When you start a business, the typical next step is to establish an online presence with a website. And with that, it’s a given that a domain name will also come next. Registering a domain name, which can be intimidating for first-timers, is the first move. But don't worry: you're walking with our guide through it! Let us discuss how to register a domain name for your website or Strikingly website.
You need to make a crucial decision after you have chosen to create a website, even before you consult our best roundup of web hosting services: what is your domain name going to be? You know, it's the web address [yoursitename.extension] that all your (hopefully) many clients find you through. In effect, your domain name is your website's name, so you want to make sure you get a good one. It's a pretty easy process to buy a tag, but finding one that isn't already taken can be quite a hurdle. Moreover, you may also want to make sure that you understand the arrangement between you and the registrar of the domain name. If all of these are getting too complicated for you, then this how to register domain name guide is the perfect one for you. But first, let us define what a free domain name is.
What is a Free Domain Name?
Domain names place a friendly face on numeric internet addresses that are hard to recall. There is a specific internet protocol (IP) number on every device on the internet. One IP number or more is represented by a domain name. The IP number for the whitehouse.gov domain name, for example, is 104.109.178.94. The entire goal is to give users an easy-to-remember address so that you can type president@whitehouse.gov instead of the more confusing and unattractive president@104.109.178.94. while writing an e-mail to, let's say, the President of the United States.
A domain name can be purchased from anyone. You can visit a domain name registrar, such as A2, GoDaddy, or Strikingly, then enter the domain you want to purchase and pay a fee to do this. Of course, you can't just buy any domain, just one that is not already registered by another person or company and that carries a legitimate domain suffix. In general, you would want to buy something that is catchy and simple, so that it is both easy to remember and easy to type in for individuals, such as "nytimes.com," for instance. This is strong search engine optimization (SEO) and it is common sense as well that it is directly linked to The New York Times newspaper company. You will want to do some research on keywords with your organization as well. If you can get a nice one in the name of your domain, from an SEO point of view, that's all the better.
Of course, there is more on how to register domain name. To register a domain name and find a suitable one, you need to mind a few more factors. You may find that there are already many of the shortest, catchiest names, particularly if you join a space that is already well known on the web. Cyber-squatters also snatch up these enticing names as an investment to resell them to real would-be domain owners later, to make matters worse. We will get back to this later.
Check for a support facility on the site of each registrar if you have trouble locating a domain name (whether because of crowding or cyber-squatters). Usually, domain registrars house search engines that return a list of names available identical to the one you seek. For starters, when you search for a first register domain Name Cheap, you get both that name's status and a list of suffixes available for that name. Sitename.com may not be available, but Sitename.biz or .org is. These are some of the basics of how to register domain name that you should keep in mind.
If you are looking for a robust website builder that comes with a free domain, then you are in the right place. Strikingly is not only a website builder, but it also comes with a dedicated free domain that you can use to publish your websites. You can check more about our free offerings here!
Web Hosting and its link to Domain Name
However, to obtain a domain name, you don't need to go to a dedicated registry service. As part of the sign-up process, the best web hosting providers, such as DreamHost, HostGator, and Hostwinds, regularly offer a login mechanism. When you sign up for a web hosting kit, hosting providers usually provide a free domain name.
However, bear in mind that a free domain name is usually only free for one or two years, after which you will be billed for the annual or biennial charge by the registrar. In other terms, the free domain name service just pays for the first charge from the registrar. Please also notice whether the company charges a fee for setting up a domain name or not. Many sites provide free conversion of a registered domain name to their servers, but you can often find a setup charge over and above the fee of the registrar. This, including the things we mentioned earlier, is one of the aspects of a register domain name you should be mindful of.
Please notice that not all web hosts offer you a domain name registration option. For starters, Cloudways is a solid web host that allows you to buy a domain name from somewhere. Registrars give a wide range of one year, three, five, and even ten enrollment cycles. However, be vigilant about registering for longer than a year. Second, if the registrar provides bad quality, there may be limits on the right to pass the domain name. Second, the registrar could go out of business, leaving you without a host for your domain name. Lastly, we advise that you review these register domain name methods closely
Register Domain Name Suffixes
Free domain name registration is indeed a daunting task at first, but taking a closer look and you will see it isn’t as complicated at all. Let’s discuss what Suffixes are next.
The name is defined by the suffix as belonging to a particular top-level domain (TLD). Numerous TLDs, like .com, .edu, .game, .green, .hiphop, .net, and .org, are available for general purchasing. By far the most famous of these is .com, which is meant to display commercial pages, but has come to cover almost everything in reality.
Depending on the domain name and suffix, you can expect to spend anything from $1 yearly to absurd amounts of money. Yes, it’s a wide range. In fact, if you're searching for a highly coveted domain with a common suffix, you might have to open your wallet in a big way, because it's likely someone else has it registered already. For starters, Carinsurance.com sold for nearly $50 million! There is also a booming industry of squatters, as described earlier, who seek to flip domains for profit (even those that are less clearly important than insurance.com). Some of them want you to make a bid, indicating that they would reject something less than $500. It’s a profitable business, though a less ethical one. The register domain name business is indeed an odd niche of an enterprise.
Register Domain Name Contracts
We would also like to believe that a domain name, once purchased, is ours forever and under all circumstances. The situation is not always this way though. In reality, be completely careful to research what you get before paying. You will be influenced in a variety of areas by the contract you sign with the registrar. For particular grounds, many register domain name contracts retain the right to revoke your free domain name or paid domain name, usually if you use the domain for unauthorized purposes or for purposes that are considered inappropriate (such as spamming). Many contracts contain a clause authorizing the domain name to be removed by the registrar for no obvious cause. The assumption, of course, is that it's the registrar's domain name, not yours.
Last Step of Free Domain Name Registration/Paid Domain Name Registration
You would not actually be entitled to use the name for several hours or even a few days, even though you file and pay for the domain name. The domain must be propagated, which ensures that the official domain name register must be updated with the Domain Name System information on the website. That's something that happens on the backend, without you having any feedback.
Certain registrars guarantee to get the name online right away, but for some, the wait can be up to seven days. Usually, however, within 48 hours you can expect to see the domain name up and running on the web.
You can not, in all conditions, spend more to transfer a domain name than to get a new one. Verify what will be needed for the move. Can the new service totally perform the task? Or do you have to go to the website of the new registrar and manually change the technical details? Finally, before signing your domain name, check the registrar's conversion policies.
Usually, for the first 60 days after registration, you can't pass a name, although the duration may be much longer. Do not ask every registrar to refund money that you have spent for months of service that you are not going to use.
Get Free Domain Name with Strikingly
Start your domain name adventures now with Strikingly. We offer free Strikingly domain name once you get your website up and running! All on us! We also have hundreds of templates that you can use to spice up your website’s looks. You can check our full pricing here.
