Choosing a domain name is not as easy you might think. And also how to choose a domain name on Hostinger requires some best practices to be followed in order to find the perfect domain name for your business. There are many things that needs to be considered before you buy a domain name. And in this article we are going to take you through such 35 best practices to choose a domain name.
Choosing a domain name can be perhaps of the main move towards laying out your first impression of your business. One of a visitor’s first impressions of your website and brand can be influenced by their initial impression of your domain name. When you choose a domain name on Hostinger’s domain search generator, you may increase users interest rate and drive more web traffic to your website.
If you look at Hostinger review, it has built its brand name with its website. A Hostinger web hosting company provides useful domain checker tool to find the best domain. A brand’s foundation will be its domain name for many years to come. It is essential to complete the necessary work upfront before registering a domain name to ensure that it meets a client’s long-term requirements.
Why choose a Domain Name?
One of the first things you need to do to set up your website is to buy a domain name. Even though it’s a fun activity, finding the right domain name, but it can be sometimes much stressful. This is especially true in light of the abundance of choices on the market when it comes to domain finder tool.
But if you can make an educated choice, why be confused? Let’s take a look at some of the most important things to think about before buying a domain name in this post. Any new business that buys a domain name is an exciting step, but there is more to it than just choosing the right name. There are a few things you should know before you start.
Domain registrars, or businesses that sell domain names, are not all the same. To make more money, some companies hide fees or sell your information, which can hurt your business for a long time. The good news is that you can learn what to avoid before buying a domain name by following a set of few straightforward guidelines.
How to choose a Domain Name on Hostinger?
Before we start understanding how to choose a domain name, first let us understand the basics of what is a domain name? A domain name is the place of your online business, which is what the visitors will write into the search bar of any web browsers in order to access your site.
Because of this, it is crucial to ensure that the domain name is easy to spell, memorable, and, ideally, includes the name of the business. After all, a bad domain name shouldn’t make it difficult for potential customers to locate your business online.
How do you select a domain name that is appropriate for your company? How can you guarantee that it will help establish credibility and trust while simultaneously promoting your brand? And will it be easier to spell and remember?
In order to answer all of the above questions, let us take an example of a domain, which will help us to understand what a domain name is made of? Here is the example: www.store.brandname.com
- www and store are both subdomains, but nowadays, the prefix “www” is more of an option than a necessity
- www are the most frequently used second-level domains
- brandname, which is the second-level domain
- com is the top-level domain
Ideally, your personal or business name should be included in a second-level domain. Because it is the part that visitors must remember to access your website, the name needs to be appropriate. Making a list of possible choices is the best way to select an excellent second-level domain name. The next step is to narrow them down using a domain name checker to see if they are still available.
When you have just a few choices, look at the top-level domains (TLDs) that can be linked to your website and pick one that will work. Before purchasing the ideal domain name, please feel free to browse our selection of TLDs at Hostinger.
How to choose a Domain Name on Hostinger?
How to choose a TLD?
Your website’s purpose is indicated by a TLD, which is the last part of your URL and is coordinated by ICANN. In summary, there are three main types of TLDs:
- gTLD – generic top-level domain
- sTLD – sponsored top-level domain
- ccTLD – country code top-level domain
The most common type of top-level domain with no registration restrictions is a gTLD. The majority of websites use.com domains, but other good gTLD examples include:
- .org
- .net
However, the most popular extensions are not the only ones on this list. Numerous additional domain endings are regarded as viable alternatives. The .online, .site, and .store TLDs, among others, are examples of these.
In an ideal scenario, each kind of gTLD ought to symbolize the goal of your website. For instance, .com thought to be utilized for business destinations, while .organization domain thought to be held only for associations or organizations. Furthermore, .net domain names were initially utilized by organizations engaged with the web innovations and technologies like internet services.
However, any of the gTLDs can now be used to register a website, regardless of its intended use. For this purpose, there are extensions like: .xyz and .icu, that are free to use and not tied to any particular industry.
However, it’s always a good idea to use a domain name extension that reflects your website’s content. For instance, potential customers are more likely to click on your online store’s address if it ends with, .store or .shop domain names.
Private businesses are in charge of managing sTLDs. This means that you can’t register an sTLD unless you follow certain rules and have permission. Good examples of sTLDs include:
- .gov – for government institutions only
- .edu – for educational institutions
- .mil – for the military organizations
ccTLDs are the final kind of top-level domain. These indicate the country or location of the website or organization. Good examples of ccTLDs are:
- .us – United States
- .co.uk – United Kingdom
- .fr – France
Visitors can identify the region on which the website is based by looking at this kind of TLD. When registering for a ccTLD, there are no additional requirements or permissions that must be obtained.
Nevertheless, some ccTLDs are no longer associated with particular nations or regions. For instance, Anguilla, a British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, is represented by the official extension: .ai. However, due to its association with artificial intelligence (AI), many tech companies use this domain suffix as a generic top-level domain. Additionally, the.cc domain, which was initially given as the ccTLD for the Cocos Islands, has developed into an alternative to: .com. Today, a variety of personal and business websites make use of it.
It is essential to know how to select a domain name for your business. A bad domain name can have a direct impact on the website’s traffic, conversion rates, and overall credibility. Give it some serious consideration in order to prevent this from happening. Consider a variety of options, determine which best reflects your brand, and then choose the best option.
In conclusion, here are our suggestions on how to choose a good domain name:
- Make a list of domain names that go well with the branding and the website
- Determine which options are available by checking the domain name registrar
- For your website, purchase the chosen domain name
At Hostinger, excellent domain names start at just $0.99 per year. If you choose Hostinger’s premium web hosting plans, you can also get a domain name for free for one year. In general, think about which option is better for you and decide what is best for your business.
35 Things to consider before you buy a Domain Name
It is of the utmost importance to select the most suitable domain name for your website. It is not an exaggeration to say that, in certain circumstances, making the wrong choice can make or break a business. Your domain name is something that should be thought about for hours, if not days.
In summary: Every owner of a website needs to make sure they pick the right domain name before doing anything else, especially if the website will be used for business. In order to learn how to choose a domain name on Hostinger, we are here proving you the top 35 tips to consider before you buy a domain name for your business.
35 tips to consider before you buy a domain name:
- Always go for the .com domain extension
- Sometimes don’t go for the .com extension
- Consider experimenting with non-traditional TLDs
- Consider buying the other main TLDs as well
- Choose a brand name for your business
- Keep it short, simple, and predictable
- Buy the common misspellings of your domain name
- Use a Thesaurus.com for domain name ideas
- Make use of domain name generators
- Choose a domain name you can actually legally own
- Don’t worry if your perfect domain name is taken
- Don’t worry if your perfect domain name is taken and can’t be obtained
- Be careful when buying existing domain names
- Check the domain history via Wayback Machine
- Check the domain history via who.is
- Register your corresponding social media handles
- Pick a trustworthy domain registrar
- Shop around to find the best price
- Lock the domain so it can’t be stolen
- Always register your domain name yourself
- Consider enabling domain ID protection
- Set your domain to auto-renew
- Check for the competition
- Make the Domain easy to type and easy to remember
- Look beyond .com
- Avoid trademarks
- Check for changes
- Use keywords (as much as possible)
- Don’t stuff keywords
- Domain name privacy protection
- Hidden fees
- Good customer support
- Data protection
- Think long term
- Choosing the best web hosting service provider
Domain buying guide:
1. Always go for the .com domain extension
The website with the .com domain extension will typically appear first in the majority of search results if two or more websites use the same SEO technique and share the same name. This is due to the fact that websites with more traffic perform better in search engines and people generally prefer to use.com websites over alternatives with .net or .biz extensions.
The term “commercial” denotes the.com domain extension. When it was first introduced, .com was meant for e-commerce websites. It currently hosts more than half of all websites and is the most widely used domain extension. Because of its widespread use, it is the preferred option for the majority of personal websites, blogs, online businesses, and organizations.
The .com extension has one major drawback, and it is the following: availability. There is a good chance that someone else already owns the ideal .com domain name for your business.
Technically, there are many different domain name extensions (TLDs) to choose from (more on TLDs and other parts of a domain name here). Other popular domain extensions include .net, .org, .co, .edu, .biz, and even things like: .shop and .blog.
And despite the fact that all of the fancy TLDs are tempting, the traditional .com is almost always the right choice. Basically, there are two key reasons for choosing a .com domain:
- Domain names ending with .com are more well-known than anything else; They will type “.com” into the address bar by default, and they won’t remember your extension if it’s too weird. A website will always be assumed to be a .com by everyone.
- According to the data, less than 47% of all websites use the .com TLD. Can all of them be wrong?
All of this means that if your ideal .com is already taken, you should probably give up on it or try contacting the current owner to see if they would be willing to sell it to you. However, you should remember that, buying a domain from someone who already owns it might cost you a lot.
Here are 7 more reasons why choose .com domain:
- 46% to 47% of websites use a .com domain name
- Most people will assume your website ends in .com
- Owning a .com domain lends credibility to your brand
- Owning a .com implies that you are more established
- Search engines can sometimes favor .com domains over others
- The .com has no TLD specific rules tied to it
- The fact you’re even reading this article proves .com is king
2. Sometimes don’t go for the .com extension
Even though we said that always use .com domain over other types of domains, we also advice you to not to use a .com domain. Wait! Do you think we are confusing? No not at all, the reason is that there are some exceptions when it comes to use and not to use a .com domain.
Consider selecting a local top-level domain (TLD) if your website is intended for local audiences. Building a blog, for instance, for the Indian, Australian, United States, United Kingdom, or German market? What about getting an address with domain extensions: .in, .au, .us, .uk, or .de? By indicating that you are based in their country (through the local TLD), you will increase your users’ awareness and trustworthiness.
Even so, you shouldn’t stick with just that local domain name. You don’t want to find out that someone else has already taken your .com if you still want to grow your brand in the future.
Therefore, in the end, even if you want to target a local audience, purchasing the .com version will still benefit you in the long run. In the meantime, you can link your local domain to your .com, ensuring that visitors will always arrive at the same website regardless of their address.
If the majority of your traffic will come from sources other than direct type-in traffic, you might want to avoid using a .com domain. No matter what your domain is? a .net, .org, .us, or even information, many users will not even notice it. Additionally, the absence of .com domains has prompted numerous well-known businesses to establish a web presence on domains other than .com.
3. Consider experimenting with non-traditional TLDs
Domain ending options were limited in the early days of the Internet: .com, .org, or possibly .net. But now everything has changed, as we have non-traditional TLDs. There are currently hundreds of domain names ending with, for example: from the practical (.florist) to the philosophical (.guru) and just plain fun (.ninja) domains. That number will continue to rise in the years to come.
There are now more options than ever before for creating a memorable and meaningful domain name that tells the world more about you and your business. Learn everything you need to know about top-level domains (TLDs) and how to choose the one that’s right for you in this section.
Here are 5 reasons to choose new TLDs:
- Offers unique branding for your company or business with new TLDs
- Easy availability of new TLDs
- New TLDs offers brand protection
- Offers memorability and new TLDs helps to stand out from the crowd by being unique
- New TLDs offers perception which results in companies popularity and legitimacy
Apart from this, you can go for other options, for instance, purchase domain extensions like: .club, .shop, .store, .blog, .design, .xyz, and so forth. Additionally, you can experiment with some TLDs that were originally intended to be local TLDs but can also be used for a variety of other purposes due to their distinctive appearance. These are domain names with extensions like: .is, .io, .fm, .it, .ly, and .cc, among others.
To give you an example of the latter, you could try making it appear as though the entire domain, including the TLD, is one complete expression if it makes sense for your brand and intended name. That can be accomplished by selecting your TLD creatively. Microsoft Translator, for instance, can be found at translate .it, which is the entire domain name and a rather inventive use of the Italian TLD .it.
4. Consider buying the other main TLDs as well
Step one is to secure your primary domain name extension, whether it is a .com or local TLD. The second step is to acquire all of the other well-known TLDs and set them to redirect to your primary TLD.
To give you an example: if you have chosen a primary domain as example.com, then also consider buying combination of other TLD domain extensions such as:
- example.in
- example.co
- example.net
- example.org
- example.au
- example.co.uk and so on
In addition to reducing the overall cost of your domain name at the end of the year, you are also preventing potential issues in the future. Chiefly, you would have no desire to wind up rivaling one more site with a similar space name yet finishing in an alternate TLD.
If you don’t buy other TLDs, the following things could happen:
- People creating imposter websites, which are websites that appear to be yours but are not
- People trying to buy back some of those missing TLDs at a much higher price by registering them
- Visitors who are genuine will mix up your TLD and be unable to access your website
5. Choose a brand name for your business
In today’s digital world, protecting your brand identity is of the utmost importance, especially if you interact with customers and solicit their feedback. Customers are savvy, and even a legitimately branded domain can increase response rates to your online surveys and build trust.
When so much data is collected each day, does it really matter? Customers today can be arrived at in a huge number of various ways yet respondents are careful about giving over private information except if they realize it is a genuine solicitation and the information will be dealt with and put away safely.
As a result, it helps everyone involved when sending a survey invitation to immediately identify who sent it. Secure domain branding is an easy way to ensure this. something that can only be carried out with the explicit consent and direct involvement of your organization, making it the most secure and reassuring method of engaging with your target audience.
What is domain branding? A domain branding is that where you are providing your clients with a simple and certain method of recognizing you. If you include your brand name in the URL of your survey, it will be clear to them that it comes from you. There won’t be any other brands to be seen.
Your domain name is the foundation for all domain branding. Today, more than half of people just type in the domain name they want to go to instead of using search engines or other methods to get there. We are all aware that long-term success depends on branding, but what exactly makes a domain name branding? There are numerous factors at play here, but the following are the most significant ones:
- A brandable name has no particular significance (e.g.: ‘Google’ isn’t a word, ‘YouTube isn’t one all things considered)
- It’s original because no one else uses anything like it
- It’s easy to remember because it’s not too long and doesn’t have many complicated vowel combinations
- It is simple to say and utter over the phone
- Some names can be a little shady by definition; for example, WinTheJackpotToday.com may be too bold, but Jackpotio.com sounds much better. It sounds trustworthy.
You can play around with different combinations of actual words and random suffixes to make brainstorming easier, as we did with the Jackpotio.com example above. The primary objective here is to establish a likelihood that the domain name will increase brand value over time.
To put it another way, try to ensure that the name has a pleasant ring to it as much as you can. It ought to be entertaining to say aloud and straightforward to quickly memorize. Consider companies like Uber: Even when mentioned casually in a conversation, it is clear and concise, and there is no confusion regarding its spelling.
5 things to consider when domain branding:
- Common domain brand typos and intentional misspellings should be avoided. You cannot avoid trademark infringement simply because you misspelled it
- Even if a web brand bearing a similar name is not in use, you should completely avoid trademarks owned by other businesses. It could cost you a lot of time and money to build your business around that brand only to lose it.
- Wait until you have your domain brand “in the bag” and registered to you before planning a business name
- Don’t try to get a domain name with extensions like “.net,” “.org,” “.what,” etc. if a well-known brand already owns the “.com” domain. It is probably going to be challenged and you could lose
- When you remove the spaces (domain names cannot contain spaces) be cautious about what your domain brand may actually spell, such as “therapist finder.com.”
6. Keep it short, simple, and predictable
We have already discussed domain branding, but a quality domain name also has other, more general characteristics. The major four include:
- Short — preferably less than 15 characters, excluding the TLD
- Simple — no dashes, no hyphens, no highlights, no underscores, no convoluted words as a feature of the space, or some other accentuation
- Only words — don’t use numbers unless absolutely necessary (like if it’s part of your brand name, like 9to5google.com)
- Predictable — there are no unusual spellings (for instance, if your name is Wright and you want to include it in your domain name, such as WrightBlogs.com, everyone will always type RightBlogs.com).
7. Buy the common misspellings of your domain name
However, this could increase your annual domain bill even more, so it’s up to you to decide. Concentrating solely on a few of the domain’s most likely misspellings will generally keep you pretty safe. As an illustration, Bloggingio.com might be spelled Blogingio.com – single “G.” Redirect them back to your primary domain name once you have those.
8. Use a Thesaurus.com for domain name ideas
Okay, regardless of what I say about selecting a domain name that is easy to remember, straightforward, has a pleasant ring to it, is brandable, and so on and so forth, the fact of the matter is that coming up with a truly excellent name is difficult.
There will be times when nothing seems good enough, and there will also be times when you will easily go through tens of different terms before you find the perfect one. If that’s the case, Thesaurus.com could be your secret weapon.
The website will assist you in finding synonyms and quick definitions to prevent you from creating your domain name around a word whose meaning you have misunderstood.
Note: Even if it comes from a thesaurus, it is not a good idea to use a common dictionary word as your domain name, as I mentioned earlier. Always modify it with modifiers or by changing a few letters around, you can make it unique.
9. Make use of domain name generators
If you’re having trouble coming up with a creative domain name—and, by extension, your business name—you can also use this kind of helper.
These tools are surprisingly helpful and easy to use. They will provide you with tens or even hundreds of suggestions filled with valid and available domain names that you can register right away if they only require one keyword from you—a seed keyword (or seed key-phrase).
Here are some of the domain name generators that you could try:
- InstantDomainSearch.com: Find suggestions, generate millions of domain name ideas, and instantly check availability. Get your brand-new domain now. Everything begins with a domain
- DomainWheel.com: Choose an appropriate domain name for your website. a straightforward tool that provides you with the resources to instantly register catchy domain names
- GoDaddy Domain Name Generator: Take a look at our no-cost Domain Name Generator. Today, we will generate the best suggestions for your website’s domain name. It’s quick, free, and easy
10. Choose a domain name you can actually legally own
Taking advantage of a trademark can have serious repercussions. Even though I am aware that very few people register a domain name with the intention of infringing on another person’s rights, incidents like these do occur from time to time.
As a result, whenever you have a great idea for a domain name and are about to register it, simply Google the name and look through all of the results on the first and second pages. Businesses that use this name already and appear to operate in a similar market or niche are what you’re looking for. If anything comes up, you probably need to pick a different domain name.
11. Don’t worry if your perfect domain name is taken
Even if the domain name you really want is already taken, it doesn’t mean you can’t get it. You may actually be able to obtain it at times.
What you can do is:
- If the domain name isn’t being used (it doesn’t have a website or is “parked” and only shows ads), the owner probably only bought it to sell later. That parked website probably has some contact information for you. Use who.is to obtain the owner’s email if there is no information.
- You can still try your luck by contacting the owner and asking if they are willing to sell the domain off if the domain already contains a website. This has a low chance of success, but it’s still worth a shot.
- Try searching well-known marketplaces for domain flipping, such as Sedo, Flippa, GoDaddy’s auction-based marketplace, or SnapNames, if the domain is completely empty and there is no contact information available.
The process of purchasing an existing domain name differs from that of purchasing a brand-new one, so extra caution is required. One more point: buying a domain from someone else costs money (my emphasis). Occasionally, good money! Here, a reasonable estimate would be at least $250, but more likely $1,000 or more. Don’t worry too much if you can’t afford that either.
12. Don’t worry if your perfect domain name is taken and can’t be obtained
Okay, so even though domain names are important and having the right one can be very important to you, don’t worry too much if you can’t get what you want because it’s not available or the price is too high.
First and foremost, getting the concept behind your website or business right is more important than anything else, including the domain name itself. The lack of that “perfect domain name” won’t stop you if you put in the effort to put that idea into action.
Second, domain names can be altered in the future. You can always purchase the appropriate domain at a later time and simply redirect your website to it.
That’s what Sumo, a collection of online marketing tools, did not that long ago, for instance. They started out with sumome.com as their domain name, but when they got enough money, they bought sumo.com, which was the one they really wanted. That domain switch was kind of pricey for them. In fact, the new sumo.com domain cost $1.5 million. But don’t worry—it doesn’t have to cost as much for yours. Sumo actually ranks 83rd among all domain names in terms of price.
13. Be careful when buying existing domain names
Buying a new domain name is not the same as buying an existing one, as I mentioned earlier. First and foremost, given that it is not brand-new, it already possesses a history. Additionally, you will never know exactly what that history is.
- On the splendid side, the space’s set of experiences might give you a lift in Google since you’re not beginning without any preparation — Google definitely knows the domain
- On the other hand, if the domain has been associated with anything that is considered to be “non-kosher,” such as porn, gambling, spam, or the dissemination of email spam, it may be removed from Google entirely
Since every domain is validated at the very least in the most fundamental manner, purchasing your domain from a marketplace like Flippa ensures your safety. However, you should also conduct your own checks to increase safety.
First, conduct a manual check by searching for: on Google.
site: YOURDOMAIN.com
This will inform you whether Google has indexed any pages from YOURDOMAIN.com. Anything found is a good sign. It indicates that the domain is not banned. However, not viewing anything doesn’t have as an issue.
- There is nothing for Google to find if the domain is empty—there is no website
- However, if a website exists but Google cannot view it (through the site: phrase (yourdomain.com), this raises a red flag
Additionally, you can conduct checks using tools like ismywebsitepenalized.com. However, keep in mind that none of these methods are 100% effective. Think of them as aids.
14. Check the domain history via Wayback Machine
Even if you think you are getting a new domain name, you should check this one. The domain name you are attempting to register may have previously been registered but then abandoned by its owner. Taking a look at what was on it is still beneficial.
The history of a domain name can be looked up in a few different ways. One of the most well-liked and also accessible to everyone is Wayback Machine.
One of the first tools of its kind is this one. Simply put, it allows you to view any website as it appeared in the past by entering a time machine.
It’s not really “any website” when I say that. However, you can anticipate finding the majority of websites with any traffic at all. In our case, using Wayback Machine to check if the domain we’re interested in has ever been used for anything significant and, if so, whether or not it was all “kosher” is a useful tool.
If you’re looking to purchase an existing domain name, it’s a good idea to go to Wayback Machine and look through every month of the name’s history there to make sure nothing shady happened.
15. Check the domain history via who.is
Who.is is your second go-to tool for learning about a domain name’s past after Wayback Machine. There are at least two reasons why this one is very useful:
- First, you can see the current information about the domain, such as who the owner is (assuming they do not have ID protection; more on that later). I don’t need to list everything here; just go to who.is, type in the URL of your favorite website, and see what’s going on.
- Second, you can access a “whois history report” through who.is. Although this is a paid service that costs $10, the value of the whois data associated with a given domain name from the very beginning outweighs the cost. This means that you can see the history of the domain, the date it was registered, and the potential number of times it has changed hands.
In the end, spending an additional $10 doesn’t seem like such a big deal if you’re thinking about purchasing an existing domain, which can be quite expensive. In addition, it may save you trouble in the future.
Whether we like it or not, social media is important now. The average person with access to the internet spends one hour per day on Facebook, which receives 2 billion monthly visits. That is one BILLION.
What I want to convey is this: People are much more likely than not to visit your website to see what’s going on with your brand on Facebook. You absolutely must have your professional profiles set up on the most widely used social media platforms for a number of reasons, one of which is this.
Whenever you can, get handles that are the same as your domain name. Use some creative suffixes or prefixes if these are taken. Some choices: daily, now, HQ, get, and app. On Twitter, for instance, my fictional Blogging.com brand could be referred to as BloggingHQ.
17. Pick a trustworthy domain registrar
A company that registers a domain name on your behalf and grants you full access to that domain name is known as a domain registrar.
When it comes to registrars, the key is to use only reputable businesses. When your website’s brand is already established and losing the domain would cause trouble, you really don’t want to run into any issues with the domain in the future. You can go with Hostinger.
18. Shop around to find the best price
Even though all domain registrars provide the same service—registering a domain name on your behalf—their prices can vary significantly. As a result, it’s always a good idea to compare the prices of the domain name you want to buy from various registrars.
Just to give you an example, if you want a domain with the .co extension, which is becoming increasingly popular, you will find that the same domain will cost you:
- $0.99/year to $3.99/year from Hostinger
- $11.99 from GoDaddy
- $6.88 from Namecheap
- $32.50 from ENOM, and so forth
I am not implying that Namecheap is always the most affordable; in fact, it is not. Always check prices at multiple registrars to see what’s going on because the price always changes depending on the TLD you want.
Likewise, simply a general note: Always keep your registrar’s user panel login credentials very safe. You can transfer your domain to their account if anyone gains access to that panel.
However, if you choose to go with Hostinger’s premium or business hosting plans, then you will get a domain name for free for one year. With that deal, you can register your website of your choice. And rest of the TLDs or domain extensions will cost you at a very cheap price of $0.99/year and can go up to $3.99/year based on the chosen TLD.
19. Lock the domain so it can’t be stolen
Domain hijacking actually occurs more frequently than you might expect, despite the fact that it may initially appear odd. Your domain can be stolen in a variety of ways, without going into tedious technical details. This typically entails either hacking your password or convincing you to reveal it through a phishing attack, in addition to a few other fun things.
You can basically do whatever you want with your domains if someone gets access to your registrar’s user account. A feature that some domain registrars provide keeps your domain in Registrar-lock status, preventing unauthorized transfers. Until you unlock your domain name, you are unable to change your registration information or DNS configuration in this state.
20. Always register your domain name yourself
Avoid allowing an agency, for example, to register a domain name on your behalf. Since someone else is doing all the work, it may be easier initially, but it could also result in problems later.
You give someone else control of you and your website if they register the domain. If you ever want to leave their services, they may not be eager to transfer the domain to you and give you full control over it. This could be a problem if you ever want to do so.
Here are some negative outcomes that could occur: They might take a very long time to complete the transfer, they might try to get you to pay some fees, or they might just decline (based on some small print in your initial agreement). You could also lose your domain name entirely if the company or individual files for bankruptcy or loses access to the domain registrar for any reason.
21. Consider enabling domain ID protection
To put it simply, domain ID protection conceals your personal contact information from anyone conducting a whois lookup on your domain name.
All domain names must have publicly viewable contact information assigned to them by default and in accordance with ICANN rules—the organization that regulates domain names—the same information you provided during registration. Your email address, address, phone number, and name are all included in this.
Let me reiterate: anyone who enters your domain name into a tool like who.is is automatically exposed to all of this information. This isn’t ideal. First, your personal information is exposed because anyone can see this information. In essence, you are giving up some of your privacy in exchange for nothing.
22. Set your domain to auto-renew
The registration period—the period of time during which the registrar keeps the domain active on your behalf—is typically yours to choose when you register your new domain name. Everyone typically registers their domain names for either twelve or twenty-four months.
Your domain name must be renewed after the initial period (for an additional X months). Otherwise, it ceases to function. The domain then returns to the pool of available domains after a brief period of time, so anyone can register it if they miss their window.
If a person fails to renew their domain in a timely manner, a domain broker or someone similar will typically seize the domain. In essence, older domains are valuable in the domain market, and there is a greater likelihood that the person who initially failed to renew the domain will eventually wish to purchase it again.
23. Check for the competition
Examine the domain names of customers’ rivals and industry leaders. Take note of any keywords that they use as well as their domain extension, which is anything to the right of the dot (also known as a TLD). A client working a bike shop would probably find important space names incorporate some variety of bicycle, bike or cycle.
It can be helpful to know precisely how to investigate the history of a domain name—something that appears to be more complicated than it actually is—whether you are an entrepreneur, the owner of a business, or just a casual internet historian. By basically composing a space name into a text field, you can get a ton of data rapidly. Find out how it works and how to find a domain’s history for free in the next section.
The WHOIS lookup is an important domain name history tool. In short, WHOIS is a system for locating information about a domain name’s owner. Every domain name is associated with the owner’s full name and contact information by default.
Additionally, you can determine which company owns the domain, which can be useful in resolving domain-related disputes. WHOIS lookups are divided into two main categories: basic lookups for information about the basics and history lookups for more in-depth details.
A simple WHOIS lookup will only reveal the current state of the domain, where it is registered, the server it is pointed at, and any other pertinent information related to its current position. In the meantime, a WHOIS history lookup will not only show you all of that information but also all of the previous registrars, servers, and owners.
In essence, the WHOIS history records each significant domain name modification, which you can view with the appropriate tools.
How to perform a basic WHOIS lookup?
An essential WHOIS lookup will just show you the ongoing status of the space, yet it’s a useful beginning. How to go about it:
Step 1: Find a WHOIS search service
You can quickly and easily look up current ownership data here on Hostinger.com.
Step 2: Type a domain name into the search field
For example, type in example.com.
Step 3: Check out the results
The current status and registrar of example.com are shown in these results, along with the domain’s creation date, the name servers it is associated with, and additional information that can be seen in the screenshot.
24. Make the Domain easy to type and easy to remember
Even if a website does well in searches, it should still have a web address that customers can tell their friends about. Because it is extremely challenging to visualize and remember domains that contain odd spellings of words, multiple hyphens or other characters, numbers, and so on, this may result in a slight limitation of creativity.
It should be typed as soon as possible or after a brief explanation, if possible. This is commonly referred to as the “radio test” in the domain industry. How does your client use the domain when they advertise or talk about their business over the air? For a web address, something like dogs4life.com presents a significantly greater challenge than, for instance, dogsrock.com.
Also, try to steer clear of words with multiple spellings, like ambience (which can also be spelled ambiance). Try to register an additional domain with that alternate spelling if you must use one of these. People will be able to find the website without any confusion because it is simple to forward the variant to a primary domain.
25. Look beyond .com
The average length of a.com domain name was around 15 characters at the time of this writing. Even if you break it down into multiple words, that is a lot of words. Fortunately, new domain extensions are released on a regular basis as the internet grows, and there are currently nearly 300 of them.
Choosing a memorable domain name that tells a story about your business and goes beyond.com can make all the difference. Consider working with a client who owns an expensive yoga studio as an illustration. On the off chance that you stayed with as it were .com for their web address, you likely wouldn’t have a lot of karma.
Fortunately, more short and memorable domain names are available because the .studio TLD was released recently enough. Additionally, it is an excellent match for the sector and would cause very little confusion for individuals attempting to remember the website’s address.
26. Avoid trademarks
The dishonest individual might be tempted to steal a well-known brand’s reputation due to the abundance of new domain extensions. Imagine registering a domain with the recently released extension “nike” and using it to promote the sports equipment of a potential customer. This may appear to be a straightforward victory, but Nike’s legal department soon became aware of it.
This could also happen by accident, but in either case, you are responsible. If you have a great idea, conduct a quick search at the United States Patent and Trademark Office to ensure that no one else had it first. It will let you know if anyone else has registered the fundamental word mark you want.
If someone finds out and decides to sue you, this is against the law and could quickly put you in legal trouble. Any brand value that you incorporate into the area will be lost when you get that cut it out notice and need to turn over the domain.
27. Check for changes
Many of you may not be aware that there is a hidden cost associated with your domain name that will be added to your final price during the checkout process. If you transfer your domain to another registrar, many of them may charge you more.
With the domain, the majority of registrars will also attempt to upsell other services. They will bundle a variety of additional services, such as storage fees and domain security, to the final price you set. Therefore, if you don’t want to pay these additional fees, you should think carefully before making the purchase to avoid them.
You can check the registrar’s “Terms of Service” page for that. All of these ought to be listed on this page. The domain name may even come with freebies from some registrars. As a result, your domain might come with a free SSL, free support round-the-clock, and other free services. If you don’t want to miss these freebies, check them out.
Before purchasing a domain name, remember these important points. We hope you find the perfect domain name for your website now that you know how to get it. Don’t forget to let us know what you do in the comments section below.
28. Use keywords (as much as possible)
A keyword-rich domain probably has little effect on search engine optimization. It will still improve the relationship between your customers’ keywords and domains. It will only be beneficial if the services you offer are made abundantly clear to potential customers by the domain name.
29. Don’t stuff keywords
It won’t help search engines, and users won’t like it. Regardless of whether there is worth to catchphrases in a space name, certainly don’t get out of hand.
30. Domain name privacy protection
Your domain name is made publicly available on the WHOIS database when you register it. This means that anyone who wants to find your contact information can look it up. The only way to shield your private contact information from unscrupulous individuals is to use domain name privacy protection.
After purchasing your domain name, you can always add privacy protection, but by that time, the damage may have already been done. Therefore, prior to purchasing a domain name, check to see that your domain name registrar provides privacy protection.
31. Hidden fees
It’s not uncommon for domain registrars to advertise low prices and then sneak sneaky fees into the contract. For instance, your domain registrar might give you a free domain for a year but charge you astronomical transfer fees. At Hostinger, a domain transfer or migration is free.
Make sure the terms of service and pricing at your domain name registrar are open and honest. Finding your registrar’s transfer or cancellation procedures and renewal rates shouldn’t take you too long.
An additional money-saving tip: If you are certain that you have located the appropriate domain name registrar, request the longest possible registration period. In the long run, this will save you a lot of money.
32. Good customer support
When you call with a legitimate concern, customer support is not the same as a sales team whose sole purpose is to upsell you. Choose a domain name registrar with customer support trained to assist you in resolving issues rather than selling you unnecessary products. Because we value your satisfaction with your purchase, we offer customer support round-the-clock.
33. Data protection
Buy domain names only from registrars that provide domain name protection to safeguard your data. Additionally, pay special attention to deceitful area name recorders will really mine the WHOIS data set so they can abuse your information. Your private information may even be sold by some registrars. Before purchasing a domain name, conduct a quick Google search to find out who these dishonest registrars are.
34. Think long term
Choose a trendy domain name that won’t be relevant in a few months if you want a successful website that will grow over time. Select a name that is built to stand the test of time. This doesn’t mean you need to pick a formal, stodgy space name in the event that that isn’t in accordance with your image. But don’t pick a meme-like reference that will be out of date in a blink of an eye.
35. Choosing the best web hosting service provider
Because not all domain name registrars offer web hosting, before you buy a domain, check to see if your registrar offers web hosting so that you can actually store your website once you buy it. Technically, you can host your website somewhere other than where you bought your domain, but doing so causes a lot of hassle that could have been avoided. Therefore, confirm that your registrar offers hosting. We recommend going for Hostinger for amazing cheap and affordable hosting offers.
Conclusion
When it comes to how to choose a domain name on Hostinger, hope the above listed 35 things to consider have immensely help you to choose the right one before you buy one. Buying a domain name requires lots of thoughts and concentrate on multiple scenarios, especially if you are starting an online business or starting a company.
Since buying a domain name is like making an investment, you shouldn’t rush into making the decision. Spend some time researching in depth the kind of domain you want to own. You can learn how others bought a domain name by talking to people in your social circle, in addition to the aforementioned points.
It does not have to be a lifelong commitment, regardless of the domain name you select. Instead of spending weeks looking for the perfect domain name, it’s better to start your web presence with the best solution you can find. If you follow these tips and tricks on what to do when your.COM is not available, you can find a domain that works for you either temporarily or for many years to come with a little creativity and ingenuity.
Although buying a domain name is exciting and fun, there is a lot of room for error. If you follow this guide when you’re thinking about purchasing a domain name, you’ll be able to get a quality domain name at a reasonable price from a registrar you can trust.
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