Once you decide to start your own business, whether that is a work from home business or the coffee den down the street, you need to get a website to advertise it. A website is essential, especially if you are selling goods or a service that can be offered online. Depending on what kind of business you have, it allows your customers to buy or place an order at any time of the day or night.
Make sure your domain name is unique
So the first step to a website is getting a domain name. But before this is possible, you have to choose the name and make sure no one else owns it. You cannot register a domain name that belongs to someone else. How do you find out? When you go online to purchase a name, the website will offer a way to find out with just a few clicks. It is all done automatically. If the name you choose is not an original, you will know immediately.
You then get the option to change it to something else, or to add or take away from the name that is already registered so that your version is unique. With the simple addition of a dash or dot, you can still have the name you like best. But this may not be a good idea. Why? It will still look similar and potential customers can easily get confused. They may end up on the other website and get so frustrated that they give up and you miss a potential sale.
What name to choose
Choosing a name should be done with care. If you are selling shoes, for example, you need a name with the word shoes in it. This is because when people are searching online for that product their search term is sure to include the word shoes. If your domain name also includes it, then it is more likely your website will show up. But if your domain name is something generic like ‘good shopping’ or ‘stuff I like’ , then it won’t show up for the very thing you are selling.
Where to get it
Places such as GoDaddy sell domain names. You then have to point them to your server which may be a hassle if you know nothing about websites. An easier way is to get it through the website host you have chosen. This will cost a little extra – not much – and may be worth it because it is so much easier.
Domain names are usually quite cheap. You can pay for it online at the time of purchase. This is renewable on a yearly basis or you can pay for two years. You will get a renewal reminder notice when the time comes, or it can be set to renew automatically if you input bank details.