You are ready to start your own web business. How do you register a domain? What can you do with your domain name once you have one? What about web hosting?
Let's answer the easier question regarding what to do with your domain name. Obviously, you can use your new domain name to set up a web site. Fortunately, you can do a number of things with your domain once you register it. Have you thought about selling it? You can forward it to your main domain. You can even leave it parked just gathering dust waiting for you to decide what to do with it.
Make sure the domain register allows you to use the domain management features. With these features you should be able to access and update all aspects of your domain from your nameservers including your MX records (mail), to your privacy settings and contact information.
How do I go about registering my domain name?
You have to decide which domain registry you want to use and how much you want to pay for this service. Quite honestly, if you are paying more that $10 to register your name, you are paying way too much. There are many solid companies that can register your name for under $10. Now you have chosen the domain registry you want to use.
First step, make sure your domain name has not been registered by someone else by doing a "whois" search. I know, you are scratching your head and wondering what is a "whois"? The good domain registration sites maintain a whois database. Fortunately, they also have an easy way for you to check by just typing in the domain name and it will search the whois database and let you know whether it is available.
If the name is available, the search will let you know. Many of the domain registration websites will offer suggestions to you if that name is already taken. Word of caution. Think about your domain name and how it may be used in your business to drive traffic to your website. This is not to be taken litely.
Your name is available so now you can proceed with the checkout through the domain registration site. At this point, more than likely you are probably done! However may take up to 4 to 8 hours for dot"com" and dot"net" domains to become active and about 24-48 hours for other domain extensions. This is referred as our domain name is "live".
So now you got a domain name and you want to set up a website. You need a site that provides web hosting. One again you have to decide how much you want to spend. Keep in mind that many of the domain registration sites offer low cost web hosting that is solid and reliable.
What programming language are you going to use for our website? Will you be using FrontPage? If so you will need a web host that has FrontPage extensions. Are you using HTML or an open source editor? Then a Linux based server will work for you.
Here are a few suggestions to watch for. Web hosting is normally charged monthly with some sites offering discounts for paid in advance service for 6 months or 12 months. Check the refund policy to see what happens if you cancel before the prepaid period is up.
Does your host provider support PHP 5? With PHP 5 support, you can program using the latest version of this server-side scripting language. There are free templates available that take advantage of existing applications and add-on's written in PHP 5. Check to see if you can run both PHP 4 and PHP 5 simultaneously on the same site.
Don't forget site administration. What type of administration interface is available? Can you easily make the changes to your site you need. Can you manage and maintain cgi apps, library versions, Perl, and Ruby on Rails from within the site administration area? Site administration is suppose to help you not frustrate you in getting around and doing things.
The hardest part about getting a domain name registered is making sure no one else has registered it. You may think your domain name is unique until you go to register it and find that not only is the dot"com" taken but also the dot"net", dot"org", dot"biz" and all the other extensions. You also can assume from that, you may be on to something that is desired on the web.
Buying a domain name and paying monthly for web hosting does not have to break the bank. You can pay a lot of money or you can actually pay less and still get a solid product. Have fun!
DCFirst Comments: Always buy your own domain name! NEVER let a website design company buy your domain name for you. If you have a problem with the design company or if they go out of business. It is the design company that owns the domain, and they have no obligation to turn it over to you. Spend the $10.00 a year to own your domain, go throught www.Dotster.com or www.GoDaddy.com to register a domain name.
Dotster has a unique tool that will give you options on a domain name if the one you want is taken. When you are searching for the right domain name for your clinic, be aware there are overseaes companies with programs that keep track of your domain searches. They will purchase the domain if you do not buy it right away. So buy that domain name ASAP.