Buying a Domain Name? How to Avoid Regret By Choosing the Right Domain Name

Every previous online business owner will tell you that the most difficult part of buying a domain name or even starting an online identity is finding the one you prefer that is available. If you’ve already managed to come up with a domain name idea that other people haven’t already taken, check out these considerations on how and where to buy it.

Assess the domain you want to buy

Search for trademarks to avoid possible trouble later. It’s best to make sure your domain doesn’t contain any trademarks. You can search for trademarks easily online. You can also check other company names. Beware about registering a domain that is closely alike to other company’s name, if they are one of your competitors.

Search other domain extensions. For instance, if you’re buying the .com domain, is anyone else using the.co.nz version? If so, is there a possibility for your customers to get confused? If not, consider buying it as well.

You can also try saying it out loud. Saying your domain aloud can divulge problems you hadn’t noticed before. Does it sound fine? If you tell someone the domain name, will you need to spell it out, so they get it right?

Look for any unintentional words. Domains that have two or more words run together can sometimes create embarrassing words. Consider www.museumofart.com. See if your domain name was used recently for another website. You can use The Internet Archive to check any old websites of that address. If they have any previous illegal or adult content that could damage your rankings.

It is also wise to Google for the term. Enter the words from your domain name into the search bar. This is a great way to identify other companies that utilize the phrase in ways that you were not aware of.

Examine where you’re planning to buy the domain

Ensure that the domain will be registered in your name by securing that your supplier will register you as the domain’s owner. Domain registered in their name will allow them to take control of the domain and hold you to ransom.

Ask about flexibility since it’s difficult to predict how your company will grow in the future, so get a supplier that offers flexibility. Ensure that you can change all DNS settings since this will allow you to use the domain with services like web hosting or email from other suppliers.

Ensure that it’s possible to renew automatically. Even large companies in some cases forget to renew their domain names, so choose a supplier that will renew yours automatically.

Know what aid is included by looking for assistance that matches your technical knowledge. If you don’t have expert knowledge with using domain names, it is wise to pay a little more for a supplier that offers better customer support.

Search for online reviews before paying, see how other users rate the domain name company before thinking of buying from them.

Choose the right deal

Consider a first-year special offer because the domain name industry is competitive, which forces sellers to give you big discounts on your first year’s registration.

Read up on the renewal terms. Evaluate how much the domain will cost in the subsequent years – especially if you want to take advantage of a discount for the first year.

Decide the duration you will register for. It’s possible to save more money by registering the domain for a longer period, like five or ten years. Nevertheless, only do this if you’re certain that you’ll want the domain for that period.

These considerations make choosing your domain name and hosting provider a top priority regardless of the type of website you are looking to start. Now go ahead and register it. If you’re confident with the supplier and costing, go and register that domain name and even use other services like web builder and hosting. Beware if you wait any longer, someone else might get it first!