How to Register a Domain Name

How do i register a domain name? One of the very first steps for businesses to establish online presence on the internet is to register a domain name then after upload a website and configure the domain nameservers to point to the host where the website is hosted. Your visitors will use your domain to find you on the internet implicating it’s a very vital part of online presence especially nowadays.

Owning a domain name involves registering it with The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) through any domain registrar. Domain name registration prices are not so high especially for common TLDs like (.com, .org, .net). A domain might cost you between $10 – $50 or even more depending on the price tag placed on a TLD (Top Level Domain). A Top Level Domain is the last portion of a domain name or perhaps the letters that follow the final dot for example .COM, .NET, .XYZ, .UG and more. So many TLDs are innovated daily and some of them are expensive but .COM still remains the most popular and used TLD on the internet today.

Before we learn how to register a domain we shall briefly look at some of the benefits of owning a domain name.

• Puts your business online
• You are able to add your business in search engine
• Boosts your reputation
• Earn you money
• Helps develop your business
• Personalized emails

If you register a new domain name, your business will be on the internet implicating you can easily be found on search engine results. This alone boosts your reputation and can boost your revenue. You can also sell already registered domains and make huge profits. You also get custom personalized emails with the domain extension. The benefits are endless but i won’t go into details to keep this article short. If you are searching for how to register a free domain name then i suggest you sign for a web hosting package with any of these companies. They will register a free domain name for you.

How do we Register a Domain name

Below are the exact steps to follow to successfully register a domain name. The steps start right from the brainstorming process to the purchase of a domain. It will show you how to register your domain name easily.

Step 1 – Brainstorming

The first step to register a domain name is to brainstorm the name you want to register. Don’t only consider thinking of one name because it might be taken but rather thing of up to 5 names that you believe can work for you. Consider the points below while brainstorming:

• The name should be short or not very long
• It should contain your business’ name
• Make sure the domain is valid
• It should be easy to read and remember
• Your Target market

A good domain should be short or not very long since most of the short domains on the internet are already taken. It should also contain your business’ name, this is very vital when it comes to search engine ranking. It should be valid and shouldn’t contain any special characters or invalid TLDs. It should also be easy to read and remember to make it easy for visitors to key in the url directly in a browser’s address bar. Lastly, you should know your targeting, if you are targeting a specific country i suggest you settle for a country code top level domain (ccTLD) but if you are targeting a world market you can settle for a main TLD like .com, .net, .org and many more.

Step 2 – Search for Availability

We are planning to register a domain but remember we are not sure whether it’s available yet. We are going to search all the 5 or more names you brainstormed in step 1 to see if they are available. Several tools can help us do this but i recommend you do a search with a domain registrar because you can easily purchase it through them if it’s available. You can check for domain availability below.

Step 3 – Secure the domain

If your domain or any of the domain you listed is still available then i recommend you secure it there and then. You will pay an annual fee that varies from registrar to registrar to own the domain for a period of one year. If you wish to opt for private domain name registration then you can register a domain with NameCheap else you can simply sign up for a web hosting package and get a free domain. Namecheap offers one of the best inexpensive domain name registration services and don’t have any hidden fees in their transactions. Due to the competition in the web hosting industry, some hosting companies have gone as far as giving lifetime domains to customers that sign up with them for for web hosting.

Step 4 – Host or Park the Domain

If you opt for private domain name registration then you can decide to either change the domain’s nameservers to point to the web host you’ve signed up for (in case of any) or rather park it. Most domain registrars out there will park the domain for you freely and grant you email access until you are ready to point it to a web host. You can also make money by monetizing the parked domain with ads.

If you sign up for a web hosting package then the domain will be configured to point to your web hosting account automatically. Sign up with any of these companies if you want good and reliable web hosting services but if you your budget is kinda fixed then you might opt for these web hosting companies.

What you should know is very many domains get taken everyday and i recommend you secure some for yourself or business today. Some people are making good money off it by buying domains in bulk at regular prices and selling them more expensively on third party markets. Buying domains can also be an investment.

You can also escape spending even a penny on a domain. Want to know how to register a domain name for free? Simply sign up with any of these web hosts and be assured not to only get domain name registration for free but also get a guarantee of a free lifetime domain for as long as you keep renewing your hosting package with them. They will renew the domain for you freely and let you manage it personally.