How to Register a Domain Name

The Internet is a powerful place because it gives everyone the ability to share information. One of the best ways to share information is to set up your very own website. Before you can begin to set your website up, you need to register a domain name. Take the following steps to get your own domain up and running in no time at all.


1. Think of a domain name. Your domain name is the name that visitors need to type to access your website. Select a name that is creative and relates directly to the topic of your site or appeals to your personality. Keep in mind that with the hundreds of millions of websites that exist on the Internet it is quite possible that your first choice for a domain name will already be registered to someone else.

2. Check that the domain name you want is available on a Registrar such as GoDaddy.com. You’ll have a choice of different top-level domains to choose from such as .com, .net, or .org, which largely expands the choices you have for your complete domain name. Don’t get frustrated if your top choices aren’t available. It can take some creative thinking to come up with a name that no one else has chosen.

3. Decide how long you want to register your domain name for. You can purchase domain names in yearly increments from a minimum of one to a maximum of ten. You might get a discount for registering the name for a longer time period. You’ll also eliminate the need to remember to renew your domain every single year. If you aren’t sure that you want to keep the name for too long, register the name for a year to ensure that you are happy with it. You can also save money because you are protected from any price increases for the duration of the registration term.

4. Pay for the name. Depending on the registrar, you will have multiple options for payments including most major credit cards and PayPal. After payment is completed, you own the rights to the domain name.

5. Update the site’s nameservers to point to the domain. If you don’t have hosting set up already, it might be beneficial to purchase hosting from the registrar at the same time that you register the name. This is the easiest way to get hosting since you don’t have to complete any additional steps in order to get your site up.

Registering a domain is not nearly as complicating as it might seem from the start. The process is actually rather quick and can be completed in minutes as long as you enter into it having a few ideas about potential names.

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