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Long before purchasing real estate in the metaverse, buying a domain name was one of few ways to own virtual property.
Domain names not only serve as your digital address, they still play a significant role in your branding efforts and online presence. They can also act as a valuable business asset, since desirable domain names can actually be worth a fortune.
With this in mind, purchasing a domain is a big step in developing a strong online strategy and investing in your future. Regardless of your industry or niche, follow these steps to learn how to register a domain name for your website as part of your domain management.
Ready to get a website domain name? Get started with Wix today.
What is a domain name?
What is a domain name, exactly? This term describes the address that you type into a browser to arrive at a website. It is essentially a website’s home, so every domain is unique. An example is www.wix.com.
Domain names were created so people could more easily access a website’s Internet Protocol (IP), a string of numbers representing individual websites. Every URL has an IP address, and unless you are a computer, a domain is much simpler to remember than a string of numbers. For example, take the IP address 185.230.63.164: to most, this is just a complicated string of numbers. Its domain name, wix.com, is not only easy to remember, but it also conveys a distinct brand that numbers cannot.
How to register a domain name in 5 steps
01. Select a domain registrar
Before you can start choosing a domain name, you need to first know where to buy a domain name. A domain registrar is a company that reserves and manages domain names. While the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages all domains worldwide, a registrar deals with ICANN on your behalf.
When choosing among the best domain registrars, keep in mind:
Pricing: Compare initial registration costs as well as renewal fees, as some registrars offer low introductory prices but higher renewal rates. Look for transparent pricing with no hidden fees.
Privacy: Ensure the registrar provides domain privacy (WHOIS protection) to safeguard your personal contact information from being publicly visible on the web. This is especially important for personal websites or small businesses.
Customer support: Check if the registrar offers 24/7 support, accessible via phone, live chat or email. Reliable customer support can be crucial if you encounter technical issues or need help managing your domain.
Range of domain extensions: Consider the variety of domain extensions (TLDs) available, especially if you're interested in less common or niche extensions, such as .tech, .ai or country-specific domains.
Additional offerings: Look for value-added services such as web hosting, email hosting, SSL certificates and website builders, which can simplify managing your online presence in one place.
Reputation: Research the registrar’s reputation by reading customer reviews and checking industry ratings. A trustworthy registrar with a good track record is less likely to experience outages or take unexpected actions like domain locking or price hikes.
Security: Consider the infrastructure the registrar has in place to ensure your domain is secure. Attacks specifically targeting domains include domain hijacking, DNS spoofing, DDoS attacks, typosquatting, domain squatting and malware distribution, so make sure to protect your domain.
Tip: Wix.com is a registrar and also a web-hosting service (web hosting is a type of internet hosting service), meaning you can not only purchase a unique domain, but also create your site on the same platform. With the purchase of a premium plan, you get a voucher for a free domain name for a year. Wix also applies SSL and TLS protocols to all of its sites.
02. Choose the best domain name
You must consider many factors when choosing a domain name for your site. First, select a name that reflects your brand’s tone and messaging. Stick to a name that is short and catchy, so that people can easily remember it, such as nbc.com.
To improve your SEO efforts, you can incorporate an associated keyword into your brand’s domain name, too.
Try not to overcomplicate things either, as Lindsay Sutula, founder and CEO of Top Fox Marketing says as she prioritized three key factors: simplicity, memorability and alignment with their brand identity. According to Lindsay:
"I wanted a name that was easy to spell and remember, especially in an age where a strong online presence is critical. The domain had to resonate with our audience and reflect the essence of what we do-helping businesses navigate the complexities of digital marketing with clarity and strategy."
Tip: Try using a website name generator to brainstorm ideas to include in your domain name. Also, consider these tips for future-proofing your domain.
03. Check the availability of your domain name
Existing companies may already own your preferred domain names which is why it's important to check for availability. Try out an unlimited number of options for free on a domain name search platform. If your desired name is unavailable, the tool will come up with additional ideas. Play around with alternatives until you find the perfect one.
Once you've chosen your name and completed the process of registering it, your details including your name, email and phone number, will be submitted to the WHOIS database. This is a global resource which is publicly accessible and can be queried through the WHOIS protocol (this just means sending a request to the WHOIS server to deliver all of the stored information for a specific domain name) or through an online tool which can send the query. This information can be useful when pursuing intellectual property rights, and cybersecurity threats arising from domain name abuse or hacking.
In order to run a WHOIS search, simply type 'whois domain name' into your browser.
You can block access to your information being public accesses via the WHOIS privacy protocol. This involves paying an extra fee to replace your contact information as the domain owner with a third party service. This service will then handle any messages or requests made to you via WHOIS. However this is generally not recommended for public service websites or businesses required to provide contact information.
With Wix you can opt for domain privacy for no extra fee, when you register your domain.
04. Select your domain extension
Also known as top-level domains (TLD), domain extensions quickly identify certain website elements such as purpose, owner or geographic location. There are five official types of TLDs, with generic top-level domains (gTLD) accounting for the majority of the 366 million registered domains worldwide. The most popular gTLD choices are .org, .com and .net, making them the easiest to recall. Other specific and significant domain types besides the classic .com, .co or .net include .edu and .gov. Country domain extensions, also often known as country code top level domains, are also often a popular choice, such as co.uk (United Kingdom), or de (Germany). You can check out ICANN’s complete list of domain extensions here, or check out these guides:
Generally the name you place before your extension, is referred to as the second level domain. So for example, in www.wix.com the second-level domain is "wix." Our domain name "wix.com" is registered with the ".com" top-level domain extension, which is managed by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and is one of the most commonly used top-level domain extensions for commercial websites.
If your domain name is already taken, try it out with a different extension—you may find an available option. However, keep in mind that an extension like .org is better used for nonprofit organizations, while .com usually represents for-profit companies.
Learn more with our guide to domain extensions, what .com is and what .net is.
05. Purchase your domain
Once you’ve selected a domain name for your site, claim it before someone else does.
Here’s how to register a domain name with Wix:
Head over to the domain registrar.
Type in your preferred domain name and click Search.
If your name is available, click Get It to proceed. If not, browse the additional ideas or type another option into the search bar.
Once you’ve found a domain name that suits your site’s needs, click Get It.
Next, decide whether you’d like to register for one, two or three years. The longer your registration period, the more money you save each year. Once you’ve chosen, click Continue and continue to checkout.
Connect the domain name to your site and share it with your desired audience, be it friends and family or an internet niche.
Types of domains
Top-level domains (TLDs) are the highest level of the Domain Name System (DNS) hierarchy, and they are the last part of a domain name. TLDs are divided into two categories: generic top-level domains (gTLDs) and country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs).
Generic top-level domains (gTLDs)
gTLDs are non-geographic TLDs that are intended for general use. There are currently over 1,500 gTLDs, including some of the most common TLDs, such as .com, .net and .org.
Here are some of the most common gTLDs:
.com: Commercial organizations
.net: Network organizations
.org: Non-profit organizations
.edu: Educational institutions
.gov: Government agencies
.mil: Military organizations
.info: Informational websites
.biz: Businesses
.name: Personal websites
Country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs)
ccTLDs are geographic TLDs that are intended for use by countries or territories. There are currently over 300 ccTLDs, including .uk for the United Kingdom, .ca for Canada and .au for Australia.
Here are some of the most common ccTLDs:
.uk: United Kingdom
.ca: Canada
.au: Australia
.us: United States
.de: Germany
.fr: France
.jp: Japan
.cn: China
.in: India
In addition to gTLDs and ccTLDs, there are also a few other types of TLDs, such as internationalized top-level domains (IDN TLDs) and test TLDs.
IDN TLDs
IDN TLDs are TLDs that can be registered in non-Latin scripts, such as Arabic, Chinese or Cyrillic. IDN TLDs were created to make the internet more accessible to people who do not speak Latin script languages.
Test TLDs
Test TLDs are used for testing new TLDs before they are released to the public. Test TLDs are not intended for general use.
How to buy a domain name
Free domain name registration
Here are a couple of ways to get a free domain name:
Register a free subdomain. A subdomain is a prefix on a domain name that connects independently functioning sites. Certain hosting platforms and site builders offer users a fully-functioning website for free with a customized subdomain. For example, when you learn how to make a website with Wix, you can publish it for free under the following URL structure: username.wixsite.com/siteaddress.
Take advantage of free web hosting. Several hosting sites offer free customized domain registration with purchase, giving you a professional online presence without the cost.
How much does a domain cost?
While you can get a domain for free, you may want to purchase one instead. A free domain will contain a designated prefix of the registrar, which is best if you’re establishing an online presence or only temporarily need a website.
If you want your website to professionally stand out and grow with your brand, however, then invest in a domain name.
With Wix, the cost of a domain name depends on several factors, including:
The plan you purchase
Domain extension
Local currency
Local VAT laws
However, all Wix premium plans come with a domain for one year, which otherwise cost between $14 and $39 a month. After a year, you can renew your domain for pricing plans anywhere between $13.95 and $15.95 a year. You can read more about domain name costs in detail, to understand what’s right for you and your business.
In general, some other factors to consider that can impact the cost of a domain include auto-renew costs, privacy and protection costs and transferring domains. For example, you can also purchase a domain that already exists from another person or business. This is why having a desirable domain name can be good for your bottom line—if you ever want to sell it, you can make significant money. For example, in 2010, CarInsurance.com was sold for $49.7 million as one of the ten most expensive domain names in the world.
Domain name and email hosting
Registering a domain name and email hosting are two separate services, but they are often offered together by domain name registrars and web hosting providers. Email hosting involves setting up email accounts and an email address that are associated with your domain name, such as info@yourdomain.com or support@yourdomain.com. It may also offer other features and services such as webmail access, spam filtering, virus protection and email forwarding. Many domain name registrars and web hosting providers offer bundled services that include domain name registration and email hosting, which can simplify the process.
With a website builder like Wix you can easily connect your domain and business email for a professional business website and streamlined brand building experience.
How to register a domain name FAQ
Can I register a domain name for free?
Some domain services provide free domain name registration. However you'll then have limited control over ownership of the name, and you may have to accept advertising and other conditions in exchange for a free name.