The first step in starting your own website is registering a proper domain name for your website. At GoDaddy one may see this just at its homepage, “Your new websites starts with a domain”.
Use the tool below to start your domain search.
This guide is not just for rookie web developers. Instead, it will answer some doubts which even professionals also face while registering their domain.
Step 1: Searching availability of a domain
Finding a suitable domain name is not an easy task. However, as domain name is the most important part of your identity and it should be unique. It becomes a brain crunching exercise. One might be lucky if he/she finds the domain name he is searching in the first attempt. Read my article, How to find a perfect domain name at perfect price for more details?
I’m taking “example.com” as my domain name to search. No doubt, the domain name is already taken by someone else. However, for the lucky ones, if you find the domain name you were searching for as available. Press the add button and click “Continue to Registration” in the right side box “Order Summary”.
Now, for people like me. They’ve two options. Either go for any other Top Level Domain (TLD), else use some variation and do a re-search. Once, they found their satisfactory name, press the add button and click “Continue to Registration” in the right side box “Order Summary”. One may add more than one domains too, if they like.
I go with elegantexample.com
You may see, “backorder” for some of the domain names. Find out more about backorder in my article here.
Step 2: Domain Registration Information
Domain registration information requires you to enter the basic information about you. If you already have any account on GoDaddy, then login. Else, fill the form. Two things which may attract your attention on this page are
-
Add [email protected] for just $ *.**/mo, and
You should note that this domain name specific email service could be used for free using domain service of Google or Live. These service are truly professional and don’t need any extra cost. If you can give little more effort in setting up your email id with this domain, it could be easily done. Hence, I would suggest leave the checkbox unmarked and setup your email latter on.
-
Checkbox for making your company as legal registrant of the domain name.
This is just asking whether you want your domain should be registered with the name of your company (if provided). Do as you need.
Step 3: Your Domain Settings
This step ask you to specify and crosscheck some basic information related to domain purchase. Reconfirm your domain name & name and address of registrant. Further, specify the duration of registration of the domain name. It should be noted that longer period is better in many ways. You don’t have keep in mind the renewal every year. Economically, the amount of money for longer period is less. At the time of renewal, the renewal cost is normally higher than purchasing cost.
Lastly, one more important thing to look here is “Certified domain” status. As explained by GoDaddy, they will authenticate the credential and your contact information and give a certified domain name status. You may get all the information about Certified Domains by GoDaddy here. However, one think which I doubt here is how much this certificate is itself valid and useful.
Step 4: Privacy and Domain Protection
You must be knowing that the database which maintains the information of registrant of domains is called WHOIS. One may see all the details related to domain registration and hosting by performing a WHOIS query. With personal information being unprotected, one can easily find the address, phone no. of the registrant. It is expected that one should give true information for domain registration. This helps in deciding the ownership of domain at the time of dispute. However, as all these information are vital. It should not be left unprotected, so that any one by performing simple WHOIS query can get these information.
Hence, it is recommended to use private registration. It will hide your details and instead show the details of Privacy Protection Service Provider. If someone wants to contact the owner of a protected domain. He/she may contact the owner via the Privacy Protection Service Provider.
If your other domain names have unprotected privacy. You can use this link to protect them.
Business registration will provide some information related to your website through WHOIS. It is a type of advertisement. However, it is not so important, as very rare people try to find the about the nature and purpose of your website using your domain WHOIS search. If one wants, he/she may easily visit your website. Expiration protection and Deadbolt transfer protection are useful. However, it is sort of luxurious commodity. You don’t need these if your website is very new.
Step 5: Hosting and E-mail option
Domain name is used along with hosting service to run your website. GoDaddy is a very good hosting company too. Hence, if you are not decided to host your website with any other hosting company or you don’t have your other websites hosted with any other hosting company. Then, I would suggest to go with GoDaddy hosting service. If your website is going to store your customers’ or visitors’ information, then SSL is important for protection of these data in a secured way. If you need online storage space, you may buy it. Lastly, about the emails I’ve already explained in Step 2.
Step 6: Review and Checkout
Now, recheck and review your order details. One thing new here is Search Engine Visibility. It will help in Search engine submission of your website. If you are not an expert it is a very handy tool for you. Finally, once you are satisfied with your order. Click on Continue to Checkout. Fill the required information and pay. You will soon be contacted on your provided email id with further details.
Need more information. Use the comment to contact me.
Leave a Reply