Why do I need a Domain name? (and what do I do with it?)
With more companies going online, securing a domain name that you (actually) want, is getting tricker and tricker. But, don’t worry, we have put together some ideas to get around this problem.
We’ll also let you in on a pro tip that helps you avoid falling for the Domain registrar trap!
Before we start – check out our Website Series below.
- 3 Reasons why not adding your favicon is hurting your website
- Is your website breaking the law?
- What is a One-Pager Website (& why do I need one?)
- Do’s & Don’ts of What to Add to Your Website
- Top Website Mistakes creative professionals make (& how to avoid them)
Is your business to-do list forever growing? That’s about to change. At the end of this blog post, you’ll be able to tick off your list (+ my favourite, highlighting) registering your Domain name. Get your highlighter ready!
Index
What is a Domain Name?
Some Domain Name Registrars
Pro Tip: The domain registrar trap
Our extra tip – Registering an Email
Your action steps
Where to next?
Want more insider tips?
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is simply the name you want your website to appear under when people search or type in your web address.
It will also include the ‘.com’, ‘.net’, and ‘.org’ (the part at the end of the name). This is called an extension. The most common of these is ‘.com’.
Unfortunately, as ‘.com’ is the most sought-after extension, you’ll find that most common names ending with .com are already taken.
But don’t let that stop you! There are many other name extensions you can use, and some may even be better suited to your business.
For example, if you have a photography business, say Elegant Weddings, and your ideal business domain name ‘elegantweddings.com’ has already been taken, you may be able to register it as a .photo instead – making it elegantweddings.photo. This type of extension can also tell your customers more about your business.
The first step is to see what’s available and register the name so no one else can take it.
Some Domain Name Registrars:
Pro Tip: The domain registrar trap
With all of these domain name registrars – watch for the upsell!
It’s like the ‘Do you want fries with that’ of the internet. You often don’t need hosting or extra domain names like .org and .net (unless like fries, you want them!).
Showit hosts our Template Emporium website designs.
So the extra hosting the domain registrar would try and upsell to us would be a waste.
The platform you’re using may have hosting included as well. Always double-check before you agree to anything.
Our extra tip – Registering an Email
An option you should consider at this stage is, registering an email that matches your domain name.
We share how to pick the perfect email address here.
Finally, once you have registered a name, you’ll need to link your website to the address you registered.
If you have a Template Emporium website design, you won’t have to worry about this last step as the Showit team will link your finished design to the address you registered.
Want to avoid the stress and concern of registering it yourself? Check out our template designs, all you’ll have to do is give the Showit team your domain name, and they’ll take care of the rest.
Your action steps
1. Make a list of possible domain names for your business.
2. Pick the domain name registrar you would like to use.
2. Check to see what’s available and register it (before anyone else does!).
Where to next?
Have you added a Favicon to your website? Here’s How
Want to know our favourite website branding secret? Visit Here
Does your website have these 2 legal requirements? Check Here
Want more insider tips?
Grab our FREE Essential Guide for Creatives. “Do’s & Don’ts of what to add to your website”. We give you a simple plan to follow so that you’ll never have to question what to show online again.
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