Wondering how to register a domain name? If so, then you’ve come to the right place. This article will answer all your queries about how to buy a domain name for your new website.
Setting up a website is crucial for establishing your online presence as a professional or a business. And, the first step towards building a website is to register a custom domain name.
If you aren’t familiar with website technology, then this whole affair can be quite confusing. So, here we present to you a detailed guide on domain names and how to get a domain name for yourself.
What is a Domain Name and Why Do You Need it?
Simply put, a domain name is a website’s address. You can easily find a person if you know their address. The same logic applies to websites.
For example, google.com, amazon.com, and themegrill.com are all domain names. Knowing these domain names means you can visit a website and access their content.
People used IP addresses to locate websites long before domain names came to be. An IP address is a string of numbers that points to a particular website. But, it’s harder to type and remember this than a simple textual address.
That’s why domain names were created. Since your site is much easier to find with a domain name, it boosts your online presence. It also signifies professional authority for any kind of business.
You’ve probably heard how a website requires both web hosting and domain name. You can go through our article on domain name vs web hosting to learn more about them.
How to Choose the Best Domain Name for Your Site?
The easier your domain name is to remember, the more people will correctly type it. Hence, more traffic you’ll get.
But it’s just one factor. There are many more things to consider while you’re brainstorming a good domain name for your new site.
- Top-level domain (TLD): In many cases, ‘.com‘ is the best choice since it’s the most used domain name extension.
- Length: Short domain names are easier to remember, so stay away from lengthy names.
- Hyphens: You should avoid using hyphens in your domain name unless necessary because they are associated with spam sites.
- Double letters: Avoid using double letters in your domain name. For example – deliciousstore.com. Users may fail to spell such words correctly, hence results in a loss of traffic to your site.
- Uniqueness: Choose a unique domain name that describes what your site is about. To give you an idea, themegrill.com is a unique name, and it hints at our site being a theme creator company.
With that said, now let’s do ahead and check where to register a new domain.
Where to Register Your New Domain?
Now, the next obstacle is, where do you register your new domain? We recommend these 3 domain name registrars for that:
1. Namecheap
True to its name, Namecheap offers a domain name registration service at a fee of just $8.88/year. It’s a great option for those on a tight budget.
2. Domain.com
Domain.com gives you the choice to buy a domain name valid for up to 5 years. Besides that, you can also build your website, get web hosting services, and transfer your domain name with Domain.com.
3. Bluehost
Bluehost is one of the top WordPress hosting companies. It provides free domain name registration if you use their hosting service. This is another cost-efficient alternative since you just have to pay $8.99/month for both of these services.
If you’d like to learn about more domain name registrars besides these three, then go through our article listing the best domain name registrars.
There are hosting providers that offer domain name registration services like Bluehost. Then there are separate domain registrars like Namecheap and Domain.com. You can compare them and decide what works for you best.
But, it’s about time we get to answering the primary question. So, here’s a step-by-step guide to how you can buy a domain name with these 3 registrars.
1. How to Register a Domain Name with Namecheap (Step-by-Step)
First of all, go to Namecheap.com. When you open Namecheap’s website, the first thing you’ll see is the domain name availability checker tool.
Type the domain name you have in mind in the search bar to see if it’s available or not.
If the name is available, you can go ahead and click Add To Cart.
If it’s already taken, then come up with another unique name. Or, you can choose a name from the Suggested Results.
Namecheap offers other services like SSL, VPN, and web hosting. You can add them to the cart if you want to purchase them as well. After that, proceed with the Checkout.
On the next page, you can change how many years you’re buying the domain name for and whether you want to auto-renew it. You’ll also get their Domain Privacy for free.
Then, click on Confirm Order.
But, before the payment, you’ll be taken to a page with a registration form. You have to register a new account with Namecheap or log in if you already have an account.
Once you fill in your personal information, click on Create Account and Continue.
Finally, enter your billing information and confirm the purchase. Namecheap will now register your domain name.
2. How to Register a Domain Name with Domain.com (Step-by-Step)
Same as before, go to Domain.com first. After that, check if your desired domain name is available by typing it in the Find and purchase a domain name search field.
If the domain name is available, then Domain.com automatically adds it to your cart.
In the shopping cart, choose how many years you want to purchase the domain for. The purchase also includes Privacy+Protection.
After reviewing your cart, click Continue.
You’ll be taken to a page asking if you want any domain add-ons. For instance, professional email addresses and hosting plans. You can add them to the cart if you need them and Proceed To Billing.
The final step is to fill in your billing information, choose a payment method, and complete the purchase.
With this, you’ve completed the registration process. Check your email for a link to your domain control panel.
3. How to Register a Domain Name with Bluehost (Step-by-Step)
As mentioned before, Bluehost is basically a web hosting provider company. But it also provides domain registration and other web services.
The best part is that you’ll get a free domain for 1 year if you use their hosting service.
So, if you’re looking for an affordable way to start your site, then Bluehost is a great choice. Buy WordPress hosting for $2.75/mo. and get a domain free. Your site’s starting cost will be just about $33 for the first year.
Get Web Hosting & Free Domain from Bluehost
To get hosting and free domain combo, go to Bluehost.com and click on ‘Get Started‘ button.
Next, you’ll see the ‘Select Your Plan‘ page. From there, you can choose a web hosting plan as per your requirements.
On the next screen, you’ll find domain registration page. It’ll ask you to create a new domain or use an existing domain.
To register a new domain, type in your chosen domain name inside ‘Create a new domain’ box. Then, click on the ‘Next’ button.
On the next screen, you’ll see a message that your requested domain is available. If it’s not available, then you should repeat the search process.
Next, you should create an account to proceed the hosting and domain purchase.
You can sign up with Google or enter your details.
Scroll down and also provide your payment information, agree to their conditions, and click on the ‘Submit’ button.
That’s it! You’ll now get your hosting package with free domain. Check your email for the login information.
Get a Domain ONLY from Bluehost
Are you hosting your site on another web host? Still, you can register your domain on Bluehost. First, go to the Bluehost domains page and search for the availability of the domain name of your choice.
It automatically adds an available domain name to the cart. If it’s not available, try coming up with other unique variations.
Once you’ve finalized the perfect domain name, check your shopping cart and click Proceed. Keep in mind that Bluehost auto-renews your domain registration yearly.
Then, choose whether you want to bundle Bluehost’s 30-day free hosting service trial with your domain name purchase or not. If you’re not interested, select Proceed without 30-day trial of hosting.
After that, add your billing information and pick a payment method.
If you want emails about products and updates, check the box. Otherwise, keep it empty and click Purchase Now.
Bluehost will now register your domain name and send a link to your account via your email.
Wrapping Up
That wraps up this guide on how to register a domain name. Usually, registrations follow the process of choosing a domain name, checking if it’s available or not, and making the purchase. So, you can see that it’s not as complicated as you initially thought.
We hope our article is helpful to anyone trying to figure out how to buy a domain name.
However, learning how to set up a domain name is just the first step to creating a fully functional WordPress website. There are many other things to explore like securing your website and backing up your site.
Just go through our blog if you want to learn more. Also, follow us on our social channels Twitter and Facebook.
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