Domain Names: Where to buy them & how to not get ripped off

Every website needs a domain name, but there are LOTS of choices, so  how do you find a good place to purchase?

Also, for those of you wanting a more unusual or country specific domain name (for example, a .com.au), you might need to purchase from a domain registrar other than the one we recommend.

So, my number 2 recommendation (just) for domain names is US firm GoDaddy. These guys are probably the largest domain name reseller in the world, and their prices are excellent.

You can buy all your standard domain name types from GoDaddy such as: .com, .net, .co.uk, etc. However, I wouldn’t recommend purchasing hosting from GoDaddy though – their hosting service is not as good as HostgatorWordPressHosting.com

If you want/need an Australian .com.au/.net.au type of domain name, I recommend: Webcity or CheapDomains. Be aware of certain legal requirements for purchase of some Australian domain names.

Other countries will usually have their own domain name types available as well, so you’ll need to do a Google search for what’s appropriate in your part of the world.

I still recommend HostgatorWordPressHosting.com for your hosting service & initial .com style of domain name, but if you require a “non standard” domain name try the above companies. They all offer hosting as well, but I don’t recommend that aspect of their service, just the domain names they sell.

No matter where you purchase a domain name, you can still use it with hosting from any other provider. You just need to add your NameServer details to your domain name. In some cases, you can request your domain name support staff to update your nameservers. However, if you have to do it yourself, the following screenshots will show the basics of how to do this (in this case, using a GoDaddy domain name):

Firstly, log into your GoDaddy account and click on the domain name you wish to modify. Then, click on the link to Set or Change Nameservers:

Once you have accessed the Set Nameservers form, change the listing for Nameserver 1 & Nameserver 2 to the ones listed in your HostgatorWordPressHosting.com welcome email, similar to that below:

The updated nameservers will validate, and then come back with a message saying “Your changes have been submitted. Please allow a few minutes for the changes to take effect.”

Click the OK button, and you’re finished!

NOTE: It can take up to 48 hours for your domain to start working after this. It takes time for the change to be transmitted around the Internet to the various different DNS (Domain Name System) servers which manage the domain name system. However, in my experience, it usually only takes a couple of hours normally – but if it takes longer, that’s still within the 48 hr range. Don’t panic if it doesn’t start working straight away!

So, there you have it. How to purchase a domain name and adjust your nameservers to point at your Hostgator WordPress Hosting service.