Quick answer: A useful domain name is memorable, easy to spell and appropriate to your audience. Search availability, check renewal prices and consider whether the name might infringe an existing trade mark.
Before registering, consider who will control the registrar login and how the domain will connect to your website hosting.
Are you looking for the perfect name for your website, project or business? Use our Domain Checker to find a name that fits. It’s as simple as entering your desired name and searching, if your domain is available, add it to your basket and complete the checkout process to secure it.
The right domain can help a business flourish, consider:
- Is it short? – Long names take longer to read and type and that’s before you consider mistypes, try and keep it short and simple.
- Is it memorable? – Similar to above, you want a short and impactful name that fits your site and business.
- Is it trusted? Some TLDs are better suited to certain industries and businesses than others so keep this in consideration.
As with any interaction first impressions significantly influence customer perception, so choose wisely.
Choosing the right name
First, start by searching for your domain using our handy domain checker or on the domain names page after searching your name if it is available, click “Add To Cart” this will add the domain to your basket enabling the registration process. From your cart you can alter your registration term up to 9 years.
**Cart may look different from screenshot due to website updates**
Unless you’re an existing customer you will now be prompted to enter details including, name, address, contact information and payment information. Clicking on “Complete Order” to finish – you’ve now registered your domain for the term you selected.
What If My Domain Is Already Registered?
In most cases the exact name you want will not be available. Well done, this shows that you’re sticking to the principles we mentioned earlier. A large number of the best domains will are already registered either by existing businesses or by those looking to park domains as an investment.
Not to worry though, even though a domain might not exist under one TLD it can exist on another and in many cases is better solution anyway. A good example of this is at the time of writing this guide brokenbiscuits.co.uk is unavailable but brokenbiscuits.uk is available. Both are trusted ccTLDS but the .uk domain is smaller and offers a more modern look to a site over .co.uk.
How Do I Use My Domain With My Website?
With your domain name purchased you will now need somewhere to point it, that’s where hosting comes in and we’re good at it. Now, you’ll need a web hosting package. Just add your newly registered domain and we will handle the setup for you.
Your new domain is automatically linked using our default nameservers. So sit back and relax whilst we get our site online.
If you have purchased hosting from another provider ensure that you switch your domains nameservers over to them. And, allow at most 48 hours for DNS propagation to take place.
For naming advice, see choosing the right domain name.
Check availability beyond your first choice
Before registering a domain, check spelling, readability and possible confusion with existing brands. A short memorable name is useful, but avoid buying a name that could infringe a trade mark. UK businesses may consider .uk or .co.uk, although an extension alone does not guarantee better search rankings.
Compare initial and renewal prices, and make sure the registration is controlled by an account you can access. See our domain registration guide for practical comparisons.