1. How To Register A Domain Name
www.WPBusinessGuides.com – WordPress Training
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How To Register A Domain Name
In this tutorial we will show you how to check if your domain name is available, how to register a
domain name, and how to find keyword-rich domain names that are available quickly and easily.
Domain Name Providers
There are many domain name providers you can find by searching online. We use and
recommend GoDaddy.com.
GoDaddy’s domain registration prices are reasonable and they provide an excellent domain
name management and administration system.
Use the search box below to search for domain names at Godaddy.com …
img .com
.us
.biz
.info
.net
.com .us .biz .info .net .org .ws .mobi .me .co.uk .in .at &nbsp
.org
.ws
.asia
.mobi
.me
.CO.UK
.IN
.at
.asia
For the step-by-step tutorials in this section we will use GoDaddy.com as an example to show
you how to register a domain.
There are no special requirements to register a .com, .net, or .org domain (other than they must
be available – i.e. not be already registered to someone else!). You can purchase a .com,
.net, or .org domain for around $12 and choose the renewal period from one to ten years (the
longer you register a domain name for the more you save on domain registration / renewal
fees).
Useful Tips For Registering A Great Domain Name
Choosing a great domain name is not always a simple or straightforward process. You can
spend a lot of time thinking up a good name, only to find out that the domain name you really
want is already taken.
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2. Here are some tips on how to choose a great domain name:
1. .COM is the preferred option. Generally, the best domain extension to get is a .COM. It is
the most recognizable and popular of all the domain extensions and most people will type the
.COM version when they are searching for a website.
Preferably, you should include the .COM version of the domain name you want even if you plan
to do business in a country that has its own domain extension (e.g. .com.au, .co.uk, etc …),
especially if the .com version is available.
Additionally, consider also registering the .NET and .ORG versions of the domain.
I have written an entire blog post about the benefits of registering multiple variations of the
same domain name here:
How To Safeguard Your Business Brand Name Online
2. Shorter is better. The shorter your domain name is, the better. A shorter domain name is
easier to remember and print on stationery, signage, etc.
Having said this, keep in mind that its getting harder to find great domain names that are also
short in length. They are out there, you just have to look a little harder.
3. Make it easy to spell. Avoid domain names that are difficult or tricky to spell. You should
also avoid “clever” variations which can end up being confusing to online users.
Sometimes – and especially when a good domain name is already taken – it can be tempting to
try and be clever. For example, doma1n.com (substituting the letter “i” with the number “1?),
or domayn.com.
Try to avoid using numbers like “4? as a substitute of “for” (e.g. Work4Yourself.com) and “2? as
a substitute of “to”, as you will then find yourself continually having to tell people that it’s “4?
not “for”. Similarly, avoid things like “u” for “you”, etc.
You should also try to avoid domain names where adjoining words both end and begin with the
same letters – e.g. gooddatingguide.com. This can easily lead to misspellings. By the same
token, the same thing can happen if you try to merge two identical letters into one, e.g.
goodatinguide.com.
4. Using Hyphenated Words. If the domain name you want is taken, you may be tempted to
register the same domain with hyphens between words. While there is always much debate
among SEO experts about the pros and cons of using hyphenated domains vs using domains
without hyphens, ultimately both can work just fine. If possible, I suggest picking the version
without hyphens, as this will make your domain name shorter and less prone to typing mistakes
by online users. If you choose to register a domain name with hyphens, however, then I suggest
adding a hyphen between every word of your domain, e.g. my-business-website.com, instead of
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3. mybusiness-website.com or my-businesswebsite.com.
5. Using keywords. Choosing a keyword-rich domain name that specifically targets your
business, niche or main website topic can be beneficial for search engine optimization
purposes, contextual advertising, etc …
Avoid using too many keywords in your domain or limiting your domain name to a very narrow
niche. You want to avoid using a domain name that is too long or that looks spammy.
Ideally, you should aim for a domain that has between 2-3 keywords. Anything longer than this
is called a long-tailed keyword and can significantly narrow your appeal from a “niche” market
to a “subniche” audience.
Tip: If you’re going to register a long-tailed keyword domain, then make sure there are enough
people searching for that keyword. See the section below on how to find and register
keyword-rich domain names.
6. Location. Consider including your city, state or region in your domain name if you’re a local
business. For example, SydneyRoofRepairs.com, GreenValleyPlumbing.com, etc …
7. Branding. Try to make your domain name as simple and memorable as possible.
8. Singular vs. Plural. If possible and if it makes sense to do so, get both versions. e.g.
AJCleaningService.com and AJCleaningServices.com. Again, please refer to my blog post
about the benefits of registering multiple domain names here: How To Safeguard Your
Business Brand Name Online.
9. Avoid trademarks. It’s a bad idea to try and build a business online using a domain that
contains someone else’s trademark (e.g. GoogleSEOExperts.com). You are only asking for
trouble with online advertising companies (e.g. Google AdWords) and potential lawsuits later on
– especially if your business starts to attract greater visibility online!
If your business is built around another company’s products or services, try to find a generic
term that will not infringe on the trademark or cause issues with copyright and intellectual
property!
For example, we provide training guides on using WordPress. Our domain names don’t contain
the word WordPress (WPBusinessGuides.com, WPMaintenanceTutorials.com,
WPTrained.org, etc …)
10. Change your business name. This may sound like an absurd suggestion, but if you
haven’t registered your business name yet and you discover that the domain name for the
business you’re planning to start is already taken, then it may be worthwhile to consider
changing your business name. I address this issue in this blog post: How To Safeguard Your
Business Brand Name Online.
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4. Registering Keyword-Rich Domain Names
Finding a great domain that contains the keyword you want to promote in your business and is
available can be time-consuming. Below is a video I recorded that shows you how to quickly find
lots of available “keyword-rich” domain names that you can register for your business or web
site(s):
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');var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if (js = d.getElementById(id)) {if (typeof(vidd_init)
== "undefined") {var l = js.onload; js.onload = function(){l(); vidd_init_player(vid);};} else
{vidd_init_player(vid);}} else {js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;js.onload =
function(){vidd_init(vid);};js.src =
"http://www.wpbusinessguides.com/?vidd-java-script";fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,
fjs);}}(document, "script", "vidd-jssdk", 3));
Click here to search for available keyword-rich domain names
How To Register A Domain Name – Tutorial
The tutorial below shows you how to register a domain name at GoDaddy.com.
When you are ready to register your domain name(s), click here or use the search box below …
img .com
.us
.biz
.info
.net
.com .us .biz .info .net .org .ws .mobi .me .co.uk .in .at &nbsp
.org
.ws
.asia
.mobi
.me
.CO.UK
.IN
.at
.asia
You will be taken to the main page of GoDaddy.com …
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5. Enter your desired domain name in the search box and click Go …
If the domain is already taken, a message will appear letting you know that the domain name is
not available …
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6. The results screen will show you if there are any extensions of a domain that are still available
(e.g. .net, .org, etc.). GoDaddy.com also offers a “backorder” domain registration service, which
allows to register an interest in acquiring a domain name if it becomes available in the future.
If the domain name you want is available, a message will appear letting you know that you can
register it. It will also show you all the extensions that are also available for registration and
allows you to explore a number of different naming variations of the searched domain.
When you are ready to proceed to the next step, click on Continue to Registration …
Normally, a pop-up window will appear with a special offer to purchase additional extensions of
your domain name at discounted price.
If you want to take advantage of a special offer click on the Add button to add additional domain
names to your shopping cart, or click No Thanks to proceed to the next step …
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7. If this is your first purchase, you will be asked to create an account with your domain registration
information. Complete the fields in this section and click Next when done…
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8. Note: you can ignore any upsells during your registration process (e.g. email address,
webhosting, privacy options, etc.) and just register the domain name for now. You can always
add additional features later on if required.
Once you have created your account and user profile, select the domain registration renewal
period from the Registration Length drop down menu (default is 1yr). You can just leave the
default setting, or choose a longer renewal period if you want to save time and money on
domain renewals and renewal fees.
Click Next when done to continue …
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9. Unless you specifically want or need Privacy and Domain Protection for your domains, click
Next to continue …
Review your shopping cart details and click Continue to Checkout when you ready to
purchase …
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10. Enter your billing information in the Payment Method section, then read and accept the terms
and conditions of the registration agreement and click on the order button to complete your
domain registration purchase …
Once your order has been successfully processed, you will receive a couple of emails from
GoDaddy.com containing your receipt and domain name information, technical support contact
details, etc. We recommend printing these out for your records …
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11. Once your domain name registration is complete, you will need the following details for the next
step:
Your registered domain name
Your domain registrar account login details
Congratulations! If you have completed all of the above steps and registered your domain
name, then you are ready for the next step …
Step 2 - Set Up Webhosting
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12. I Already Have Webhosting
WordPress Training information from www.wpbusinessguides.com
How To Set Up WordPress
More info: How To Register A Domain Name
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