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Once you decide to start a website, you have to make an important decision, even before consulting our list of the best web hosting services: which one is yours
How Do You Secure A Domain Name
That will? You know, this is where all (hopefully) many visitors find your URL [yoursitename.extension]. Your domain name is actually the name of your website, so you want to make sure you get a good one.
Everything You Need To Know About Protecting Your Domain Name
Buying a name is a relatively simple process, but finding one that isn’t already in use can be a challenge. Also, you should make sure you understand the agreement between you and your domain registrar. If this sounds a bit complicated, don’t worry: we’ll help you get started.
Domain names make hard-to-remember numeric Internet addresses seem friendlier. Every computer on the Internet has a unique Internet Protocol (IP) number. The domain name represents this IP number. For example, the IP number for the domain name whitehouse.gov is 104.109.178.94. The purpose of the domain name is to give users an easy-to-remember domain name, so when you email the President of the United States, you can write [email protected] instead of the simpler email protected]
Anyone can buy a domain name. The easiest way to do this is to visit a domain registrar such as A2, GoDaddy, Google Domains or Namecheap, enter the domain name you want to buy and pay. The first two companies mentioned are web hosting services (more on that later), while the last two are dedicated domain name resellers.
Of course, you can’t just buy any domain name — only ones that haven’t been registered by another person or business and that have a valid domain extension. In general, you’ll want to buy something catchy and short, so that it’s easy for people to remember and easy to type—for example, “,”. This is good SEO and common sense. You might want to do some research on key terms for your business. From an SEO point of view, it’s even better if you can put a good name in your site name.
Domain Name Influence On Seo
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You may find that many of the shortest, most catchy names are already taken, especially if you enter a space that is already well represented online. To make matters worse, cybersquatters often collect these attractive names as investments with the intention of later reselling them to legitimate potential website owners – more on that later.
If you’re having trouble finding a domain name (due to crowding or squatters), check each registrar’s website for help tools. Domain registrars often host search engines that return a list of available names similar to what you want. For example, when you search for a domain name on Namecheap, you get both the status of that name and a list of extensions available for that name. [Sitename].com may not be available, but [Sitename].biz or .org are.
The suffix identifies the name as belonging to a particular top-level domain (TLD). There are many TLDs available for general purchase, including .com, .edu, .game, .green, .hiphop, .net, and .org. By far the most popular of these is .com, which is supposed to denote a business website, but actually includes just about everything.
Learn Why It’s Wise To Secure Domain Names Right Now
Depending on the domain name and extension, you’ll pay anywhere from $1 to Scrooge McDuck per year. In fact, if you’re looking for a perfectly desirable domain name with a popular extension, you might have to dig your wallet out, as there’s a good chance someone else has already registered it. For example, Carinsurance.com sold for almost $50 million (Opens in a new window)! As mentioned, there is also a thriving industry of squatters looking to turn a profit by flipping domain names (even ones that are decidedly less important than carinsurance.com). Some of them ask you to bid, implying that anything below $500 will be ignored.
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You don’t always need to go to a separate registrar to buy a domain name, although this is the most straightforward method. Many top web hosting services, such as DreamHost, HostGator, and Hostwinds, often offer a free domain name when you sign up for a web hosting package.
However, keep in mind that free domain names are usually only free for a year or two before the registrar charges you an annual or bi-annual fee. In other words, the web host only pays the registrar the first fee. Also, be aware if the web host charges for setting up a domain name. Most services offer free transfers of existing domain names to their servers, but sometimes you’ll find a setup fee on top of your registrar’s fees.
Why Having A Domain Name Is Important
Note that not all web hosts give you the option to register a domain name. For example, Cloudways is a solid web host that requires you to purchase a domain name elsewhere.
Registrars offer various registration terms – one, three, five, and even ten years. However, be careful with registrations longer than one year. First, your ability to transfer your domain name may be limited if the registrar provides poor service. Second, the registrar can go out of business, leaving your domain name unattended. Double check the policy.
We all like to think that once we buy a domain name, it’s ours forever, ours under all circumstances. It doesn’t have to be. Always make sure to research what you’re getting before paying. The contract you sign with your registrar affects you in a number of ways.
Many registrars reserve the right to revoke your domain name for specific reasons, usually if you are using it for illegal or objectionable purposes such as spamming. Many contracts contain a clause allowing the registrar to delete your domain name for no reason. Of course, this means that the domain name is the registrar’s, not yours.
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In addition, almost all registrars reserve the right to change the registry agreement at any time without notice. It is here that every registrar should double check.
After you register and pay the fee, you may not be able to use the domain name for hours or even days. The domain must propagate, which means that the official domain registration must be updated with your website’s DNS information. This is what happens on the backend without any input from you.
Some registrars promise that the name will be published almost immediately, but there may be a delay of up to 7 days. Typically, however, you should see your domain name up and running on the web within 48 hours.
Note that you can also transfer your domain name from one registration service to another. If you are unhappy with your current domain hosting service, if you find a better deal on your current registration, or, most likely, if you sign up for a web hosting service that will also transfer your name on his page superior. Expect to get free transfers, but if they don’t offer it, look for other domain hosting services.
Best Practices For Securing Your Domains
In no event should the cost of transferring the name be higher than the cost of acquiring a new name. Check what is needed for the transfer. Is the new service fully up to the task? Or do you need to go to your current registrar’s site and change the technical details manually? Finally, check your registrar’s transfer policy before registering your domain name.
As a general rule, you cannot transfer a name within the first 60 days of registration, but that period may be longer. Don’t expect any registrar to refund what you paid for a service you haven’t used for months.
For more basics on getting a website up and running, check out How to Build a Website, 7 Things You Need to Know When Building an Ecommerce Website, and Getting Started with WordPress.
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Mapping A Wildcard Domain Name To An Azure App Services
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