How To Register Your Own Tld

Are y'all set to register a domain and go your website upwards and running?

In this mail, we show y'all the simple process of registering a domain name and updating its nameservers to point to your host.

Ready? Let's get started:

What is a domain name?

A domain proper name is a technical term for the easy-to-remember web address you use to access a website. That domain is "bloggingwizard.com" for the site you're on right now and probably "google.com" for the i you used to find this commodity.

Originally, an IP address, a series of numbers and decimals, was used to identify websites. Domain names provide a much easier way to remember web identities.

Plus, they allow users to access your website using your brand name.

Why is a domain name of import?

Allow's stay on that brand proper noun fleck for a moment. Your business proper name is 1 of the first few things potential customers will find nearly your brand in the wild.

In the same vein, your domain name is i of the starting time things readers will notice nigh your website.

This is why it's so important to choose a brand name and an accompanying domain name that'southward captivating and suitable for your brand's persona.

By and large, information technology'south a adept thought to choose something that's short and memorable. That manner if potential readers hear nigh y'all outside of your website, they'll be able to call up your domain hands when they want to visit it.

If you demand more help coming up with a name, bank check out our guide featuring 21 ways to come up up with a domain proper name.

This is an important first pace to starting a blog. Have your time with information technology.

Why you lot shouldn't register your domain with your web host

We're going to use domain registrar Namecheap for the purpose of this tutorial. Nosotros highly recommend registering your domain with someone other than your host.

Here'south why:

When your website and your domain are hosted on the same server, you run the risk of having hackers point your domain to spam websites. This leaves your readers vulnerable equally they'd be completely unaware of the change until they visit your website.

This scenario would likewise make it possible for hackers to claim ownership over your domain. Your site's files are less of a worry as you should have backups stored offsite (inquire your host if you're unsure). This means yous tin can simply import a fill-in of your site elsewhere and be up and running once more in minutes or restore your site to a backup.

However, if your domain and your website are hosted in the same place, hackers that infiltrate your account would be able to merits buying over your domain by changing the personal information (currently set to your own) attached to it.

They'll point your domain to a spam/scam website, at which point information technology would prove very hard to repossess ownership.

Lastly, if you lot ever want to change hosts, y'all'll have a much harder time doing this if they host your website and your domain. Like nosotros said, y'all can transfer a WordPress site in minutes. Information technology just depends on how long it takes to upload your site'southward files and database to your new host's server.

However, domain transfers can take effectually seven days (sometimes longer), which would mean substantial downtime for your website.

Then, that's why we recommend registering your domain with a 3rd-party service rather than your host.

Now, let's take a look at how to register your domain name.

How to annals a domain with Namecheap

Once you're ready, go to Namecheap's homepage, and enter your desired domain in the search bar to come across if information technology's available to buy.

Namecheap will let you know if your domain is available while also showcasing all of the other domain extensions (.com, .org, .io) y'all can purchase.

Pay close attending to the price of the domains offered to you. Generally, information technology'southward a skilful idea to become with a .com domain. Nevertheless, some domains volition only be available but from a scalper, not Namecheap directly. This means you'll likely pay much more than the few-dollar amount Namecheap would have charged yous.

Apply your best judgement to determine if an expensive domain is worth information technology. If not, choose another name or a variation of your original name.

This is where Namecheap'southward Beast Mode comes in handy.

It helps you generate a larger list of potential domains based on the domains you lot desire, keywords and other search parameters.

One time yous have a domain picked out at a price suitable for your budget, click Add to Cart.

View your cart, and click Checkout.

Before yous continue to the payment section, Namecheap allows you to enable or disable auto renewal. Domain names need to be renewed on an annual basis, though you tin renew them for longer if yous pay for more than than i year upfront.

Turning on auto renewal ensures you don't lose access or hosting to your domain once your original license expires. Fortunately, Namecheap sends multiple reminder emails when your domain is about to expire, so experience complimentary to disable this feature if you prefer to make payments manually.

Just make sure domain privacy is absolutely enabled. Anti-spam laws require yous to link your personal data with your domain. It also requires every domain to have its owner's information publicly available.

Domain privacy enables a service that showcases their information instead of your own, all while staying on the correct side of the law.

Once you're set up, click Confirm Guild. Create an business relationship to continue to the payment page.

Next, choose your desired payment method, and enter your payment and billing details.

Then, review everything, and identify your guild when you're ready.

That's it. You've now bought a domain name.

How to update nameservers for your new domain

Because you didn't annals your domain to your host, you need to point the domain'south nameservers to your host's nameservers to link them. Otherwise, your domain will non lead to your website when y'all enter information technology in your accost bar.

Once your order is consummate and your Namecheap account is set up, log in. Then, get to your business relationship's Dashboard, and click the Manage push fastened to your domain.

Whorl down to the Nameservers section, and select Custom DNS from the dropdown menu.

Side by side, enter your host'due south nameservers in the Nameserver 1 and Nameserver 2 fields. Click the Add together Nameserver push if your host has more than two.

Nameservers are different for each host. For instance, if you lot look at the DNS section of your DreamHost account, yous'll find that their nameservers are "ns1.dreamhost.com", "ns2.dreamhost.com" and ns3.dreamhost.com".

In this case, you simply re-create and paste each one into a unlike nameserver field in Namecheap, then click the green Check button to confirm.

If you lot take a different host, enter "[host proper noun] nameservers" into Google, such as "kinsta nameservers" or "cloudways nameservers". You should detect support articles from your respective host that lists their nameservers.

DNS information can take as long equally 48 hours to update, and so don't fret if your website doesn't switch over right away.

Final thoughts

The process of registering a domain name and updating your DNS information is quite straightforward.

The nigh important matter is that you do not register your domain proper noun with the same company that handles your web hosting. Instead, apply a different visitor to annals your domain.

This will ensure that if you take issues with your hosting, y'all'll be able to switch hosts and restore your site from a backup as apace as possible.

Disclosure: This postal service contains affiliate links. This means we may make a minor commission if y'all make a purchase.