8 Facts You Need to Know Before Buying a Domain

8 Facts You Need to Know Before Buying a Domain

A domain name is the starting point of creating an online presence for your business. It can help set the tone of how people perceive your website upon visiting it for the first time. With over 363.5 million registered domain names, it can be hard to stand out.

This article will provide you with eight facts and things you can do before buying a domain name. These can help give your business credibility, forward-thinking and help you stand out from the competition.

Let’s get started.

Choose a Credible Domain Registrar

Generally, there are three places where you can buy a domain name:

  • Domain name registrars – companies that only focus on managing and selling domain names.
  • Hosting providers – businesses that provide the services and technologies needed to make a website visible on the internet. They can help users buy domain names when purchasing one of their hosting plans as an added service.
  • Website builders – platforms that are dedicated to helping beginners create professional websites without needing any technical knowledge. They sometimes include domain registration when you sign up for their service.

Ideally, the best place to buy a domain name is through a platform that provides all of the above. A hosting provider, website builder, and domain name registrar. It makes it easier to set up everything from one place, just like when you buy a domain from Hostinger.

Check Domain Name Availability

The first step to registering a domain name is checking its availability. You can use tools like domain name checkers to assist you. 

They find the domain name you want and check if it’s available or not. The domain name checker will also provide you with great alternative domain name ideas if the name is taken.

You just need to type in the domain name you want in the tool’s search box and click enter. Then the domain checker will do the job for you.

Check the Competition

It’s a good practice to look at your competitors and market leader domain names and see what keywords they include in their domains. For example, a clothing business will likely have words revolving around the fashion industry.

Keep an eye on the domain extension they use too. See whether they’re playing it safe by using .com or being unique and unconventional by using extensions like .uno or .fun to make themselves stand out. More about domain extensions will be explained later in section 5.

Create the Right Name

A domain name has an effect on the first impression your website will make when people visit it. That’s why it’s crucial to come up with a domain name that represents what your business is all about. 

There are a few factors you should pay attention to when registering a domain name, which are:

  • Make sure it’s simple, easy to spell, and memorable.
  • Avoid using hyphens, doubled letters, special characters, and numbers.
  • Include one keyword.
  • Avoid using English slang.
  • Create a brandable name.

These tips are necessary because your domain name should be easily found by people, whether it is through search engine result pages or word-of-mouth.

Look Beyond .com Domains

Bear in mind that besides choosing the right domain name, you should also pick the right domain name extension for your business. 

Most websites will go for the .com since it’s the most popular and memorable domain extension. This is because a lot of people tend to type .com automatically when typing a web address. 

But you can also use other generic TLDs that are more focused on your niche. For example, you can use .io for gaming applications and .store for an online store.

There are also domain names that are based on countries’ locations, which are called the ccTLDs. You can use them to attract a local audience, and search engines will usually rank local websites higher than global ones. 

Consider the Domain Pricing 

Domain name extensions have various pricing options, and they usually differ depending on the domain name registrars. So make sure you ask your registrar for the domain name extensions’ price lists before you purchase the domain name.

You should also be careful of any hidden fees. After you’ve registered your domain name, you’re required to renew the license every year. It’s a good practice to double-check the terms of service before buying a domain name from any domain registrar.

Avoid Trademarks

Another crucial thing to know before you decide to secure a domain name is to check whether a trademark is registered under that name. This is important because you don’t want a company to file a lawsuit against you for trademark infringement. This will result in you giving up your domain name and losing your website.

An excellent way to avoid this is to build your brand with the same name across your website and social media channels from the very beginning. This means that you’ll also want to make sure that there aren’t any social media handles using that name.

Plan for the Long-term

A domain name will be one of the most critical elements in your business that will help define your brand for years to come. You can change your domain name, but it will cost you a lot of money. Not only that, but you’ll also lose all of the branding and SEO rankings you’ve built up. 

That’s why you must plan and pick a domain name that will still represent your business even when your product or service range increases. Therefore, don’t go for a name that’s too focused on a single item or niche.

Conclusion

These are the eight things you need to consider before buying a domain name. Remember that your domain name should be simple, easy to remember, and easy to spell. To do that, you should avoid using hyphens, doubled letters, numbers, and special characters. 

If the domain name you want isn’t available, you can always use domain name generators to help you find an alternative. Then choose a fitting extension and you’re done.,

Good luck!

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