Get Your Own Domain Name

If you've ever wanted your own website on the World Wide Web, it's easy. All you have to do is find a domain name that is available and register it. Once purchased, it's yours! No one else can use the exact same URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or domain name, as yours.  There can be variations however, so keep this in mind when deciding. You might not want a site name that is similar to a competitor site or an unsavory website.

Determine what you want to name your site. The site name and URL are usually the same. This is called the "Domain Name" or http://www.yourdomain.com web address.

Use a domain name checker to see if the name is available. If it is not, check if it is available for backorder or check if it is available as something other than a .com. You can always be a .net or a .org.

Register the domain name using a Domain Name Registrar. You will need to create an account with them and pay using a debit or credit card.

You can pay for a domain name for up to 10 years. If you want to keep it that long, it's yours. You can also register available domain names to sell at a later date.

You will need to maintain all of the contact information for your domain name. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of your site name. Provide accurate and up to date information, this allows others to contact you if there is an issue with your site.

Once registered, you will either need to "Park" your domain or "Host" it to have it available to the World Wide Web. Parking a domain just tells the world that the name is registered and waiting for a site to follow. Hosting puts your site live for everyone to view it online and usually displays the content of your website.

You will also need to update the DNS (Domain Name Server) which tells the WWW where your site resides on a server. This can be done via your host or registrar as well. A DNS is usually the IP Address or name of the server hosting the website.