There is a lot involved in setting up a website, and every decision is important. Whether it is where to have your site hosted to your pages’ design, there is a lot involved. One of those is whether or not to register a URL. Owning a reserved “.com” or “.org” site, known as a domain name, boosts your website’s visibility and credibility. If you want to start an online business or set up a digital shop, a domain name is essential.
Register a URL first steps
The question is, then, how to go about registering a URL. The first thing is to come up with a list you would be happy with. These could be slight variations on your company’s name and what your business provides, for example. Choose multiple potential URLs since your desired one may already be taken. Most registration services approve any requested URL as long as it’s available, making it a “first come, first serve” process.
Transfer or Register your URL
Most sources estimate that hundreds of millions of websites are registered and active. Every day, several hundred thousand are bought, renewed, or transferred. Many people believe that others claimed all the good domain names years ago. Finding the perfect URL and securing it before someone else does can be a challenging task. With tough competition, it’s easy to rush the process. You might quickly purchase the first available URL that catches your attention.
URL Consideration
Despite the race, it does pay off to think very carefully about the URL you want. Just as a business’s name defines its identity and reputation, your URL establishes your online presence. It shapes how your audience recognizes and perceives you. A URL that lacks a clear connection to you, your business, or your offerings can confuse visitors and potential customers.
URL Availability
You can check to see if your URL is free by using services like HostOtter.com. When a URL is available, you can also go ahead and register through those services if you like. If your desired domain is already taken, visit Whois.Net to check publicly available registration information. If contact details are provided, you may reach out to the owner to negotiate a purchase. Some people register multiple URLs hoping to sell them later, so you may still have a chance to buy yours if it’s taken. Just be careful not to pay these sellers too much.
Also, keep in mind that “.com” and “.org” are not the only available domains you can register under. There are several of these, ranging from “.biz” and “.co” to the personal “.me,” not to mention nation and region-specific ones. Therefore, if you do not have a particular need for the popular “.com” you may still be able to get the URL you want.
Registration Costs
Once you have a name you want and can use, you have to go about actually registering it. There is a myriad of services available to do this, and prices can vary quite a bit. The most common prices range from $30 to $60. Many registrars also offer URL web hosting plans, marketing services, and registration. Some even provide a free URL with a hosting plan purchase. Comparing options can help you save money on your domain or hosting. You will have to pay a renewal fee every year for your URL, and this is usually the same as the cost of registering in the first place.
After the registration is complete, it is time to point it in the direction of your website. Your registrar does this if you provide it with the necessary information. If you are forwarding a URL to a personal account on YouTube or Facebook, you only need your account’s address. Setting up a full site on a dedicated host requires more information. You must tell your registrar which server hosts your website. Typically, you need the addresses of two or three name servers. Your hosting company should provide these details easily. Just enter these into the fields provided by your registrar, and they take care of the rest.
Choosing a Registrar
Registrars may request this information in different ways, but all require it. Without it, your URL will not work. If you don’t have a host yet, most registrars can “park” your URL. This allows you to find a web host and build your website later. Most of these services automatically handle this process without requiring a specific request. The process of pointing your URL in the right direction is usually fairly easy and straightforward. Your URL may take up to 72 hours to update and direct visitors to your site, so consider this delay if planning a major marketing push for your website’s launch.
That is really all that there is to it. Different registrars will have you do things differently, while different hosts will have the needed information in different locations. In the end, this is one of several steps in setting up your online presence with your own URL and is often the beginning of the much larger process of setting up your website.