The first step towards building a website is to find a good domain name and register it. In this article, we will show you how to register a domain name, step by step.

What is a Domain Name?

A domain name is the address of your website that people type in the browser to visit your website. For example, www.yourbusiness.co.za

In simple term, if your website was a house, then your domain name will be its address.

The whole internet is a giant network of computers. Each computer is assigned a number which is called an IP address, and it looks like this:

66.249.66.1

Now, this is not an easy to remember address. Imagine if you had to use this kind of addresses to visit your favorite websites.

To fix this problem, domain names were invented.

Domain names can have alphabets and numbers, which helps business owners create brandable names for their website’s address.

When Do You Need to Register a Domain Name?

Each day, over 46,000+ new .com domain names were registered during the third quarter of 2018.

Currently, there are over 140 million .com domain names already registered.

This means that all the good domain names are being registered as we speak. Chances are that someone may register a domain name that you’re thinking of, so it’s smart to register a domain name as soon as you think of an idea.

This is why all smart entrepreneurs proactively register domain names even before launching a business.

Domain names are cheap, and you can register them for a year. If you decide to not pursue the online business idea, then you can let them expire.

The bottom line is, if you are serious about building a business, then you should register a domain name right away.

It will help you protect your brand’s identity, business name, and even future business ideas.

How much does a domain name cost?

Domain name costs from R69 / year. The cost of a domain varies based on each different package. Some are even more expensive.

Do I Need a Website to Register a Domain Name?

No, you do not need a website to register a domain name. You can register a domain name and make a website later. You can also register a domain name and setup a temporary website or coming soon page with PinkWeb.

A lot of entrepreneurs treat domain names like digital real-estate, so they register a good domain name and hold it for the right buyer to purchase it from them for profit.

How to Choose The Best Domain Name?

Domain names play a very important role in your website’s identity and success. This is why it’s important for you to carefully think about the domain name you choose.

However, it’s also important to not overthink it otherwise you will never get past the research phase.

Following are some general tips to keep in mind when searching for a domain name.

• Make sure that your domain name is easy to pronounce, spell, and as short as possible.
• Use your keywords and brand name in the domain name search. For example, stargardeninghouston.co.za is more search engine friendly, than stargardeningcompany.co.za
• Do not use numbers or hyphens in your domain name. It makes them harder to pronounce and difficult to remember.