Have you done this? If so, do you have any recommendations? It would be for a small business. Thanks!! Also, the domain name I would prefer is for sale, has anyone dealt with that?
My father owns many domain names. He started in the 90's when no one knew what he was doing. He uses godaddy. So they must be pretty upstanding :)
Use GoDaddy.com. They'll walk you through the steps.
I've done it several times and it's really not that difficult. Message me if you have any other questions.
Find out: Will they let you transfer your domain name somewhere else (another registrar) if you want to change? Do you need to also host your site there? Are there any additional fees after a while? Will they allow you to manage some but not all your records? How much extra is WHOIS privacy? How does email work?
If the domain name is for sale, that's great. But "sale" is really a misnomer. It's more like "for rent" Bear in mind that if it's available for registration it's available everywhere in the world. ANY registrar can snag it, so if you have your heart set on that name, get it quickly. And find out about autorenewals or other notification. If you don't pay on time it can cost you $80 or more for them to get it back from limbo, if you can get it back at all.
We use GoDaddy for our hobby group but another server for our site files and do not use email.
I have lots of domain names. I've used GoDaddy for many years. I love their 24/7 tech support. In fact they just helped me thru a big problem. In addition to my domain names, I also have a hosting account with GoDaddy for my blog and other sites.
GoDaddy has different prices for their domain names, depending on the type. I always want a .com and the matching .net. Those are still the most popular. They're also the most difficult to find, since so many are taken.
I can always find a domain name at the base price. Right now, that's $9.99 a year. And I always check for a coupon code that often brings the price down even more. When I get a 30% off coupon code, I sometimes buy another year on at least a couple of my domain names, to keep them paid for a couple years out ahead. If you don't have a coupon code, let me know and I'll find one for you.
About your domain name ...
If you have a good one, GRAB IT NOW! while it's available. But, put lots of thought into it.
My criteria for a domain name ...
• As short as possible (think about fitting it on a business card)
• Easy to say, especially on the phone
• Easy to understand
• Easy to spell (common words we all know and use)
• Easy to remember
• Unambiguous (is it 2, to, too, two?)
• Doesn't spell something odd or obsene when it's spelled without spaces
• Keywords in the domain name are a plus for SEO
If you click my name, then the business tab, you can see a couple of my domain names for examples.
Good luck with your domain name. Is it going to be a static website, a blog or something else?
~M.
