How to buy a domain name: Domain registration Guide

If you’re planning to start a website, you’ll need to buy a domain name for that. Also, it is crucial to buy an appropriate domain name. While selecting the appropriate domain name for your needs may appear complicated at first, the process is quite straightforward.

This domain registration guide will help you learn how to buy a domain name, along with other details about domain names.

Let’s begin with the basics of domain names. Here we go…

What Is A Domain Name?

A domain name is a sequence of letters and numbers corresponding to a numeric IP address and is used to visit a website via client software. In simple terms, a domain name is a text that a user types into a browser window to access a specific website.

For instance, Go4Hosting‘ domain name is ‘go4hosting.com’.

Although a website’s actual address is a complex numerical IP address (e.g., 103.21.244.0), DNS enables users to input human-friendly domain names and be directed to the websites they seek.

A domain name has to be precise, memorable, future-proof, catchier, and relevant to your business. For example: ‘trivago.in’.

Also, you must choose a brandable domain name. It is because your domain name will allow people to find, remember, and share information about your company on the web. It’s recommended to have a domain name that reflects your company’s identity rather than a generic string of terms.

Who is in charge of domain names?

Anyone interested in creating a website can register a domain name with a registrar. All domain names are maintained by domain registries, which delegate domain name reservations to registrars. There are over 300 million domain names that are now registered.

Types of Domains

1. Second-Level Domains (SLDs)

Second-level domains are the unique names that you choose to symbolize your company because it’s the aspect that people will recall the most. More often than not, it’s your brand name.

An SLD appears immediately to the left of the extension, or top-level domain, in a web address. You can have as many letters, numbers, and special characters as you want in an SLD.

2. Top-Level Domains (TLDs)

Top-level domains (TLDs), also known as Domain extensions, are the letters that appear to the right of the dot in your SLD. Among the most popular are: .com (the first-ever TLD), .net, .edu, .org, and so on.

Let’s now take a look at the process of buying a domain name.

The Procedure for Buying a Domain Name

Before you start to buy a domain name, you must have at least 10-15 catchier, snappier, and simpler domain names. It is because you might not be able to get the desired domain name. So, you’ll have to decide on one on your list.  

Follow the steps below to buy the domain name:

1. Select a trustworthy domain registrar.

First and foremost, you should look for a registrar that the Internet Corporation accredits for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is the non-profit organization in charge of coordinating all of the numbers of spaces available to users of the World Wide Web (WWW).

Most platforms, including Mailchimp, provide domains that are managed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

2. Locate a Domain Availability Checker Software Program.

After selecting a domain registrar, conduct a domain name search. Go to domain availability checker (it’s a search tool). There are many that you can use, such as mailchimp.com, GoDaddy.com, hosting.in, and so on.

The availability of a domain name, such as ‘fancywriter.com’, can be determined by using this search tool.

3. Select the Best Domain Name Option

When you search for available domain names, you’ll frequently discover that your first, second, and fifteenth selections have already been taken by someone else. When this occurs, don’t give up. There are other ways to do this:

Continue your search. Keep searching until you find something you genuinely adore or even simply like.

Select a different extension. If the.com extension is not available, explore a.net or.org extension if you believe it will work.

Make contact with the property’s owner. And if your heart is already set on a specific domain name that is already registered, but it’s not being used much. You could make a formal offer to the property’s proprietor.

4. Purchase a domain name and complete the registration process for it.

Once you’ve decided on a domain name, it’s time to put money down on it. Most domain names are purchased for a year. The moment you pay for the domain name, you’ll be notified with an email along with the annual cost of the domain name.

During the checkout process, you’ll be asked to provide your contact information, including an email address, to register the domain name.

5. Authenticate your ownership

Once you have paid for the domain name, you’ll need to authenticate your ownership before it can be used.

This step allows you to send email using the domain (for example, [email protected]) while also preventing others from using it without your permission.

Following the completion of your purchase, you will receive an email confirming your purchase.

Finally, open your email, click on the Verify Domain link, and follow the steps on the next page to begin using your domain.

That’s all! You’re now ready to promote your business.

And if all this seems a task to you, contact us. We at go4hosting.com help businesses acquire their favorite domain names. We can help you as well!