Estimated Time to Accomplish: 30 minutes (unless you are like me and take days to decide a domain name!)
How to purchase a domain name for a website? Ready to finally START YOUR WEBSITE? Then look no further and start here. Use this guide to learn the difference between purchasing your domain with a registrar and with a hosting platform, and how to purchase a domain that works for your business.
A Quick Summary:
Learn how to chose and purchase a domain name for your business. Namecheap (and other domain registrars) offers an easy solution for buying your domain, and is an alternative to buying your domain name on a hosting plan.
Your next steps:
If you don’t yet have your domain, keep reading!
If you already have your website domain and hosting and need to set up WordPress, click here.
How to purchase a domain name for a website
I have purchased tons of domain names in the past. I have purchased domain names from web host platforms (Bluehost, GoDaddy), from website builder platforms like Google Blogger and WordPress.com (read more about that mistake here), and from my favorite domain name registrar, Namecheap.
One time I woke up at 2 am and thought of a domain name and purchased it right then. Othertimes I have spent months picking out the perfect domain name before purchasing it. Some domain names I am still using. Some I am just keeping and waiting until the right day to start that business.
But, the bottom line is that you can purchase a domain name ANY TIME – regardless of when you are ready to start your business.
If you find the perfect domain name, I recommend to register it right away (using the steps below), and holding it and waiting until you are ready to start your business using that domain name. Namecheap gives you that option.
Keep reading to learn how to purchase a domain name for a website.
Where should you purchase your domain?
There are two ways to purchase and register a domain. One, through a web host or website buider platform (like Bluehost or Squarespace) and two, through a domain registrar (like Namecheap).
1. Purchasing a domain through a host
Most (or all) hosts offer purchasing a domain through the host. The most obvious example is through Bluehost that offers domains from about $12.99 for the first year. (You can read more that Bluehost here.) Hosts usually offer this as part of their hosting package that offers domains at the beginning of purchasing their hosting package.
It is REALLY tempting to purchase your domain at this point in your hosting journey.
But, there are several cons to purchasing your domain as part of your hosting package.
- If you purchase a domain through a host, it can be very difficult to transfer a domain from an old host to a new host.
- If your domain and host are managed the same company, a single security breach can affect both.
- Hosting companies can attach their name to your domain if purchasing through the hosting plan, instead of it being solely under your name.
- If you purchase a domain through a host, it is hard to purchase it early before you are ready to pay for a hosting package. There is less flexibility.
2. Purchasing a domain through a registrar
My favorite way to purchase a domain is through a Namecheap, my favorite registrar. I have purchased so many domains through Namecheap before I’ve even been interested in starting a website. And, when I do start a website and inevitably change hosts, it is SUPER easy to switch the new host to that domain, which is operated by a third party registrar.
Namecheap domain registration for top-level domains starts at under $10/year, and they offer email addresses, and domain privacy. They also offer hosting, WordPress installation and DNS services, but I have never used those resources.
Here are some pros of using a domain registrar:
- It is easier to migrate a domain to different hosts from a registrar, instead of transfering a domain from an old host to a new host.
- It is more secure to have your domain and host managed by separate companies.
- It is better to make sure your domain is completely owned by you (via a registrar) rather than having a host attach their name to the domain.
- It is convenient to purchase your domain separate from your host, and have it ready for whenever you interested in starting your hosting plan.
3. Use Namecheap Beast Mode Generator
My favorite way to find available domains with Namecheap is with their “Beast Mode“. Just click “Beast Mode” in the search bar and you are given an awesome domain name generator that helps you find web addresses availability and a domain name registration that is available with your criteria.
Once you are inside the generator for your domain name search and all available domain names, you can add keywords and variations to target, choose the extension you want (ie. just com domains), and any rules you want the generator to follow (ie. like “Use domain hacks”). This will show you every available name for your business.
What domain should you purchase?
Your perfect domain name not only exemplifies your business, but helps future clients decide if they want to hire you. A poorly constructed domain name can be a red flag for some people, and tells a lot about the owner. It’s like using a MySpace account in 2024. It just not current enough to proclaim, “I deserve your business!”
Let me show you how to choose a domain name for your business in 2024!
1. Use a .Com extension
If you go to Namecheap and look at all the available domains, you will see TONS of extensions. Some options are: .com, .net, .org, .co, .shop, .store….and even crazy ones like .africa, .bio, .best, .bar.
If you want your website to perform well in regards to SEO, and be found easily in your internet browsers, use a top-level domain extension (tld) like .com. The other extensions will not perform as well, and will not rank as well. Of course, if your domain is absolutely only possible with different domain extensions, I get it! But if possible, use a .com extension for the right domain extension.
This is a good description of what different extensions mean.
2. Be able to pronounce it easily
I once owned a business and named it “The Design Consortium” – and the domain was designconsortiumonline.com. Yeah. Imagine explaining that to people. Not a great move. If you have to spell and explain your domain, it’s too complicated. If you can’t communicate your internet domain and online presence to someone in an elevator pitch (and have them remember it!), find a new one!
3. Keep it short
Again, adding additional words to your domain in order to secure the right wording (ie. “designconsortiumonline“), is just very cumbersome and clunky. People will forget the additional words “online, services, blog” and might not be able to find you in the future. Find a combination that names your business, without adding additional words, hyphens, periods, and other punctuation.
Domain Purchasing Tips
Ready to purchase your domain through Namecheap? LET’S GO.
- Find the right domain name on Namecheap for the price you are willing to pay.
- Click “Add to Cart” to start the checkout process.
- In your cart, toggle on “Domain Privacy” for domain privacy protection, and include that in your purchase. (Ready why here so you can protect yourself from contact information showing on the WhoIs lookup tool.)
- (There is no need to add any other additional services. But, they are up to you!)
- Verify your domain renewal pricing, create an account, and pay!