Without a domain name, you don’t have a website, but how do you go about buying a domain name and what exactly are they?
Put simply…
Domain names are the website address of your business website and usually end in .com .co.uk .org .info, and a whole host of others.
Buying a domain name is simple…
So, how do you get one?
All you need to do is go to a domain name provider and purchase one. Yup, it’s that simple!
We can also help you with buying domain names, as we offer domains. (Drop us an enquiry here.) If you are ready to buy, just scroll down to the bottom of this page and click the button to get started.
What name shall I choose?
I recommend coming up with what you are going to call your website. This is usually your business name or your name. You can also add any other descriptive words to this name, but don’t make it too long as prospective clients need to remember it.
For example, I used to own a website, and my business name was Pink Heaven. For that site, I wrote about all kinds of party ideas, so I named the site Pink Heaven Party Ideas so people had more of an idea what it was about (it also helps Google as well!)
You then need to choose a Top Level Domain or TLD (this is your .com, etc.) There are so many available now, you can even have one that will match your business, such as .photography.
Is .com essential?
People often ask us whether they need to have the .com, or .co.uk (or your country equivalent). Our advice is that if you are planning to sell worldwide, then .com is better. If you are limited to selling within the UK, then .co.uk would work better. I tend to purchase both and redirect one to the other so I can protect the name.
What if your pick is taken?
Once you have chosen a business name, you need to find out if someone already has it. Typing it into Google doesn’t really cut it, as someone may have bought the domain name but not used it as a website yet. Instead, I recommend using ‘who.is’, it’s free and will check if anyone owns the domain name you want. If they do own it, you will need to make some changes, such as using a different name, adding or taking away a word, or using a different TLD.
Please be careful if the person who owns the domain name you want does something similar to you, and it can be proven that people can mistake one website for another, it can be a case of infringing their intellectual property, and you may have to change the name. So always double-check, especially if it is a registered trademark.
So, how do I purchase?
Then, with your name and the knowledge that no one owns it, buying a domain name is easy. Proceed to any domain name provider, and you can usually purchase your domain for under £10 by simply following their instructions!
And you’re done!
If you get stuck buying a domain name, then just contact me or take a look to see if your domain name is available over here: