4 Important Details You Need to Know About Domain Name Registration

Your business needs a domain name to be identified on the Internet. With your own website name and email address, your business will look very professional. Let it be any type of business, if you want it to be available online, you should have a website with a unique name that distinguishes itself from other websites. With a domain name registration, your business has a high chance of reaching potential customers, who are searching for the product or service you specialize in. 

What should you choose as a domain name?

A domain name registration is a line of text that an Internet user types in the URL bar of the browser to access a particular website. Being a simple, short and easy-to-remember word or phrase, a domain name replaces the complex numerical IP address.

When choosing a domain name, you can choose your company or brand name to make it easy for your prospective customers to reach you on the Web. You can also use keywords that represent your product, brand or service, but use them carefully, for they should not be looked upon as a spam. Avoid using a lengthy domain name with several keywords. The user will find it difficult to remember and may make mistakes when typing the input URL address.

With all the above tips, if you still find your preferred domain unavailable, then you may think of adding a prefix to the name. 

Which domain name extension should you use?

As for the right domain extension, you may choose the top-level domain (TLD) extensions, especially ‘.com’, which is the most preferred one. Unless you have something else to choose, it is advisable to stick to ‘.com’. In case you want other options in generic TLDs, you have .net, .org, .info, and .edu. There are also country-specific TLDs if you want, and they include .au, .ca, .au, and .fr. You can also find new TLDs released every week, and they may be helpful if you are targeting something specific like a niche market. 

Does your domain infringe copyright?

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages the regulations controlling the copyright issues for domains. To avoid conflict with a trademark or another website, it is better to check the trademark databases. For a mistake of choosing a domain name similar to another one, you will not be able to register your domain or may be sued for trademark infringement.

Step-by-step process for domain name registration

1. You need to find a domain registrar, who is accredited to ICANN, and submit an application for domain name registration. The registrar can also assist you in transfer or renewal of the registration.
2. Check whether the domain name you have chosen is available or not by using a reliable domain availability searching tool.
3. You need to keep looking for the best domain name option, for most of your choices would have been taken. Be creative and try until you find the best name that you like to have. In case of extensions, try other options like ‘.net’ or ‘.org’ instead of ‘.com’. If your preferred domain is taken and not used, you can buy it from the owner for a decent price.
4. The next step is to submit an application to register the name with the registrar, who accepts your request and reserves it. For the purpose, you are required to give some technical information, which is sent to the registry, also known as central directory. Your domain name and contact details are entered in the database to help the Internet users find your website.

With a unique domain name registration, you can reach your target customers easily.