Registering a domain name is an important step towards growing your business
If you have a business in the 21st century, having a commanding online presence is critical. However, this takes quite a substantial effort, including having a fast, user-friendly, and mobile-friendly website. Before you achieve all this, nonetheless, registering your domain is a process you can’t afford to skip.
With this being mentioned, you could be wondering how it is done or if there are any steps you need to follow during domain name registration. Well, the good news is that registering a domain name can be done quickly and easily with just a few clicks of the mouse, even if you aren’t particularly tech-savvy.
In this post, we will discuss some crucial information small businesses should know when it comes to registering their domains.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is the web address through which you or your business can be found online. If someone types your domain name into their browser’s web address, they are directed to your website or landing page. Your business needs a unique domain name so people can find you easily online.
What is a domain registrar?
A domain name registrar is a company that you will go through to register your business’s unique web address. There are many different companies out there such as GoDaddy, Namecheap, and Network Solutions. You can also use other online services to search and register your domain name across a wide range of countries and extension types. Whether you’re building your own website from scratch through coding or using a website builder, getting a unique domain name and personalized email addresses can have a great impact on your business’s success.
What’s more, domain name registrars are responsible for managing your domain name on their servers after you have registered it. Apart from hosting your site, they also offer many different services related to web hosting that will be discussed in more detail later in this post.
Benefits of using a domain name registrar
There are many benefits that come with registering your business’s unique web address with a reputable domain name registrar. The biggest advantage is that it makes creating and managing your website much easier. Other benefits include:
- Your business appears professional
- Your brand becomes visible and appears reputable
- Serves as an online marketing tool
- Benefits your ranking on search engines
How do you register your domain name?
As already hinted above, the first step is choosing a good registrar that fits your needs and then completing the registration process. During this process, you will need to select a username and password, while supplying other critical information regarding your site/business.
You will then be able to check if the domain name you want is available. If your first choice isn’t available, then you will need to search for alternatives. For example, instead of using a .com domain name, you may consider other options such as a .io domain name.
From there, you’ll need to pay the registrar a small fee or annual domain fee so that they can manage your web address on their servers.
Finally, you will need to learn how to use your domain name registrar to perform various tasks. This may include making sure to renew your domain name before it expires. If it does expire, a competitor or another individual may be able to take advantage of this.
Domain registration and website hosting
Once you have registered your domain name with a good registrar, then they can provide additional services that will help keep it running smoothly. This is where website hosting comes in because this is the service that keeps your site online so others can access it at all times.
Types of web hosting:
There are two different types of web hosting: shared and dedicated. With shared hosting, your website will be placed on a server with other websites and you share the same IP address. With dedicated hosting, on the other hand, there is only one website per server, so your site won’t have to compete for resources with other websites.
For most small businesses, shared hosting is the most cost-effective option. Nonetheless, dedicated hosting is preferred for speed, security, support, and convenience. Apart from these, other options include the following:
- Cloud hosting
- Managed hosting
- Virtual private server (VPS)
Domain name registration and web hosting are two different services that can be provided by a single company or they may be separate entities altogether. If you would like to learn more about the differences between these services, then you should contact your domain registrar for additional information.
As a small business owner, domain name registration is an essential step when taking your business online. Thankfully, this piece has provided you with the necessary information you need to get started. You can now choose a befitting domain name, pick the right registrar, choose a hosting plan and start providing helpful content on your site.
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