Domain Name is your online identity. It can use to represent your good self, brand, or business. A domain name makes it easier for people to remember you. For example, instead of asking people to go to your Bizkad at www.freewebsite.com/global/candytan, you can mention candytan.com, which is way easier to remember. (of course, provided the domain name you choose is available)
Amazon.com, Microsoft.com, Apple.com, and Facebook.com are some of the domain names owned by million and billion dollars companies. So if you want to build your brand long-term, getting your domain name is recommended.
How much does a domain name cost?
Typically a domain name costs around $7 – $15 per year. So yes, it is very affordable. You will buy the domain directly from the domain registrar, and I will guide you step-by-step. (there might be a special offer for new customers, special events, etc., where the domain name could be sold at a low price)
What if I don’t want to buy a domain?
No problem. That’s 100% fine, and your Bizkad will be functioning perfectly as usual. Buying a domain is an additional option for users who prefer their preferred custom URL for their Bizkad over the default one. The custom domain name is to build a brand so that your Bizkad URL looks professional, personalized, and easier to remember by your prospects.
A step-by-step guide to buying a domain
First, you need to decide on a name to purchase, then head over to Namecheap to register the domain name.
Step 1: Brainstorm and decide on a name for your domain.
Step 2: Brainstorm and decide on a name for your domain.
Rule of thumb:
(a) Keep the name short, if possible.
(b) Always choose .com if available. If .com is taken up, add some filler word(s) like hi, hello, x, etc. For example, if your name is Matt, the domain matt.com is long gone. You may add some filler words or characters, e.g., himatt.com, mattjohnson.com, and mattx.com. Otherwise, check out other domain extensions (such as .net, .co, .org, etc)
(c) The domain name can be your name, business name, brand name, etc., depending on the Bizkad objective.
Step 2: Go to NameCheap.com
Enter the name you want to buy in the search box (e.g. mattjohnson), and hit the Search button.
NameCheap will do the checking and list the available domain names to be registered. In this case, mattjohnson.com is taken.
Let’s add some filler characters; in this case, I try mattjohnsonx.com. And voila, mattjohnsonx.com is available. Click on the Add to cart button to proceed with the purchase.
Namecheap may offer additional value-added services such as SSL, VPN, etc. You may skip these for now. Click on the Checkout to proceed.
Check to ensure your domain name is correct. Also, leave the default domain privacy enabled. Click on the Confirm Order to proceed to the payment.
If you are new to NameCheap, fill in the form on the right to create a NameCheap account. Click on Create Account and Continue.
Upon signing up, you will come to the payment details page. Select your preferred payment method. You can also change the payment method by clicking on the “Select other payment options” link.
NameCheap offers three methods to pay, i.e., by credit card, by Paypal, or by using funds in your Namecheap account (need to add funds first)
Once payment is made, Namecheap will show you the purchase summary, which completes the domain purchase.
Step 3: Well, basically, you’re done. But do remember to renew your domain based on your domain purchase period (the default is for one year). Keep your NameCheap login credential safe as you need it to log in to make the renewal (or you can also use the password retrieval in case you forgot your login)