How to Find a Free Domain Name
How to Find a Free Domain Name
Choosing a name for any website should be pretty simple, the problem is to choose a name that is not registered yet. But even today when almost every possible and imaginable word or word phrase is already registered you can still find a good domain. There are different views on what is a good domain. It always depends on the purpose of the website. On the other, hand there are many thousands of domains that are released each day because their owners forgot or didn't want to extend the registration period.Before you start
You should always have the domain registered before you start any online business. It doesn't make much sense to create a superb website and then start looking for a free domain. You never know in advance what will be the final registered name.
Top level domain
There are some general purpose top level names like com, org, net or info. If you are targeting everybody around the world then this is the choice. If you are targeting only one specific country or region then you can choose a country domain. Each country has its own domain, but there are also domains like eu (Europe) which can be considered as a general purpose domains.
Domain length
A general rule is that domain name should be as short as possible. But this depends on the type of the website. Short names are easy to remember and typing them directly into browser is simple. However, if your website is about best moon photos then you can choose a domain that is your main keyword or website name.
Dashes
In some cases you will have difficulty in finding a suitable name that is not registered yet. One of the solutions might be to separate words with dashes. While this is a bad compromise because almost nobody types dashes when entering the web address directly into address bar of browser, this might be the only solution to register the desired keyword phrase.
Additional word
This solution is not always applicable but is some cases it may work well. If you find your target words or phrase already registered then you can try to create a domain by adding a word like site, shop, reviews, info or whatever might be related to the website content. For example, if BestMoonPhotos is already registered with all variations you can try with BestMoonPhotosGallery. This way you are still using the name of your site and the domain is still easily remembered.
When everything fails
There shouldn't be such a case. It is always possible to find a suitable name to represent our website on the internet. If after many attempts with your wanted phrase or keyword you still can not find a suitable domain then simply change your target keyword or name. This also means that the market around your first choice is saturated and there are already many websites that target the same keyword.
With some trial and error attempts you will soon get some experience and knowledge on how to find a free domain. If you are lucky you will register a nice domain that will have some value even without the website.
Getting a Domain Name - How to Choose and Register a Domain Name
To get your web site on the Internet, you need a domain name. This article answers frequently-asked questions.Choosing an effective domain name is important to attract potential buyers, increase visibility, convey a professional image, and inspire trust.
Having your own domain name is a must for a business web site. It is your web address and must be a unique name identifying a specific web site.
You can register your domain name with .com or other extensions, including .net,.org,.info, and .us. Always register the .com name since most people are familiar with it. In addition, consider registering your name with .net to prevent competitors or speculators from registering a similar name.
Follow these tips when selecting a domain name:
* Choose a descriptive name that conveys professionalism and is easy to remember and type.
* Consider a name that represents your business name, product name, or indicates your type of business.
* Consider variations of your domain name like making it plural, adding dashes, or underscores.
* Include relevant keywords to boost your search-engine ranking. For example, keyword-keyword.com or keywordphrase.com.
More tips:
* You can include up to 67 characters, including the .com, .net, .org, .edu, or other extensions.
* You cannot have spaces.
* Domain names are NOT case sensitive, so you can use uppercase, lower case, or a combination of both, e.g. ThisIsMine.com or thisismine.com.
* You can use numbers, letters, and hyphens (dashes), but the web address cannot start or end with a hyphen.
* Special characters such as ! @ # $ % ^ & * ( ) and ? are not permitted in web addresses.
* Avoid confusing characters like 0 (zero), l (one), 2, s, and z to minimize the risk of typos. The number zero (0) can be confused with the letter O, and the number "1" with the letter "l."
* If you register a domain containing hyphens, also register the same name without the hyphens, for example, my-domain-name.com and mydomainname.com.
You can check the availability of a domain name at godaddy or any of the registrars listed by internic.
Registering
You can register your name yourself through domain name registration services, known as registrars. Internic provides a list of ICANN-accredited registrars (the organization governing domain names). When submitting a registration or transfer, the registrar will ask for the name of two name servers that contain your IP address. Your host will give you that information. Once your name has been registered or transferred, it takes approximately 72 hours before it becomes active.
Fees
Each registrar sets its own price. The fees to register a domain name for one year range from $3 to $35 a year. The typical price today is around $10. It's a small price to pay to gain your prospects' trust. You can register a domain name for one or several years. At the end of the registration term, you must pay a renewal fee to keep your name. If you don't renew, someone else can take your domain name. Some registrars offer free or discounted registration services in connection with other offers, such as web hosting. Make sure they are reliable. Receiving a $10 discount is not worth the delays and hassles you may encounter.
