How to Register Your Own Domain Name

As soon as you start your business or even start thinking about opening a business, you should register your domain name.

First, why do you need your own domain name?

• It increases your name recognition
• It makes it easy for your customers to remember your address
• It indicates you are a serious business owner
• It helps brand your image
• Many search engines refuse to list pages from free sites
• Some search engines will only index the first page of a domain site

Where is your store on the Information Super Highway? 

So, what is a domain name?
Your domain name is basically your address on the internet.  Here's a simplified illustration: Imagine the busiest highway you've ever traveled, perhaps the Los Angeles metro area, now multiply that by a bazillion, envision that this is the internet aka the "information super highway".  Now, imagine that your business is on the side of this highway.  Your domain name is like your physical address telling your customers where to find you.
For example, the domain name here is savvybutterfly.com.


Now, how do you register your own domain name?
When you set up your domain name, there are many options and vendors to choose from.  I personally have used Network Solutions and GoDaddy.com, both offer great introductory rates and a simple registration process.  You can search around to see what works best for you and your needs, but here are the basic steps:

1. Confirm that the name you want is available.  The name registrar you choose will have a search site. When choosing a domain name, you should keep it simple so that your customers can remember it. If the name is available, you will have the option to register is with many different extensions, .com, .biz, .org, .net, .us, etc.  If your first pick is not available in a .com, I recommend trying another name where the .com extension is available.  This is what is most commonly associated with businesses and will be easiest for customers to remember.  Millions of domains are already registered, so finding an available name can be tricky, but don't give up!

Network Solutions Domain Search

2. After selecting your domain name, you will be asked to select how long you would like to secure it for, how many years you want to keep it.  You can buy domain names in year-long increments, up to 10 years maximum.  

Select Service Term 1-10 years

3.  Once you have selected your name, and the amount of time you want to keep the rights to the name, you will pay the registrar to register the name for you.

4. Congratulations!  You now own your domain name!

BUT WAIT, there's more...

Now that your domain is registered, you must specify where computers looking for your domain should go by updating your site's nameservers (the Internet's equivalent to phone books).  This is where the process is going to be different depending on whether you have an existing personally owned website or blog or if you are a direct sales consultant with a company-hosted replicated website.  

For personally owned websites or blogs, you can refer to your hosting providers and\or registrars forwarding  instructions, just search their support site or contact their customer service department.

For company-hosted replicated sites, you will need to subscribe to a forwarding service.  This is usually available from the domain registrar (GoDaddy.com, Network Solutions, etc).

Now, you're ready to roll!  Use your new domain name on your social media profiles, your business cards and all other marketing materials AND please share it with me below along with questions you may have about domain name registration or forwarding!