A lot of new website owners struggle with picking the right domain name for their website. The actual name you go with has very little impact on the success of your site.
So long as our domain name is somewhat relevant to what your website is about, you will be fine. Having a branded domain name is still considered relevant as you will be operating under your company’s brand name.
What is a Domain Name?
A domain name is the website address people will have to type into their browser to get to your website. For this website, the domain name is “healthyranking.com”. If you want to have a website, you have to have a domain name for it.
How Do You Get a Domain Name?
In order to purchase a domain name, you will need to sign up for an account with a domain name registrar. A registrar is a company that stores your domain name information and grants you access to change any domain name settings.
Buying a domain name is simple, cheap, and quick to do. That is, if the domain name you’re after is available. Most domain name registrars will have a search engine to allow you to look for a domain name that is suitable for you.
If your domain name is unavailable, you they may suggest similar domain names or domain names that have an alternate extension.
Domain Name Extensions
A domain name extension is the “.com” or “.org” that follows the name of the domain. Choosing the right extension can drive some people mad, and it is highly recommended to choose a common extension if you are unsure about this process.
There are hundreds of extensions you can choose from, and they all serve a purpose. Choosing the right extension can help users to quickly understand what kind of website they are visiting. For example, websites with the extension “.io” is commonly understood that the user will be able to some kind of input device to interact with the website.
Domain Name Trap: Introductory Rates
If you’ve read our guide on Hosting Basics, you will notice a similar trend with domain name rates. Providers are happy to give you a fantastic deal for the first year of ownership, then charge your their actual rates once it is time to renew.
This isn’t really something that can be avoided. It is your duty to find a reputable domain name provider that will allow you to renew your domain name without charging you more and more each time.
Transferring Domains to a Different Registrar
Transferring your domain to a different provider is meant for more experienced and technically savvy people so I will omit the details from this article. Just know that you can always transfer your domain name to a different provider if you are unhappy with the provider you are currently paying.
In some cases, the support team for the new provider can walk you through the process of domain name transfer.