A domain is the address of a website. At the top of this page, in the address bar of your browser, you'll see 'make-website.com'

That is the address of this website. No other website on the internet can have exactly the same address. A domain name can be your own name, the name of your business, or some other words (or word).
A .com address is the most popular, followed by .net and .org


How to buy a domain name?
Type 'domain names' into a search engine such as Google, and choose some sites to look at from the search results. Take your time, look around carefully, and compare before you buy.

Buying a domain name

Can I have any domain name I want?
Unfortunately, no. Every word in the English dictionary has already been registered on the .com extension, and almost anything else that you can come up with! You must come up with a unique name.

Where do I register a domain name?
With an ICANN accredited domain name registrar.
We have the majority of our domain names registered with GoDaddy.  GoDaddy has an excellent reputation for service, and the low cost of registering a domain name with them. They are a trusted name in the industry.







Why is .com so popular?

The .com extension was the first, and is the most recognisable on the internet. There is fierce trading in 'good' .com domain names. The best names will sell for many thousands of dollars, as they are not available any more and are highly sought after.

Country domain extensions
A business site that carries out its business in a particular country will want an extension that signifies that country.
Find a comprehensive list of the lop-level domain name extensions for countries around the world here: http://www.iana.org/root-whois/index.htm
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Cost of registering a domain name
The cost of registering a domain name can vary, although the most popular extensions such as .com, .net and .org usually costs less than US$12 per year.
You can often pick up a .info or .biz extension for only a couple of dollars per year. It is cheaper to register for two or more years.
If you are buying an established domain name, the cost can range from a few dollars to a few thousand.

How do I choose a domain name?
Before you start, it's important to realize that the shorter the domain name, the more likely it is to have already been taken - especially if it has a .com extension
If you like a name, look it up immediately with a domain name provider. That way you'll know straight away if it's available or not.
A memorable name is generally best - one that your website visitors will remember. If you have an existing business that you want to take online,  use that name if possible.

Signing up - READ EVERYTHING CAREFULLY
Take your time when deciding on a domain name. Be certain about the name that you want, be sure to spell it correctly, know if you want the domain for one, two or more years, and know if you want a privacy option.
A site may try to upsell you extra years, extra features and hosting as you go through the registration process. You might save money if they are offering a good deal and if these things are features that you want - but it can be confusing, and you might sign up for things you didn't want.
Read everything carefully.



Read more about domain names on our business websites page.
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A brief rundown of the most popular top-level domain extensions

.com
commercial. The most widely used in the world. Can be used by anyone.
.net
network Can be used by anyone.
.org
organization Used by non-profit groups
.biz
business Used by small-business sites.
.info
Information  Resource and information.
.us
US New extension for the USA
.mobi
mobile  This is used for access to mobile phones
.name
personal Is the only domain extension created especially for personal use.

Did you know?

When you buy a domain name, all your personal details, such as your full name, phone number and address are displayed publicly.

More information about domain name privacy here.
Domize - the fastest domain name search ever!
You can use this handy domain name checker from Domize to see whether the name you want is available or already registered - in .com, .net and .org