How to Get a Free Domain Name

A domain name is an essential part of any website. It is the address that appears in the URL bar at the top of the page and is one of the main ways for your website to be found using search engines. So, how can you get a free domain name?

With the high importance of acquiring the domain name of your choice, there are a few ways of securing one without paying for it.

  1. Select a Web Hosting Package

    The first way to secure a free domain name is to sign up for web hosting from a company that offers packages that include a domain name. Your website URL would then look like this https://www.MySite.com/.

  2. Use a Website Builder

    Another option to get a free domain is to use a free website building company such as Wix or WordPress. These companies allow you to design your website for free as well as providing you with a free subdomain name, which means that your website address would be https://www.wix.com/MySite/ or https://www.MySite.wordpress.com/.

  3. Registration

    After following either of the previous steps, the next step is to register your domain. If you choose to use the free website builder to get a domain name, they will already register your choice as a subdomain of their domain. If you decide to get your domain free with a web hosting package, they will give you the option to create a new domain or transfer an existing one after your package purchase. Either choice includes easy steps to register the domain that you are unable to skip.

Selecting the Right Domain Name

There are many challenges with registering a domain name. The most frustrating thing is when you find the perfect name, only to discover it has already been registered. If the name you like is someone else’s, you are better off coming up with a completely new name rather than settling for one of the suggested similar domain names they offer. They also provide different extensions for you if .com is already in use. It is advisable to use a .com extension because it looks more professional and is far easier to remember when advertising.

selecting the right domain name

Web Hosting Packages

Every website requires web hosting to be live on the internet. These hosting providers often offer packages for web hosting that include a domain name free for the first year with the option of the automatic renewal at a set price from year two onwards. The packages provided by companies such as Hostgator and Bluehost are ideal because they not only give you the free domain name but also provide their hosting services for your site. 

Free Website Builders

Using free website builders is a fantastic tool to test out the vision for your site and plan where things will go. They offer a cost-free way of learning how to design, create, and manage a website without paying the hosting fees whilst learning how things work. However, learning is all that free website builders are recommendful. Many offer a premium version to allow users to get their domain name rather than the free subdomain. The downside of this is that it often costs much more than getting your hosting and domain name from the same provider. 

Renewal of the Domain Name

It is of the utmost importance that you remember to renew your domain name yearly. If the domain name is not renewed, anyone else is free to purchase your domain name and use it instead of you. Often the new owner will offer to sell it back to you at a high cost, similar to a ransom. Most businesses have to pay this ransom for the domain name because their brand and advertisement are all set up for that particular domain name.

preowned domain names

Preowned Domain Names

It is sometimes possible to purchase used domain names. However, this is not advisable without having done a lot of research. Things that should be heavily researched involve whether or not the domain has ever been banned from being displayed on Google or suffered from any legality issues in the country it was based. The previous owners may also have had a negative impact on the branding of that domain name. For these reasons, we believe that previously used domain names require much more time and effort than is practical.

Getting Free Domain Names in Short

To conclude, there are a few free ways to get a domain name. By far, the best choice is to purchase a web hosting package that includes a domain name. Because these packages provide you with everything your website needs on the internet. Free website builders are perfect for learning how all of the processes involved with running a website work. The free subdomain names provided by website building sites are ideal for testing out features offered by the site. And checking how your idea will look like a completed site. Hopefully, you have enjoyed learning about the ways to get a free domain name. Thank you for reading this article.

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Frequently Asked Questions About

DNS stands for Domain Name System. They are servers that have the responsibility of hosting websites. DNS servers are the reason why any of us are able to access any website using the internet. So, they are a vital part of the process. When you purchase web hosting, you rent a slot on a DNS server for your domain name.

Because of how the entire system was designed, even though it is called ‘buying’ a domain, it would be much more accurate to call it renting. The only way to own your domain name for life is to maintain the yearly renewals.

Yes, because most visitors to the website will discover it by searching on google. It is best to follow Google’s guidelines when brainstorming for a domain name. According to Google, 93% of all website traffic gets directly to the site from search engines.

Yes, it is possible to purchase a domain name from the owner. However, it can get astronomically expensive. Other domains that are premium can sell for many thousands. It is much cheaper to brainstorm your own ideas and find an available one.

Yes, you can transfer a domain to a new hosting provider. Most hosting providers will have a guide on how best to transfer your domain on their website. It is entirely free and can even be done by changing the DNS settings on your website to direct it through the new provider.

Margrit Aksu

Posts: 163

Margrit Aksu, a graduate of English Literature, is passionate about the English language. As she dived deeper into this language, writing, creating and editing articles became her passion. That's why she has been working as an SEO Content Editor at Dopinger digital marketing agency since 2021. Bes... Read More

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