Domain Registration Guide: Buying a Domain Name
What you should know about domain names, how to pick the best one, and the procedures to follow in order to determine whether a domain name is available and register your domain.
You must register a domain name—the name of your website—if you want to launch a blog or new online venture. Finding the ideal domain for your purposes may appear complicated at first, but the procedure is actually rather straightforward.
This article on domain registration will teach you all you need to know about domain name extensions, how to pick the one that best suits your requirements, and the procedures you must follow to find out if a domain name is available and to register your domain.
Several of the extensions mentioned in this article can't be added to Mailchimp or registered there. See all of our top-level domains and domain extensions.
How do domain names work?
An IP address is assigned to every website on the internet. Think of these addresses like GPS coordinates that link to a certain place on a website. The IP address, which is typically a string of integers, typically looks like this:
216.27.61.137
Sadly, it might be difficult to remember all of those numbers in order to access a website. Domain names can help with it, as they do.
The Domain Name System (DNS), a system, converts those IP numbers into names that are (ideally) easy to recall. They are referred to as domain names.
People point their browsers toward your website by entering its domain into the address bar. In the simplest terms, if an IP address represents the GPS coordinates of your website, the domain represents its street address. Examples are Google.com and MailChimp.com.
A DNS server is used to redirect requests made when entering a domain name into a browser. The name is translated by that server to reveal the IP address that it refers to. It then takes the information for that website and sends it to the browser. This procedure takes only a few seconds, enabling quick website discovery and viewing.
Domain Categories
There are a wide range of varieties available. You must first comprehend the architecture of a domain, which is composed of a second-level domain (SLD) and a top-level domain, in order to make the best decision (TLD).
2. level domains (SLDs)
The majority of the time, when people consider the name of a website, they think of a second-level domain. The aspect of your brand that people will most likely remember is its distinctive name, which you have chosen to symbolize it.
An SLD is a top-level domain that appears in a web address just to the left of the extension. It can have as many letters, numbers, and special characters as you like, but it's preferable if they are brief and simple.
domains at the top (TLDs)
Domain extensions are another name for top-level domains (TLDs). These are the string of letters that follow the dot at the right of your SLD. The most well-liked ones consist of:
•.com: Abbreviated "com," this TLD was the first to be introduced and was initially intended for business and commercial use. It remains the most well-liked.
•.net: Abbreviated for "network," this domain extension was developed for technological companies but has since spread to include website owners of all stripes.
•.edu: This TLD, which stands for "education," was made specifically for universities, colleges, and other educational establishments. Currently, American schools are primarily linked to it.
•.org: Abbreviation for "organization," this was created for non-profit organizations but quickly caught on with communities, for-profit businesses, and schools.
• .gov: Short for "government," this was intended specifically for U.S. government agency use.
•.mil: This TLD, which stands for "military," was created specifically for use by the U.S. military.
Additionally, there are TLDs for other nations, such as.ca for Canada, as well as specialized names like.coffee or.cheap. There are already more than 1,500 distinct TLDs available, and the number keeps increasing. Yet the price for other TLDs varies. Some have greater "weight" than others, which ought to influence your choice when purchasing a domain.
Note: At the moment, Mailchimp does not accept transfers or registrations for country code domains or some other top-level domains. See all of our top-level domains and domain extensions.
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What is the price of a domain name?
When you purchase a domain name through a domain registrar, you can choose to register it for a single year or for a number of years. When the original period expires, you can renew your domain name registration; the registrar will typically notify you to do so. When domain names are not already included in your web hosting service, your host will typically offer them.
The cost of domain names acquired through Mailchimp depends on the TLD you select, such as.com or.net.
It is possible to purchase a domain name with a popular top-level domain, like.com, for as little as $12.99 per year, and discounts are sometimes offered. Internet domains purchased with Mailchimp also come with free WHOIS privacy protection and a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate to provide your website with free verification and encryption.
To put your website online, you do need a web hosting package, but you don't require hosting in order to get a domain. By purchasing and registering your domain name now, you can reserve the name of your brand for the future if you already have a name for your company or blog in mind. You'll have plenty of time to think about how to construct your website after that.
Choosing a domain name
What you choose for your domain name is an important first step in developing your brand because it can have a significant impact on your online visibility. Sometimes it can be hard to find the ideal domain name.
Although there are millions of accessible domain names, many of the well-known and simple-to-remember ones are already taken. Fortunately, if you follow a straightforward procedure and employ a little creativity, you can still acquire what you need.
brandable rather than generic
Generic domain names are never preferable to inventive, memorable ones. After all, people will locate, remember, and spread the word about your company online using its domain name. It's much better to have something that aligns with your brand than of a domain name that's made up of a bunch of general terms.
Can you recognize the difference between affordableautoinsurance.com and cheapcarinsurance.com, for instance? Which one would you choose to get insurance from? Most likely neither. Both are quite generic and have a spammy sound to them.
On the other side, you will probably be aware of where progressive.com or geico.com will direct you. These businesses have made investments in their branding, and their domain names reflect those investments. You can rely on the legitimacy of these websites.
Choosing a powerful domain name that complements your brand might help you establish trust and loyalty even if you haven't yet.
select the appropriate domain extension
If you don't have a good cause to pick something different, ".com" is still the finest option for your domain name's extension or TLD.
Google acknowledges that your TLD selection won't effect rankings, but it does have an impact on how customers perceive you. Other TLDs are frequently perceived as being less reliable.
In spite of this,.net or.org suffixes are prevalent, making them suitable backup choices if you locate the ideal name but the sought-after.com isn't accessible.
However if you do choose to use a different extension than.com, be sure to look at the kind of websites that are already using the.com extension. There will inevitably be an accidental visitor who is looking for your company. You might wish to completely avoid using that moniker if the website contains dubious or objectionable information.
Domain Length to Watch
Shorter is preferable when it comes to domain name length. Google in particular prefers domain names that are straightforward, easy to comprehend, and fulfill their promises. Rankings in search engines can suffer if a URL has a lot of digits and other special characters.
The theme of your website should be conveyed in as few characters as feasible in your domain name. Small domains are simpler to read, take up less space on marketing materials, and have a higher likelihood of being remembered by visitors.
There aren't as many short domain names available, which is a drawback. Yet, if your brand name is entirely original or contains some other creative component, you might be able to find something that works.
What length is therefore suitable? With a focus on the shorter end of the range, aim for 6 to 14 characters.
For the sake of word-of-mouth advertising, if your domain name selection passes the first test, make sure it is also simple to say. Use the same 10-friend test as a benchmark. Put the domain name down and ask your friends to pronounce it. Nobody will struggle, thus you've got a winner.
Consider some well-known websites, like Twitter, Reddit, Yahoo, and Amazon. Each is concise and simple to spell. If you make a terrible decision, there's a significant probability that many of your visitors will visit a different website.
exclude hyphens and numbers
Imagine asking your ten friends to pronounce or spell a domain name that has dashes and numerals. That will fail.
If you select a domain name that contains these components, you risk losing traffic from users who are unable to recall it or effectively direct someone else to it. If you had to go to Face-Book.com to access the site, Facebook probably wouldn't exist today.
Check for infringement of trademarks.
Both major and minor firms alike take problem with others using their trademarked names. Even if you have committed a minor error, it could be expensive to change your online presence and deal with the legal issues that arise from a lawsuit.
By using a trademark lookup tool before making your final decision, you may stay away from these problems.
Make your domain name future-proof.
Domains and websites are long-term investments. So, you should refrain from selecting a domain name that contains a year or the newest catchphrase.
Consider where your brand or company may be in five or ten years. If you start out by selling simple SEO services, you could find that as your company develops, you want to add more services. So, rather than using the term "SEO services," it could be wiser to use the terms "marketing" or "digital marketing."
Make use of a domain-name generator
How to purchase a domain name
Let's imagine you have a list of catchy, memorable, branded, and short domain names, and you're ready to acquire. The steps for purchasing and registering your domain name are listed below.
1. Choose a trustworthy domain registrar
Finding a registrar who is accredited with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the non-profit organization in charge of managing all of the numerical spaces on the internet, is the first step in obtaining a domain name. ICANN-managed domains are available from Mailchimp.
2. Locate a tool for checking domain availability.
Your next stage should involve a domain name search and should include a tool for checking domain availability. This will inform you of the availability of the desired domain, such as tinysgarage.com.
The domains page contains the domain availability checker for Mailchimp.
3. Choose the top possible domain name.
Your first, second, and tenth choices will frequently be taken when you search for available domain names. When this occurs, there are several alternative strategies you might employ, including:
• Continue looking. Allow your imagination to run wild and keep looking until you find something you at least like.
• Choose for a different extension. If you have your heart set on a particular name and the.com isn't available, see whether the.net or.org will work.
• Speak with the owner. The domain might already be registered, but it's not being used too frequently. You might approach the owner and make an offer.
4. Get your domain name and finish the registration process.
It's time to get a domain name once you've decided on one. We'll inform you of the annual cost of the domain name and any possible savings when you purchase through Mailchimp.
You must input your contact information, including an email address, during the checkout process in order to register the domain.
5. Make sure your new domain is legally yours.
Although purchasing your domain would seem to be the final step, you still need to prove your ownership. This process prevents unauthorized users from utilizing the domain (such as myname@topnotchsales.com) while allowing you to send email using it.
This procedure is easy if you buy your domain with Mailchimp. A confirmation email will be sent to you once your purchase is complete. You may use your domain to establish your brand by simply clicking the Verify Domain button in the email and following the instructions on the following page. This step will only ever need to be finished once.
purchasing a domain name from a third party
If the desired domain name is already registered, it can still be accessible. Assuming you locate a name that you just must have, these are the steps to finalize a purchase:
1. Identify the owner's details.
Search the WHOIS directory for the domain owner's contact details to find them. If it isn't, you might be able to get in touch with them using the details you find on the domain's website.
2. Strike a reasonable price.
When you get in touch, propose a reasonable price for the domain. Do some research if you are unsure of a pricing. You can even engage a broker to facilitate the sale on your behalf if you want the domain desperately enough.
3. Finish the transaction with escrow.
Do not wire money to an online stranger. Simply put, it's a horrible idea. Use an escrow service as an alternative to make your sale as risk-free as possible and to ensure that both parties are happy.
integrating Mailchimp with your domain name
You can transfer your domain name and link it to your Mailchimp account regardless of whether you purchased it directly from Mailchimp or a third party. Once linked, you can use that domain to access a personalized landing page or a website hosted by Mailchimp. If you don't already have a website, Mailchimp offers a free website builder that you can use to make your brand stand out—with no coding skills required.
Choose a unique domain for your website.
Mailchimp offers unique domains that can significantly improve your online presence, whether you're working on a blog, an online portfolio, or an online store. There's no need to stop there either. Build your website with Mailchimp and connect it to our all-in-one marketing platform to truly set your offers apart from the competition.
Discover more about how Mailchimp's offer stacks up against the competition and how you receive a free domain name from them.
Questions on domain names
Does the registration of a domain name expire? And what happens if it does before I renew it?
You can view the registration and expiration dates when you register a domain name. Every domain name eventually runs out of time, whether it be in a year, a few years, or a decade. You can save time by buying a name with a longer expiration date. In any case, as that expiration date approaches, you will have to manually renew your domain.
The good news is that you can maintain your domain name by renewing your registration before it expires. This is particularly crucial if you have a relatively straightforward domain name that is in great demand. The first notice to renew your domain should arrive around a month before it expires.
What happens then if you neglect to renew your domain name prior to its expiration? You can reactivate your domain name after the expiration date provided that no one else has already registered it. Remember that some domains are far more sought-after than others, and that there are even some bots out there that automatically register famous domain names as soon as they become available.
Remember that some domain registrars (businesses that let you register a domain name) include an autorenewal option. When you choose this autorenewal option, your domain registration will renew itself when it is about to expire. Before allowing autorenewal, make sure you have read the policies of your registrar as they may vary from one to another. If your payment information is up to current, your domain will likely automatically renew when you have around a month before it expires.
Another thing to keep in mind when learning how to get a domain name is that not all domain names are in high demand. If your domain name contains a made-up word or a very specialized company name, it's likely that no one will try to squat on it if you let it expire. You can verify the worth of your domain name using a domain price checker to learn more about the level of demand for it. If you let your domain expire, more individuals will be inclined to squat on it the more valuable your domain is.
Does my domain name depend on the nation I live in?
Your location has no practical bearing on your domain name, although you can utilize country-specific domain names to identify the location of your company. You can purchase a domain name with a certain country in mind, such as.it for Italy or.ir for Iran. To build a website, you do not, however, need to be aware of or use your nation's domain extension. No matter whatever country you're from, you can create a website using one of the basic domain extensions, like .com, .net, and .org.
It's important to keep in mind that some country-specific domain extensions are only accessible to citizens of that nation. For instance, you cannot have an Italian name for an American company because you may only register a.it domain if you are a natural or legal citizen of the European Union. When it comes to .us domains, things are a bit different. Any business or person with a license in the United States or a citizen of the country can register a.us domain, but certain foreign organizations with ties to the country can also do so.
There are domain extensions created for particular kinds of websites in addition to country-specific domain extensions. While official government organizations often use.gov domains, schools and other educational institutions frequently use.edu domains. It's advisable to stick with a straightforward.com domain to avoid confusing your audience, even though none of these domains are prohibited from being used by other businesses.
The most well-known and memorable domain names are those ending in.com around the globe. Given this, many business owners choose to register a variety of domain extensions in addition to any misspellings or typos of the.com domain. Choosing the right domain and making sure you keep up with domain registration helps you build a strong online presence.
Despite the fact that.com domains are the most widely used, you shouldn't only buy them. Knowing which domain names to purchase for your company is a necessary step in learning how to purchase a domain name. This entails purchasing the same domain with the.com,.net, and.org extensions if you want to be completely comprehensive. You can also buy typos and misspellings of your domain name so that you can send visitors to your website even if they type it incorrectly.
What should I do after purchasing my domain name?
When you purchase a domain name, you can link it to a website to make it publicly available. Others will be able to access the website you created by typing in the related domain name. Of course, a server to host your website is also necessary.
First, make sure you record your login credentials for your preferred domain registrar. When it's time to connect your domain to your website or renew your domain registration, this login credentials will be crucial. You can always contact your registrar for help logging in to maintain your domain, but it's easier to store your login details somewhere safe. If you wish to save this information on your phone or computer, you can use a secure password manager, or you can just write it down on a piece of paper and store it safely.
You may quickly and easily connect your domain name when using a website builder like Mailchimp. The company you select for web hosting will effectively function as a server for the files that power your website. You can buy a hosting package and a domain name separately and use a website builder to connect them to your website. When building your website, you do have the choice to buy a domain name directly from Mailchimp.
Knowing when your domain expires and how to stop it from happening is part of understanding how to get a domain name. After purchasing a domain, be sure to check the expiration date and renew your name before that time to avoid having your domain stolen by cybersquatters. To ensure that your domain registration renews before it expires, you might wish to turn on auto-renew. An alternative is to get a 10-year domain registration, which will free you from worrying about domain renewal for the foreseeable future.
You may want to research related domains after purchasing a domain. When you purchase a domain name, some domain registrars will provide alternatives, such as.org and.net versions of your domain. After that, you can configure these domains to point to your.com domain. By having many domain extensions, you can make sure that visitors to your website are led there even if they don't key in the correct one.
