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What do I need to know about Domain registration?

It can be tempting to hurry into a domain name, without giving it due thought, especially when you’re in a hurry to build the website itself and get online. But your domain name is one of the most important decisions you can make, and the right domain hosting can make it an easy one.

Your domain name is the name associated with your IP address, which is how the network of computers which is the internet recognise how and where to send traffic online. It’s like a map to your website. Rather than use numbers like 4.53.166.158, we use words, in this case google.com.au. Rather more memorable don’t you think?

If you already have a domain name, there are pros and cons to transferring it to your new domain host. On the one hand, you might want to try re-branding, use a new name or go in a new direction with your business or personal site. You might want to lose negative associations, or have a clean start. However, any customers or readers who have signed up with a previous domain won’t be automatically moved over, you will need to start from scratch building readers and visitors, as well as with the search engines. Your domain authority is how legitimate Google and other search engines see your website as, which helps them decide whether to direct new traffic your way, and it will be returned to nil when you register a new domain. If you decide to stay with your domain, you will want to find domain hosting who can easily transfer your domain without any downtime to your website, and without incurring any heavy costs. Some domain hosts offer dedicated migration teams who are experts in moving over your domain, and can even help with content so you don’t need to start from scratch if you don’t want to.

Will I have to buy a domain, or is there such thing as a free domain?

A domain registrar is a place you can search for free domain names which are not currently owned by anyone else, and allow you to buy them directly. Many hosting companies act as a domain registrar allowing you to register a domain at the same time as purchasing hosting. They often incentivise this by providing cheap or free domains, perhaps for a year or sometimes even for the life of your hosting package. Be aware that if you cancel your hosting package for any reason within the term, or take advantage of money back guarantees, this waived domain charge will often have to be paid in full.

Looking for the right domain hosting for you can be a complicated process. Start with our in-depth reviews which compare all the domain features you need to know about, and go from there.