How to Buy a Domain

For those planning to build a website to represent their product or service, there are a number of steps that need to be taken before you consider a web-building platform or hosting provider. The most critical decision however is deciding on your domain name.

A domain name describes the URL needed to access your website, e.g. Google.com, where Google is the site name and .com is the extension. This name should (on the most part) be reflective of your business name and align with your wider marketing activity.

However, finding a domain name that hasn’t already been taken and is cost effective can sometimes prove a challenge.

Breaking your approach down into phases is the best way to start.

Phase One; 

Choose a domain name registrar – we recommend starting with some of the most popular sites that include GoDaddy, 123Reg, FastHosts and now Domains.Google.

Phase Two; 

Create an account with your preferred provider.

Phase Three; 

Use their search tool to discover whether your chosen domain name is a. available, b. available with the right suffix (e.g. .co.uk or .com) and c. cost effective.

Phase Four; 

Take advantage of their comprehensive help centres, tutorials and chatbots to ask any questions you may have in completing the process.