Once you have selected a domain name, the next step is to register it. There are companies called “registrars” that handle the process of registering or reserving your domain name. You pay an annual fee to reserve your domain name and the domain name is yours for as long as your pay the registration fee. So, instead of owning a domain name outright, you are basically leasing it.
There are a number of companies that can handle registering a domain name for you. They in turn handle the process of working directly with the registry operator for the specific top-level domain you have selected to go along with your domain name. This is all technical stuff you really don’t have to worry about. You just pick a domain name registrar and go through the process of registering your domain name. Be aware that domain name registrars have a habit of trying to upsell you with addons features like email hosting, website hosting, business services and others. You may want these but they aren’t required.
This process is very similar across the many domain name registrars. You first determine if the domain name is available. You need pay for an annual fee for a specific number of years and an additional small fee. Once you have registered your domain name, you have access to the DNS records. DNS stands for Domain Naming System. This is what allows different DNS records to do different services on the Internet like hosting your website or email. The main one is hosting your website is handled by linking a name to an IP address. Your domain name registrar will explain the process.
You can pick from many companies to register your domain name. Here is a partial list:
- GoDaddy
- NameCheap
- Network Solutions
- Name.com
- Google Domains
We recommend Hover. We find their prices competitive, they don’t try to upsell you and they provide domain name privacy for free. If you are interested, please click the link below. We receive a small commission if you purchase but it doesn’t effect your price.
