Getting the right domain name for your online store is very crucial to the success of your store. This is because your domain name is your brand identity and will aid your customers in identifying your store online.

If you choose an easy and memorable domain name, it’d make your marketing efforts easy as you’d see an increase in traffic which directly means an increase in sales.

Additionally, having a domain name makes your customers believe you are a legitimate business owner who is serious about taking his/her sales to the next level.

So, let’s get started on how to buy a domain name for your online store.

Understanding Domain Names

A domain name is the name of your store hosted on the web (internet), that leads users to your site when they search for it online.

Imagine this scenario, you go to visit someone for the first time and the person lives in an estate. There are lots of houses with the same design and architecture such that it is impossible to locate the particular house you want to go to.

For a visitor like you, the location of the house doesn’t help you to locate the house either. The next thing you look out for is the number of the house which in this case, let’s assume to be house 10. So when you come into the estate, you easily ask for directions by saying “Can you kindly direct me to House 10?”

You then get a specific direction that leads you to house 10 to see your friend. And when you get to the house, you see the number boldly written by the gate. This makes you feel relaxed that you’ve finally arrived at your destination.

Bring down this scenario to our conversation,

Going to visit someone in an estate = You visit google to search for an ebook on how to use Facebook ads.

Similar houses with the same design and architecture = Lots of ebooks on how to use Facebook ads.

Look out for house 10 = You know the store you want to get it from so you just enter it to Google.

Seeing house 10 written by the gate = You see the store on search results, you look at the URL and see the exact store name you know, so you just click on the link and go to the store.

Domain names are made up of three basic parts

Server name: Also known as www, which stands for world wide web. It’s a general name used for websites as opposed to emails and other channels.

Name: This is the name of your website, e.g www.selar.co. In this case, “selar” is the name we chose to call our website.

Extension: Shows the type of suffix used for the site. In this case, is “.com” This also affects the public’s perception of your brand. According to a report by SemRush, Google said that while your domain extension might not directly affect your search ranking, it “might influence the audience’s perception of a brand — therefore affecting the brand’s click-through rate.”

Extensions are also known as the top-level domain. There are five most common extensions; .com, .net, .org, .co and .us. Each extension you choose depends on your brand type.

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How to Buy a Domain Name

If you’re looking to buy a domain name for your brand, follow these steps.

#1. Find a trustworthy domain registrar

A domain registrar is a company that is widely known for registering and managing domain names. The company must be accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit organization that controls website domain name registration.

Choosing a trustworthy domain registrar is important to your business, as you may end up paying hidden fees or getting scammed. Hence, it’s important to look properly before you leap.

Here are four things to look out for when choosing a domain registrar.

Domain expiration policy: Credible domain registrars allow you to renew your domain name before its expiration to prevent other people from registering it.

Pricing: Ensure you read the pricing structure before making payments to avoid hidden costs. Also, avoid companies that allow you to pay cheaper rates in your first year, and higher rates consequently.

Extra services: Use domain registrars that provide extra add-on services such as privacy, hosting, etc.

Transfer policy: Some domain registrars make it difficult to move domain names from one registrar to the other. So ensure you review their policy before buying.

Namecheap and Godaddy are popular credible domain registrars where you can get your domain name.

#2. Search for your most preferred domain name

Now that you’ve selected a credible domain registrar, it’s time to run a domain search. What name would you like to call your store?

When choosing a domain name, it’s important to choose a good domain extension as well. According to Hostinger, there are different types of domain extensions.

• Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD). This kind of TLD represents a specific country, letting both users and search engines know that a site is designed for visitors from a particular region. An example of this is the .us domain, which is the ccTLD for the United States.
• Sponsored Top-Level Domain (sTLD). It’s a type of TLD restricted to certain types of groups and organizations. Some of sTLD examples include .mil, .gov, and .edu.
• Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD). It’s the most common type of TLD – it doesn’t rely on a country code and can be used for general purposes. A few examples of gTLDs include .com, .org, and .net. This category also includes new extensions, such as .xyz, .club, and .online.

When selecting a domain extension, ensure you choose one that suits the purpose of your site. Choosing the wrong suffix can confuse your customers. For an online store, you may choose to use www.storename.store, www.storename.com or www.storename.co.

Conversely, if your desired domain name is taken, you may want to consider making an offer to the owner of the domain name or selecting a similar name.

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#3. Select your domain name

If your desired domain name is available, it’s time to proceed to checkout and buy it.

In this step, you can choose the duration you intend to register the domain name for. Typically, registrars offer domain duration from one to ten years. Before the expiration date, you’d be reminded to renew it. The minimum time, however, is one year.

Domain registrars such as Namecheap and Godaddy offer discount codes up to 94% off.

#4. Complete the purchase

To complete your domain name purchase, you’d be required to enter your details such as name, address, and contact information. This data is stored on WHOIS, the official domain ownership database. After submitting your details, your purchase will be processed successfully.

#5. Verify your domain name

The last step in purchasing your domain name is to verify it. You need the email address used when registering the domain to verify it. The email usually arrives within a few minutes after you’re done with the domain setup. Simply click the verification link in the email to verify your contact information.

If you don’t see the verification email, it’s important to request a resend immediately, as waiting may lead to temporary suspension.

Learn How to Connect Your Selar Account to Your Domain On Whogohost

When to Buy a Domain Name For Your Online Store

The best time to buy a domain name is when you have the idea of a brand name, store name, or business name. As soon as you get the idea, go ahead to buy a domain name before a competitor claims it.

Moreover, buying a domain name can be a good investment strategy, as people tend to buy lots of good URLs, hold them till their value increases, and resell them eventually.

If you want to start an online business, you can consider buying a domain name and hosting it on Selar (if you’re not ready to build an e-commerce store). A domain name is yours as long as you keep paying for it.

PS: You may consider buying a domain name with your name for future purposes. Even if you’re not ready to build a portfolio at the moment, it’s best to just buy it.

Generally, purchasing a domain name is a great idea for those who are serious about building an online brand or starting a new business.

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Tips for Buying a Domain Name

Here are some tips to bear in mind before buying a domain name.

#1. Study your niche

Get to know the most popular keywords that people search for in your niche, and buy a domain name that fits it.

#2. Use a .com extension

The .com extension is the most popular domain extension widely used. More so, with this, it becomes easier for your audience to recognize it.

#3. Stick to words

When choosing a domain name, go for those with a word or set of words. Avoid using numbers or special characters as they can be hard to remember or type. More so, it’s difficult to tell people your website name when it has numbers and special characters.

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#4. Think about the future

Think about the future goals of your business before buying a domain name. Using an overhyped domain name is usually a bad idea because chances are that in the future, it may be outdated. So stick to an evergreen name that positions your business in a good light for years to come.

#5. Talk to people

If choosing a domain name may be stressing you out, consider talking to friends, family, and loved ones. Ask them for ideas/opinions about your brand. Oftentimes, you get a clearer understanding of a domain name after hearing them speak.

#6. Aim for a short memorable domain

A catchy and short domain name is easier to remember than a long domain name. It will also increase the chances of your customers remembering it easily. So, go for a domain name with not more than 14 characters.

#7. Avoid double letters

As much as possible, try not to use double letters in the domain since it can increase the chances of people misspelling the name, resulting in high traffic loss.

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Best Places to Buy a Domain Name

Here are the top domain registrars to buy a domain name.

• Namecheap
• Domain.com
• Bluehost
• Network Solutions
• HostGator
• GoDaddy
• DreamHost
• BuyDomains
• Hostinger

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Conclusion

When starting an online business, online store, or blog, it’s important to get a domain name with the right extension.

To recap, here are the processes to buy a domain name for your online store.

1. Find a trustworthy domain registrar. Research the top domain registrars worldwide and ensure you get your domain name from either of them.

2. Search for your most preferred domain name. Run a search to select the domain name you want to buy.

3. Select your domain name. If your desired domain name is available, it’s time to select it and proceed to checkout.

4. Complete the purchase. Enter the required details to store your data on WHOIS, the official domain ownership database.

5. Verify your domain name. The last step in purchasing your domain name is to verify it. You need the email address used when registering the domain to verify it.

After you’ve successfully purchased a domain name for your online store, the next thing is to host it on Selar. You can set up your online store with your customized domain name, and sell to your customers freely.