Registering a Domain Name

This topic is another integral part of my Domain Parking post.

Like what I've mentioned in the above post, domain parking registration and services are provided for free by some reputable companies like SEDO, Parked, NameDrive and Fabulous. You just need to create an account at your chosen free domain parking service provider. But, in order to have an account, you have to register first for a domain name at a domain registrar.

Domain name registration is the method of registering your preferred domain name and involves the automatic checking if it is still available for registration. This process will cost only a few dollars on your part but will prove to be profitable in the future if the right domain name is purchased. Domain name prices range from $1.99 up to more than $30. There are many domain name registration companies in the internet. GoDaddy sometimes offer domain name registration service for only $1.99 and you "own" the domain name for a period of one year. Basically, the price for registering a new domain name depends on what type of Top Level Domain (TLD) you choose. I registered my two domain names at Netfirms since it offers the lowest price for a dot com and yet with almost the same kind of services as other leading registrars provide. Netfirms also has a very good customer service and answers my queries the soonest time possible. In addition, they have also upgraded their system for a more easy and convenient management of domains and use of the control panel. What more, in case you registered a wrong domain name and want to change it after registration, Netfirms allows you to change the domain name within a period of 24 hours.

Step by Step Guide on Registering a Domain Name

1. List down all of your desired domain names. The hardest part of registering a domain name is actually coming up with a name that is not yet taken or registered. You may refer to the following posts for some ideas in choosing a domain name : How to Choose a Domain Name|Part1, How to Choose a Domain Name|Part 2 and Hyphenated or Non-Hyphenated Domain Name. Having a list of alternative names beforehand is advisable.

2. Decide on which Domain Registrar you would trust to register your domain name. You may check out Netfirms, 1&1 or NameCheap for instance. There are a lot of domain registrars to choose from, but I suggest that you opt for the one that offers Free Private Registration or WHOIS Privacy to protect your identity in the internet along with other benefits and all at a very reasonable price while at the same time know also the price for renewal, that is after your domain ownership / rights period has expired. But just in case, you're not satisfied with the service or finds that renewal fee is not worth it, you can still opt to transfer your domain name to another domain registrar. You may as well check if the registrar has been accredited by ICANN, the acronym for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. Learn more about this "not-for-profit public-benefit corporation" here.

3. Check the availability of your domain name from the domain lookup or form field provided by the domain registrar. Try all the domain names in your list until a succesfull search is obtained for your preferred domain name.

4. Be ready with your credit card details. This is the method of payment being used by most of domain registrars, but there are also some which now consider Paypal as a payment gateway.

5. Fill-up the registration form after confirming your domain name choice. This includes personal and payment method information.

6. Indicate if you want to include and are willing to pay for a Private Registration fee, that is, in case you've chosen a registrar which doesn't offer it for free.

7. Before checkout, review first your order, re-check the spelling of your domain name and the card details.

8. Confirm your order and enter any promo code if you have, then proceed to checkout.

After registering a domain name, it takes a little while to get you started and get your domain live.

Some words of advice regarding checking the availability of the domain name you've carefully thought of is to type it directly into your browser's address bar. If it is free or doesn't exist and you are really ready to purchase it, then visit your chosen registrar's site and use the lookup or search box provided. This is one safe way to protect your domain name ideas from being stolen by some treacherous registrars. This matter has been a topic of discussion and concern in some of the well-known forums in the internet.