Choosing a domain name is an important 1st step in establishing your online presence. Your domain name is the way that people can identify your website, it’s your address on the World Wide Web, and it’s how your audience will find you. Your domain name should be memorable, easy to type, and short. Be sure to use keywords that describe you, your business, and the products or services you offer. Your business is unique and your domain name should reflect that. Here’s a very helpful post from the Elegant Themes blog, 21 Domain Name Generators to Help You Find the Perfect Domain Name.
Where do I get a Domain Name?
Most (if not all) web hosting providers offer domain name registration. Many will offer the domain name at a discount if you register a domain name with them at the same time you set up your hosting package. Some offer it for free as part of the package. Usually, the discounted deal is for the first year and renewal is at the regular price. So, check out what it will cost when you renew. Domain name registration is very affordable, even at full price. The price ranges from about $10 to $15 a year. You may save a few percent if you purchase your domain for multiple years. If you have a great domain name or have been in business for a while and wouldn’t want to lose the domain you really should consider the multi-year purchase. I have used Godaddy, DreamHost, BlueHost, and SiteGround for domain name registration and web hosting. The process is similar with each host. All are very very easy to navigate and can have you signed up in a hurry. NOTE: You don’t have to have your domain name registered with your web host although it is very easy to purchase both from the same vendor. I’ve started using Cloudflare for domain name registration. Cloudflare is very affordable, at the time of this writing they are charging $9.15 per year.