Registering a web domain

[metamorph]

I want to register a domain. How is it done? There seem to be several websites that offer this at different prices. Which is the official one?

Regarding choosing domain names: someone was faster than me, and my domain name of choice is already taken. Is it wise to choose something similar, or rather go for something different.

Random example: let's say the domain "www.stockexpert.com/" is already taken. Would it be wise with regards to search engines and traffic to choose something like "http://www.stockxpert.com/", or "http://www.stockexperts.com/" or "http://www.stockexperise.com/" or rather something more different?

[CoolBee]

From your profile, you are showing as in the UK.
So, as far as registering your domain name goes, you have to go through a registrar. There is no official one single one to get your name through, and you could try this one:

Domain names | Domain name registration | 123-reg

It doesn't really matter which country, but might possibly affect geography-based google or other search engine searches.

Just find the name you want and which is available and checkout! You can then point your domain name (domain forwarding) to wherever you are hosting your website which you have to buy as well from a hosting company (which may or may not be the same as the company you register your domain with).

I might be teaching granny to suck eggs, but quite a lot of non-tech-savvy people don't get the whole idea that your domain name is quite a separate purchase from your hosting (though many companies will sell you the domain name AND host your website). I know people who have been in tears because they got a bill from their hosting company and didn't pay it because they didn't understand what it was for and then their website disappears 'but I still have the name so I don't get it'.

PERSONALLY, I prefer to keep domain name and hosting separate having known 3 different hosting providers disappear overnight taking all before them! At least if your domain name is separate, you can hurriedly repoint it at a freebie blog page somewhere while you figure it all out! I did have my domain name registered with one such outfit and when they vanished overnight (no fault of their own - rendered totally incapacitated) and could not renew their resell business. I had to track back to who they bought their reseller business off and get the domain names transferred to me which took a couple of weeks as they wanted to get hold of the original reseller and me knowing 100% they weren't going to be able to (unless they had an in with the Egyptian equivalent of the 'men in black' )

As to name, my guess is it's probably best not to have a name that is a typo as it might reflect badly on you. The general view is it's probably also best to have a name which is less than 35 characters long (including the www and com bits) and explains what you do in the chosen name.

If stockexpert is taken but stockexperts is not, it's probably ok unless there are any 'registered trade mark' issues regarding the name.

If you want to know more about registration and how it works, check out this link: Nominet - Become a Registrar

[qwertyportne]

Register.com makes it very easy to check the availability of the domain name of your choice, and purchase it, but they do not host web sites, so you might find it more convenient to compare web hosting packages at top-10-web-hosting.com or findmyhosting.com. My favorite for registering a domain name and hosting the site is bluehost.com--they are consistently in the top ten...

--Bill

[chadcharlie]

I agree with CoolBee to keep your registrar activity and hosting activity, billing, separate.

With regard to names, I try to think of the user experience first before the Google juice. I run hardknocklaughs.com and in hindsight, I would have picked one less ambiguous for that company. When I give people my email I have to spend an extra minute on the last word telling them it's "laughs" like "laughing" plural. Eventually I bought hardknocklaugh.com too and just forwarded the URL to the actual site.

If your original desired URL was taken, get creative and think of another unique one. Key words do matter, but if it's difficult to remember, it does you no good unless you only plan on marketing online. I once ran a blog called thosearemypants.com. It seems like a long name but NO ONE forgot it. Now I write on thisbluecouch.com which was equally intentional since neither of the three words are ambiguous.

Tim Ferris runs into trouble sometimes when he gives the name of his blog, fourhourblog.com which in concept seems simple, but he has to iterate, "the number 4 spelled out, and 'hour' not 'for our' blog, but 'f-o-u-r h-o-u-r'..." He gets away with it because he has two best selling books that point in his direction, BUT most bloggers don't

If someone took your original name, and you grab one similar, if they do a better job building Google ranking, people will click through to their when searching your keywords, or worse, they mistype your name and stay on the other site.

My recommendation is to think outside the box and get unique.

Unique to your example, for years I followed ambitionsasatrader.com for trading and stock picking. It's a GREAT name. Years later, I remember it.

Take care,
Chad.

[Peter T]

I will prefer godaddy. If your domain is already taken by some one then Godaddy provides you valuable suggestions of other matching domains.

[Apresto]

be sure to choose the right hosting company after getting a domain, most of the people think that when you get a domain name you're done with all the work

[ButterflyWoman]

I like godaddy.com for domain registration, but a couple of my domains are .au (Australian), so I have to go through an official Australian registrar for those. I'm pretty sure you can register .uk domains with godaddy, though, along with various other options.

I agree with CoolBee about keeping hosting and registration separate. I even go so far as to keep my DNS separate from my hosting which is, in turn, separate from my registration. Most people aren't going to go for separate DNS, though, and it's probably not necessary with a good hosting package, but I like the additional flexibility that it affords me.

[GoOliver]

In the past I used godaddy.com, there you can register also international domains like co.uk etc.

After trying out various sites to register my domains I have to say I am very happy with godaddy.com, but I never used it for hosting and other additional services...

[GeiGei]

Originally Posted by chadcharlie

With regard to names, I try to think of the user experience first before the Google juice.

If your original desired URL was taken, get creative and think of another unique one. Key words do matter, but if it's difficult to remember, it does you no good unless you only plan on marketing online.

I agree with Chad, it depends on what you are trying to do. If it is just your own personal blog and you do not need it to come up on page one of Google for website traffic, unique and non-ambiguous is good. If you wish to sell products or be searchable on the web for a certain subject, you MUST pick relevant keywords to your subject and preferably have them as your domain name. This will help immensely with rankings in Google.

There are great free sites to show you how to do this second road if you wish, I would suggest starting with Challenge.co and sign up in Warriorforum.com two great and free sites with experienced internet marketers and training. Best of luck!