How to Choose and Register a Domain Name

How to Choose and Register a Domain Name?

Choosing the correct domain name is similar to choosing a name for your brand or company. You have to consider multiple things in order to make the right decision. A domain name represents you and your company on the internet, and it is vital not to make a mistake with the very first step. In this article, we will show you a few pieces of advice on how to choose and register a domain name.

A simple and memorable name

 You want people to remember the name of your website as quickly as possible. Making the name short and simple (not more than 12 characters) will help people remember it quickly, especially if there are no more than two words. Also, the short name will be easier to pronounce, which is also a vital factor. When talking to each other, people will, most likely, be able to communicate the name of your website correctly, which will drive new traffic to your site.

Use the right keywords

Even though it is the best option to use a brand name, one of the best alternatives is to select the best possible keyword for your business niche and put it in the domain name. First of all, you should identify these targeted keywords which are related to your niche. Through in-depth research, you will be able to choose the best keyword and implement it into your domain name. There are multiple SEO tools which are very helpful in selecting those keywords. If you are not familiar with it, hire an SEO expert or agency to help you.

Choose the right domain extension

 This step might seem to have less significance, but it is not true at all. You should always opt to choose the best extension when you go for domain name registration. The most popular extensions are .com (commercial), .org (non-commercial), and .net (network services). You should choose the extension based on the purpose of your website. Don’t use extensions such as .biz and .info because spammers often abuse them. Furthermore, if you want your domain extension to influence rankings on the geographical level, you should choose country-code top-level domains such as .au, .uk, .fr, .ca, etc. 

Care about trademark or copyright

Research is the key for many segments of business, and selecting your domain name is in that story as well. You have to make sure that the name you want to choose is not copyrighted, trademarked, or already used by another company. If you don’t do your research, you risk losing a lot of money due to legal stuff. As a result, you will lose your domain, and be in a deep mess overall. Therefore, once you choose your name, check if it is free, and avoid all unnecessary issues.

No hyphens and numbers if possible

 Sometimes, hyphens and numbers are part of your brand name. In that case, try not to use more than one number or hyphen in your domain name. However, if you are starting a business, try to choose the name without them. Hyphens and numbers can often damage your SEO efforts and rankings. Although they are sometimes useful for readability, you will often confuse both search engines and customers. Hyphens and numbers are usually signs of spammy websites, and that’s the main reason why Google doesn’t like them. Regarding the customers, they sometimes might not be able to find your site because of that. Also, your customers might be unable to find you online because of the hyphen.

Domain name registration

After you’ve done all the previous steps, it is time to start with the domain name registration process. The domain name can be registered by either natural or legal person, in the period of one to ten years (depending on your needs), with the possibility of renewal. The very first step is to find the most suitable web hosting provider or a domain registrar. Once you choose your provider, they will check the availability of your name. If it is not already used, you will be able to continue with the process. After that, there comes the part where you have to fill multiple forms with your personal information, or information about your company. Payment is the next step. Fortunately, registering your domain name is not very expensive. And finally, all other steps in the process depend on your choice of web hosting provider.

10 best domain registrars

In the end, let’s take a look at the ten best domain name registrars. Each of them is specific, so consider your business needs and requirements before you choose the most suitable variation.

Bluehost

WordPress officially recommends Bluehost. They offer the cheapest rates for beginners, and their support is excellent. Some of the essential features are a free domain name, free SSL certificate, and a substantial discount on web hosting. 

GoDaddy

GoDaddy is one of the most popular domain registrars. They offer many tools and services, as well as low-cost domain names. You can get a domain name for a very low price, but renewal charges are higher than other registrars. Also, their customer support is top-notch, and you can count on them every time.

Domain.com

This provider offers reasonable pricing with multiple tools for both beginners and advanced users. At the moment, they offer shared hosting, VPS hosting, and WordPress hosting. Whatever option you choose, you will receive at least one free domain name, as well as an SSL certificate, unlimited disk space, and various marketing tools.

Namecheap.com

Namecheap offers domain transfers, app integration, SSL certificates, and many other features. They are also a web hosting service provider. Besides live chat and email customer support, there is also a knowledge base where customers can find tutorials and guides.

Register.com

Register.com offers various features and products – website and e-commerce site builders, hosting and SSL options, domain transfers, marketing tools, and email services. All other site endings (.net, .info, etc.), cost the same amount of money as .com per month.

Name.com

This company offers multiple features, such as domain transfers, SSL certificates, a website builder, app integration, and some web hosting options. Their customer service includes a knowledge base, as well as a site contact form where you can submit an email ticket.

Google Domains

Google Domains were launched in 2015, and nowadays, the software is in the beta stage. Every domain comes with a fast, secure, and reliable internet infrastructure with Google. A .com website will cost you $12 per year per domain.

Hostgator

Same as Bluehost, HostGator is primarily a web hosting provider. Their options include WordPress, VPS, reseller, dedicated, web, cloud, application, and Windows hosting. WordPress is definitely the best because of the pricing, uptime, and page loading speed.

1&1 Ionos

Pricing for .com sites on 1&1 is cheap in comparison with other options – $ 0.99 per year. Features include a website builder, multiple hosting options, business email management, marketing tools, domain transfer, and many more.

Hover

Hover is not that known as other registrars, but it is pretty good and straightforward. You can search domains by category, and the pricing is reasonable – .com domain costs $ 12.99 annually, together with all necessary extensions.   

Hopefully, this article will help you make the right call when it comes to choosing and registering your domain name. Follow these steps and recheck all your decisions in the process.

About The Author

Bily Bum is an electrical engineer, tech, and gaming fan with 15 years of experience in the technology world. He is also a contributor on site Technivorz.