Steps to Buying a Domain Name

When you’re ready to start working online, you’ll need to have an online presence. This can be through a website or blog. Either way, you will need a domain name. To make the idea simple, think of it this way: A domain name is the name of your website. It’s also the address of your website. Just like you have an address at your home, you can give others an address to your web presence.

So here are five simple steps you can use to get your first domain name.

1. Find a Place to Purchase the Domain. You’ll find many places to buy domains on the web. Do a simple search in your web browser for “domain names” and you’ll get more hits than you could ever use. Find the one the is least expensive or meets other criteria for you. You can purchase the domain for a single year or in terms of multiple years. Domain registration is relatively inexpensive, with prices at under $10 per year.

2. Search for a Name. Once you get to the domain purchase site, do a search to find an available domain name. Use these tips on naming your site:

* Go with .com. If at all possible, select a .com name as most people will automatically think of .com when they type in your name. You can use a .net or other ending after you become established online.

* Spell things correctly. Getting too fancy with your domain name can cost your web visitors. If a person can’t find you because you used a clever spelling that only can remember, they will probably give up looking for you. Try to use the most common and correct spelling possible when selecting your domain name.

3. Buy the Name: When you find an available domain that you like, buy it. Try to purchase the name when you search for it. Sometimes, you might log out of the domain buying site only to go back and find that your domain was taken by another source. Search for domains when you’re really ready to buy to avoid this disaapointment.

4. Get a Public or Private Registration. You can register a domain as public or private. Public registrations will be visible in the whois.com directory. The whois directory allows people to type in a website and view the owner’s personal identity. If you do not want your personal information shown, choose private registration (this will cost a little bit extra).

5. Select length of registration. After you have selected the term of your registration (such as 1, 2 or more years) and decided if you want public or private registration, you only need to enter your billing info and complete your purchase. You now own your domain and can have it transferred to your web host to put on your public website.