordPress will also offer a free domain proper noun, although it volition appear equally yourdomainname.wordpress.com. If you register your domain name here, you can easily build your website with WordPress, besides. WordPress is the almost widely used content management system, and then you'll find it easier to add together functionality with plugins and get support when you demand information technology.

GoDaddy offers free domain names.

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five. GoDaddy

Some other web hosting provider, GoDaddy offers free domain names, so long as you buy one of its hosting plans. GoDaddy is loved for its low rates for hosting plans and its added security tools that scan for and remove malware and backup your website.

Build Your Business By Registering Your Domain

After weighing the benefits and drawbacks of gratuitous or paid domains, you lot should become started on your search for the perfect domain proper noun. Domain names can go rapidly — and there's a piffling more contest than Symbolics had in 1985 — then it is important to annals the 1 you want before it is as well late.

Registering a domain proper name is quick and piece of cake, but it does take some time to begin the right name, select the optimal suffix, and observe the correct domain registrar for you. As such, there's no amend fourth dimension than now to get started on registering your domain proper noun.

Editor'due south note: This post was originally published in February 2020 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

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Originally published Dec 13, 2020 7:00:00 AM, updated March 31 2022