How to Buy Domain Names | Mailchimp

Does the country I live in effect my domain name?

While there are country domain names you can use to tell people where your business is based, your location has no real effect on your domain name. When you’re buying a domain name, you can choose country-specific domain names such as .it for Italy and .ir for Iran. However, you don’t need to know your country’s domain extension or use it to create a website. No matter which country you’re from, you can create a website using one of the standard domain extensions, including .com, .net, and .org.

One thing to remember is that certain country-specific domain extensions are only available to residents of that country. For example, you can only register a .it domain if you’re a natural or legal citizen of the European Union, so you can’t have an Italian domain for an American business. When it comes to .us domains, things are a bit different. Any company or individual that’s licensed in or a citizen of the United States can register a .us domain, but these domains can also be registered by certain foreign organizations that have an interest in the United States.

In addition to country-specific domain extensions, there are also domain extensions that are designed for specific types of websites. Schools and other educational organizations often use .edu domains, while official government organizations use .gov domains. While these domains aren’t all restricted from being used by other organizations, it’s best to stick to a simple .com domain, so you don’t confuse your audience.

All across the world, .com domains are the most popular and memorable domain names. That being said, many business owners choose to register several different domain extensions, as well as any typos or misspellings of the .com domain. Choosing the right domain and making sure you keep up with domain registration helps you build a strong online presence.

While .com domains are the most popular, that doesn’t mean they’re the only domain names you should purchase. Part of learning how to buy a domain name is knowing which domain names to buy for your business. If you want to cover all your bases, this means buying the same domain with a .com, .net, and .org extension. You can also purchase misspellings and typos of your domain name, that way, you can redirect people to your website even if they don’t type your domain right.

What do I do once I have bought my domain name?

After buying a domain name, you can connect your domain name to a website to publish it to the world. When people type in your connected domain name, they’ll see the website you’ve built. Of course, you’ll also need a server to host your website on.

First, make sure you write down your login information for your domain registrar of choice. This login information is important when it comes time to connect your domain to your website or renew your domain registration. You can always contact your registrar for help logging in to manage your domain, but it’s easier to store your login information somewhere safe. You can use a secure password manager if you want to store this information on your phone or computer, or you can simply write it down on a piece of paper and keep it somewhere safe.

When you use a website builder like Mailchimp, you can easily connect your domain name in just a few minutes. You’ll also need to choose a web hosting provider, which essentially acts as a server to store the files that make your website work. You can purchase both your hosting package and your domain name separately and connect them to your website using a website builder. However, you also have the option of purchasing a domain name directly through Mailchimp when you build your website.

Part of learning how to buy a domain name is knowing when your domain expires and how to prevent domain expiration. Look at the domain expiration date when buying a domain, and make sure you renew your domain before that date to prevent cybersquatters from stealing your domain. You might want to consider turning on auto-renew to make sure your domain registration renews before it expires. Alternatively, you can purchase a 10-year domain registration so you don’t have to worry about renewing your domain for the foreseeable future.

After buying a domain, you might also want to look into similar domains. Some domain registrars will offer similar domain names when you purchase your domain, including .org and .net versions of your domain. Then, you can set these domains up to redirect to your .com domain. Owning different domain extensions ensures that even if people don’t type the right domain extension, they’re redirected to your website.