If your domain is available, you can register it for a period of time that you specify during the checkout process. You can use your domain to build your business and assist you in creating a dynamic online identity. You may also want to consider registering multiple domain names to:
- Keep your competition from registering a domain name that draws customers to them instead of you.
- Promote the different products and services you offer.
- Drive more traffic to your website.
- Enjoy more opportunities to market to, and be listed on, search engines.
- Create distinct advertising strategies that reach different target markets.
- Provide customers more ways to find you when searching the Internet.
- Capture common misspellings of your domain name, instead of sending visitors to an error page.
- Protect your brand and online identity from those who may have unsavory purposes.
A domain name can be any combination of letters and/or numbers up to 63 characters. There are no spaces in a domain name but you can put a dash – in a domain name. In the U.S., the most common domain name extensions (aka top-level domains) are .com and .net. Other popular top-level domains (TLDs) include .org, .biz, .info, .us and .ws. There are also specialized extensions like .tv and .tk, but in general you should stick with the most popular ones.
How to Choose a Good Domain Name
Keep it short. The shorter, the better. It’s best to keep your domain name less than 15 characters if possible. A shorter name is easier for people to remember and it also reduces the likelihood that your visitor will mistype it or misspell it. For example, BuyIt.com is much less likely to be mistyped than iliketosellthispleasebuyitfrommetoday.com.
Keep it sweet. The more memorable the name, the easier it is for people to remember. You can have the best site in the world, but if people can’t remember your domain name it will cut down on your return visitors. It’s hard enough to get traffic on the Web without “losing” visitors that want to come back but can’t find you.
Keep it simple. Make sure the domain name is easy for people to spell. Don’t spell words unusually. Unless you have incredible branding, people will type in the common spelling of our domain and your competition will get visitors who were looking for you. For example, BlueLight.com is much better than BluLite.com
Choose a domain name that reflects your business. Don’t just choose a random name. For example, if you market your Web store to people interested in dogs, you should choose a name that has the word “dog” in it such as DogWebHosting.com. Or, your domain name should refer to dogs in some way, like BarkWebhosting .com The former will help you in the search engines, the latter will be more memorable.
To check to see if a company as already trademarked the domain name you want, look it up online at the government’s trademark office at www.uspto.gov.
To get started, you need to check if the domain name you want is available.
To Check a Domain’s Availability
- Click Here to register a domain.
- In the Domain Name Search field, enter the domain you want to register, and then select the domain extension from the list.
- Click Go.
If the domain you requested is taken, we present you with available alternatives. For example, you may be able to select a .INFO or .WS domain extension, rather than a .COM. For example, you could register www.coolexample.info, instead of www.coolexample.com.
If the domain is available, follow the instructions to complete the checkout process. As you complete your registration, include valid contact information for each contact. ICANN, the governing body for domain names, requires valid information for your contact information (Registrant, Technical, Billing, and Administrative). If you enter false information, your domain is cancelled.
Your contact information is public and accessible through the Whois databases of most registrars. However, you can protect your privacy by registering your domain with us using our private domain name registration services.
When you purchase our private domain registration services, the Whois directory lists Domains By Proxy’s name, postal address, and phone number instead of yours. Although Domains By Proxy is the registrant of your domain name registration, you still retain the full benefits of domain registration. You can:
- Cancel, sell, or transfer your domain registration.
- Revert the registrant listing for your domain registration back to you.
- Renew your domain registration when it expires.
- Designate the nameservers for your domain.
- Resolve claims arising out of a dispute involving your domain registration.