- Several factors need to be taken under consideration when setting up a domain name. Setting up a domain name involves a purchase. Determine what your budget will allow for the purchase of a domain name for at least a year. The domain name should be popular and easily found on search engines. This is important for resale of the domain name, or if the domain will be linked to an actual website. Determine which domain registrar is best for your needs. If you are only interested in registering a domain, then use a domain registry service that offers this service separately from ordering a website. These services are often bundled, as the purchase of a domain name is the first step in building a website.
- Once you have an idea of what domain name you would like to use, do a free keyword popularity check at a keyword niche search engine on the web. This will let you know how many searches are done on the keywords in your domain name and how popular the domain name might be.
- There are literally thousands of domain registration services available on the web. At the registry site, you will first search to see if the domain name is available. Sites will also list other possible domain names for you to choose from in case the one you want is taken. The most popular extension---and often the most expensive one---is ".com." You will also be given your choice of alternate extensions, such as ".net" or ".org." Keep in mind that these are legitimate domain extensions; however, if you want to resell them, they will sell for much less than a ".com" domain name. If you can possibly change the order of your keywords to keep the price down and still get a ".com" address this is the best scenario for a popular domain name.
- When you purchase the domain name, you will also be given the choice of many add-on services that are related to building a website. Make sure you only purchase the domain name itself. Also, you should purchase the domain for the shortest time period available, one year. One year is long enough to determine whether the domain will be popular and, consequently, profitable. If the domain name is a profitable one, you can renew it again if needed after the year is up.
- Setting up a domain name is a simple task that can be done properly with limited research online in a few minutes. The research involved will pay for itself in time and money saved by understanding what services are actually needed for registering a domain name.
