How to Register a Domain Name

STEP 1. Go to one of the domain name registration websites:

Network Solutions (priced at $34.99 for 1 year)
Register.com (priced at $35 for 1 year)
DSC Web Domains (priced at $27.90 for 2 years)

You're also able to compare domain registration prices.

STEP 2. Find Out If Your Domain Name is Available

At a domain registration website enter the domain name you want in the domain name search box; then select the preferred extension (EXAMPLE: .com, .net, .org). If the domain name is available, just follow the instructions on the website.

STEP 3. What If the Name is Already Taken?

If the name is already taken, enter a new name and search again until you find one that is still available. If you tried .com as a suffix, try .org or .net instead.

Some other domain name suggestions are:

- Add "the" in front of the domain name (thecompanyname.com)
- Add "inc" or "llc" after the domain name (companynameinc.com)
- Separate words with a hyphen (company-name.com)

If you're still having difficulty finding an available domain name, try a domain name generator service. You enter a couple of keywords and the service generates several available domain names in seconds.

Tips:

Have a list of possible names ready when you visit the site.

The more unusual the name, the more likely it will be available. Most common or well-known corporate names are taken.

If the domain name is already taken and you desperately want it, contact the owner and make an offer.

You can find the owner of a website by doing a "whois" search on a domain registration website. Just look for a link that says, "Whois" on the registration service's home page. The "whois" information includes an address, phone number and e-mail address of the domain name owner.

Little Known Google Tip:

Register for more than 1 year. In the past search engine gurus would register a bunch of domain names and create mini-sites to get high search engine rankings for a keyword in the domain name. Google now gives a domain name that is registered for more than 1 year a boost over domain names only registered for 1 year. In their eyes a domain name that is registered for several years is more "legitimate" than a 1 year registration.