Registering a domain name is an important task and should take several details into consideration. Below is a search box provided by our sister company, TLDNA.com (Top Level Domain Name Authority), that you may use to check if your preferred domain is available to register. If it is, you may create a free account and register the name. You may also look for a nice aftermarket domain name from a domain reseller such as Doughmainz.com. There you can find very nice domains that might be perfectly suited to your needs.

Check the Doughmainz.com portfolio for available aftermarket domains.

Once you have completed your account registration and purchase, you may return to BasicHostingPlan.com and secure your hosting for your new domain. We have included a few tips below to help educate you on proper domain name selection. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or would like us to assist in finding that perfect brand for your website.

 

If you are having difficulties, please e-mail us and we would be happy to assist you.

Pick a Memorable Domain Name

Let’s say you want to create on online presence for your offline lug nuts business. Your business is named “Doug’s Lugs.” The best way to transfer your offline name recognition and make sure your customers can locate you online is to check with a domain name registrar to see if your existing business name is available. If you’re not fortunate enough to grab the name of your choice, think of something else appropriate. Maybe there’s a catch phrase that you use like “Lugs R Us.” A catchy but relevant name will leave a lasting impression on those who visit your site making it easier for them to remember how to get to you when they want to return. While you’re able to register a name up to 63 characters, the shorter the better. Long names are harder to remember and easier for users to make errors when they type it into the address bar.

Register a Similar Domain Name

If you have it within your budget and really want to make an all-out effort to protect your brand, consider registering a hyphenated variation of your domain name or one with another extension. Some crafty individuals called “typo squatters” have made it their business to register domain names that are close to the names of high traffic sites. They bank on obtaining site traffic from errors made by users incorrectly typing in a domain name. You can keep all your intended traffic as well as protect your prospective site visitors from these types of opportunists by registering these names yourself.

Keyword vs. “Brandable”

The debate rages on as to whether or not keyword domain names are better picks than “brandable” names like Amazon or Google. What’s most important is that your name is appropriate for your business and goals. Proponents of keyword names point to evidence that they are given more weight by search engines as they are more relevant to the content of your site and the term or keyword a searcher is looking for. Keywords that are relevant to your site are more memorable. However, if you have the budget and the inclination to build your business brand, either will be appropriate options for you.

Choosing a Domain Extension

The consensus is clear that the .com domain extension rules the roost. It represents commercial enterprises on the web and is the most popular even for non-commercial sites. However, .com is not the only option and you may want to think about what is the best for your project. If you have a non-profit organization, .org, which stands for organization is an appropriate one to choose. Other extensions like .net and .biz have garnered a lot of attention, but have never caught on like the .com extension. If at all possible try to secure one of them, even if you have to pick a variation of your name, like a hyphenated version.