I get asked all the time how to register a .com. While this is pretty standard fair for the web veterans, people who are new to the web need some help and I’m here to give it to the. For more information about podcasting or starting a blog, check out howtopodcast.net.
If you have an idea for a website, before you can build it you must secure a domain name. This is done by registering the name through a domain name service or registrar.
There are tons of domain name services that will allow you to register a .com. I personally stick with the big names because of the price (I can always find discount codes) and I want to be sure the company is going to be around for a long time. I usually don’t like the offers made by web hosts when they offer a free domain name when I sign up for hosting. I am skeptical about retaining my domain name if I want to stop using their service.
How do you register a .com? It is extremely easy. First, choose which company (registrar) you are going to purchase your domain name through. Second, figure out the name or names you want. Third, head to the domain name registrar’s website and sign up for an account. After you have confirmed your account, start searching for the .com name you want to register. Most sites have a search bar right on the front page of the website where you type in the .com name you are looking to acquire. Once you have typed the name in the search bar click the submit or search button and the service will return whether the domain name is available. If the name is available, click (add to cart) or purchase. Once you have entered all the domain names you are looking for and added them to your cart, you will then have to fill in payment information. Some services (while well meaning) have a bunch of nonsense you have to click through before checking out. If you do not want to add any other features, just register your domain for the appropriate number of years and click next or no thanks to proceed to the payment information. Fill in your payment information, submit payment, confirm your payment then print a copy of your receipt. You are now the proud owner of a .com .co .ca .org or whatever extension you have chosen.
Contact your web host and if they are worth their weight they will quickly walk you through the steps necessary to point your .com name to your actual website. Then, when people type in your site’s name in their browser they will be taken to your site.
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Below is the Domain Registrar I use to purchase my domain names.