A domain or domain name is what’s between the @ in your email address and the .com, .org, .net, etc. (e.g. yourname@domain.com). It help your customers find your business on the Internet and remember where it is located. A subdomain is a part of your domain — sales.domain.com or marketing.domain.com — that can be used to increase the deliverability of your email marketing.
Example of Domain Names
As we have already discussed, the domain name is not a URL. Rather, it is a combination of the name of the website and the TLD. Common examples of domain names are:
- topknowledge.blog
- google.com
- hostgator.com
How to get a domain name
Now that you know what a domain is, you may be wondering how to get one for your business website. Fortunately, securing a domain for your website is easy with Mailchimp or HostGator.
- Search for a domain: Before you can buy a domain name, you need to make sure that the domain name you want is available. If you have a business name, you can make this your domain name if it is available for purchase. Otherwise, you will need to choose a different name that is easy to remember and understood by potential customers.
- Choose an extension: Depending on your domain name, you may have several options for your top-level domain. Choose an extension that works best for your website, depending on your business. For example, if you’re starting a business, .com is the right choice.
- Buy your domain: When you’re ready, you can register your domain and start building your website right away.
- Check ownership: After purchasing your domain, you need to verify ownership to prevent others from using it without permission. Confirmation of the domain name is usually done by email.
You can also purchase a domain name directly from a domain registrar. Always choose a provider that is controlled by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) to ensure that your domain name is legitimate. You can then check the availability of your domain with an availability check tool before finalizing the purchase and registration.
It might interest you to read: How to Build a Fantastic Website with Mailchimp
If your domain is not available, you can try to buy it from the person who owns it. If you find a name for the owner of a domain, you can contact them and negotiate the domain name.
What does it cost to get a Domain name?
The cost of a domain name varies depending on how competitive it is and whether or not you need to buy it from another person or company. However, once you have registered your domain, you can expect to pay between $5 and $20 per yearly renewal.
Some important Tips for Registering a Domain name.
Registering a domain name is a bit like copyrighting the name of your business: you secure your own piece of online real estate that no other business can use. Once you’ve registered a domain name, you can create a website that runs under that address and is hosted on any server such as HostGator which is one of the best web hosting.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when choosing a domain name for your company.
- Include either your company name or some relevant keywords. Make sure people know exactly who you are or what kind of products you offer. Using keywords also leads to better search rankings.
- Include your location. Adding a location to your company’s domain name — especially if you only operate in a specific market — can help you rank higher in search results.
- Avoid numbers, hyphens, or dashes. Simple names are easier to remember and can spread faster by word of mouth.
- Make sure you are the owner and administrative contact for your domain. Domain names are like property — you can only transfer them if you own them. Make sure you are the primary contact for the site so that no one else can claim the name without your knowledge.
- Renew your domain name registration every year. When domain names expire, anyone can lay claim to them. This can be a big problem — especially if you’ve already spent years building your business around that domain. To avoid this, you should pay for the registration several years in advance and set your account to renew automatically.
Recommended Domain name provider
Whether you run a blog or a business that sells products and services directly to customers, you need a domain name to draw attention to yourself. Remember that your domain name should be memorable and short so that your customers can easily find you online.
Not sure how to find a good domain for your business? Use Mailchimp’s free domain checker tool to find new domains you can use right away or you can also use HostGator. Mailchimp and HostGator are one of the domain and web hosting firms. They are good at what they do. Then, once you’ve found the right domain name for your business, you can buy it directly through Mailchimp, simplifying the process for everyone involved.
Learn more about how to get a free domain name from Mailchimp and how our offer compares to the competition.
Learn more about how to get a domain name from HostGator
