Photo by: Kindel Media courtesy of Pixabay.com

As of 2023, 73% of small businesses have a website. Out of the other 27%, the overwhelming majority plan to build a website. In fact, just 3% of small businesses don’t have a website and have no plans to build one.

I’m assuming this means that 3 in every 100 small businesses is a lemonade stand run by children because there’s no other excuse for forgetting about a website!

Whether you run a tattoo studio, a digital marketing agency, a pet spa, or a cafe, if you’re doing business in 2024 you need a website to connect with your customers. And to build a website, you need a domain name.

A domain name is the memorable part of a web address, like Atom.com, harvard.edu, or whitehouse.gov. They’re made up of two parts: the website’s name (Atom, whitehouse) and a top-level domain or TLD for short: .com, .edu, and .gov are some examples.

Every domain name has a matching IP address, a sequence of numbers like 197.82.00.4 that directs your browser to the website. But while computers love numbers, humans don’t. So we use easily readable and memorable domain names instead.

Don’t worry, it’s not as complicated as it sounds. While there are a few important things to learn about security and privacy, it’s easy to register a domain name.

And once you have one, you can start building your brand’s online presence and doing what you love. Let’s find out how to register a domain name.

How to Register a Domain Name

Buying a domain name isn’t like buying a piece of furniture or a fancy meal: domain names are virtual real estate, and buying one is more like leasing a physical store for your business. You can’t own a domain in the same way you can own other property, but you can register it and renew it every year so you can use it forever.

To register a domain name you visit a registrar, who will create the IP address for that domain and then pass your details to the registry. Registries own all the domain names, and different registries are in charge of different TLDs. When you register a domain name, it’s the registry that gives you the right to use it.

Let’s find out how to register a domain name, in five easy steps.

1. Choose a Domain Name

Before you can register a domain name, you have to know what kind of name you want. This isn’t a step to skip, because your domain name will be an important part of your brand, and changing your domain name can be costly for your business and confusing for your customers.

Ideally, your domain name should match your business name. This will give you a coherent online identity, and it’ll be easy for your customers to find you. So choosing a domain name starts with choosing the perfect business name. Here are some key rules:

• Size matters: A good rule is that shorter names are more memorable and easy for customers to type. Premium domain names are between 3 and 12 letters long, and a quick look at the trends among popular websites proves that size matters: the average length for the top 10,000 most popular sites is 8 characters, while for the top 100, it’s 6 characters.

• Make it memorable: Don’t sacrifice memorability for length though: customdesign.com will be more memorable than cstmdsgn.com! For the same reason, avoid adding hyphens or numbers to your domain name.

• Be brandable: Make brandable characteristics a priority, so pick up on naming trends in your industry, like ending your name in -ly and make sure any misspelling follows patterns your customers are familiar with. There’s a reason that ride-sharing app Lyft switched the i to a y and not the f to a ph: I doubt lipht.com would have been half as successful.

• Choose a great TLD: There’s one thing your domain name has that your business name (probably) won’t: a TLD. There are over 1500 to choose from, but to make it easy I’m going to rule out over 1495 of them right now! Most TLDs are seen as unprofessional or even untrustworthy by customers.

.com is the top-tier TLD, and it’s the one your customers will assume is attached to your domain. Other popular options are .io, .co, and .org.

Need some help coming up with a great domain name? Try our free domain suggestions tool.

2. Check Availability

Woah there. Before you decide absolutely on the domain name you want, nay, need for your business, you’d better find out if it’s available. There are over 350 million domains already registered, and thousands more are scooped up every day.

Head over to any registrar’s website and search a few variations of your favorite names for your new coffee biz and you’ll quickly discover that CupofJoe.com, JoesCoffee.com, and CuppaJoe.com are all taken.

You’re not choosing your Xbox Live handle or Twitter username here so forget about CupofJoe123.com.

An alternative TLD could save the day, so try CupofJoe.co, or you could add a compelling verb to the start, such as tryacupofjoe.com or getjoes.com but be careful in straying away from your chosen brand name.

Choosing a name based on availability from a premium domains marketplace ensures that once you’ve chosen a name you have the perfect match in an available domain. Every name at Atom has passed the test for brandability and is paired with a trusted TLD.

3. Choose a Domain Name Registrar

Ever been to view a house that’s on the market, only for someone else to snap it up while you dithered because the garden faced southeast instead of due south? The virtual real estate market is as hot as the physical one, so once you’ve found the perfect name that’s also available, you should register it immediately.

That means it’s time to choose a domain name registrar. This is the organization that offers a domain registration service and passes your details back to the registry responsible for managing the TLD your domain is a part of.

Here’s what to look for in a domain name registrar:

• Cost, both of initial registration and for renewal: many of the cheapest domain name registrars offer discounted registration and expensive renewal. Check the small print to see what the price will be down the road.

• Timeframe of registration: you may be able to register your domain for up to ten years, or just one.

• Privacy protection: this replaces your personal information on the public WHOIS database with proxy information.

• SSL certification: these certificates enable the use of the more secure HTTPS.

• Additional services: such as web hosting, DNS, and WordPress services.

Here’s what to avoid in a domain name registrar:

• Hidden fees and add-on pricing: if privacy protection and SSL certification aren’t included as standard, a good deal might turn out expensive in the long run.

• Poor customer service: if anything goes wrong with your domain or the DNS records, you need to be able to get help fast to keep your website online.

• Weak security infrastructure: 2-factor verification and other security features will keep your domain safe.

• They’re a third-party reseller: resellers are authorized by registrars to sell domain registration. They often charge higher fees, have weaker security, and limited customer service.

Select a well-known registrar and if you’re unsure if they’re a reseller, check ICANN’s List of Accredited Registrars. For ease, choose a registrar that acts as a one-stop shop for your domain needs and includes additional privacy, hosting, and certification in their registration package. 

4. Purchase and Register Your Domain Name

Now it’s time to purchase and register a domain name. Select the appropriate add-ons — privacy, certification, web hosting — and input your details. Registration is usually very quick and the domain should appear in your account on the same day.

5. Remember to Renew!

Forgetting to renew your domain name could allow your registration to expire, and you may lose ownership of your domain altogether. This could be incredibly costly for your business and brand, so don’t let it happen.

Tick the boxes to allow your registrar to email you with reminders, turn on auto-renew, and keep your credit card details up to date.

Final Thoughts

Registering a domain name is simple, and a good domain registrar will make it easy to understand the more technical aspects of DNS settings and web hosting. If only it was as easy to find the perfect domain name…

Well, Atom’s Domain Marketplace is packed with strong, proven domain names that make great business names. Our international team of naming experts is working round the clock to create powerful business names, and out of 7 million names, only 200,000 have been selected for our marketplace based on the strength of their brandable characteristics.

Atom supports you every step of the way, from initial naming ideas through to domain transfer. Start your domain name journey today. 

FAQ:

What is the best domain name registrar?

Choose an ICANN-accredited domain name registrar that offers a full package, including registration, security features, and privacy protection.

How do I know if a domain name is available?

Search the registrar or ICANN’s Lookup tool to find out if a domain name is available. With ICANN’s Lookup tool, you can also see information about who owns the domain and where it’s registered. 

How do I permanently buy a domain name?

You can’t permanently buy a domain name, but you can own a domain name for as long as it’s registered and you renew that registration. You can pre-pay for up to ten years’ registration at some registrars. Owning domain names is more like leasing property, but as long as you renew the lease, the domain is yours forever.