5 Things You Need to Do Before Buying a Domain Name

Last updated on March 17th, 2021 by Caylin White

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If you’re buying a domain name and you’re running into roadblocks, we may know why.

There are a few things you need to check off your list before you actually buy a domain.

Don’t worry, we’re here to save the domain day! Trust us, domains are kind of our thing at Nameboy.

Here are 5 things you need to do before buying a domain name.

Things to Do Before Buying a Domain Name

Before you buy that domain name, we recommend doing these things.

1. Check Domain Availability

Often new business owners rush to choose a domain name only to find out that it’s not available.

That’s why we recommend you check out the domain availability before you get your heart set on one.

We recommend using a domain name generator to check domain names that are actually available to register.

Head over to Nameboy and plug your keywords into the domain name generator:

You’ll find out if it’s available, along with more domain name “Extensions”:

Aside from the main .com domain, the results will include other popular domain extensions like .co, .io, and more.

You will also see the “Generator” column, where it shows some suggested domain alternatives:

The Generator combines common and random words, along with prefixes and suffixes, to the search with your keywords. This will populate suggestions based on any related names.

Now that you’ve checked to see if your domain was available, let’s find out a little about the back history of your domain.

2. Check Domain History

What do we mean by check the domain history?

We recommend you check out what the domain has been used for in the past with Internet Archive.

The Internet Archive is a digital library that provides free public access to collections of online materials, including websites.

You can search for your domain name in the Internet Archive here:

It will show you a little history about the domain entered across a few decades.

In your search, you’ll find a calendar of screen captures, collections of web searches, and a summary of the domain web archives.

It’s pretty handy when you want to learn about the history of a domain name!

Another way to check the domain history is to use the Semrush Backlink Analytics tool.

The Backlink Analytics tool is used to gather information on any domains that are linking back to that website. Here’s more on backlinks and how they work.

Simply visit Semrush Backlink Analytics and type in your domain name in the search:

This will show you referring domains and backlinks to that website, along with a lot of helpful information like this:

Knowing your domain back history is helpful for you to build your website up in the search engines.

Each backlink or referring domain associated has an impact on search engine optimization.

Here are some more tips on how to boost your website rankings. Now, it’s time to talk about money.

Let’s chat about hidden fees that may pop up on your domain buying journey.

3. Check for Hidden Fees

Before buying a domain name, review the registrar’s “Terms of Service” for any hidden fees.

Here are a few sneaky costs to watch out for:

Make sure there aren’t any “transfer-out” fees for moving your domain to another registrar.
Be sure to check what the renewal rates will be for the domain, now and in the future.
And watch out for the upsells! They may bundle in domain extras like website security or storage, be sure to read the fine print before buying a domain.

You should also be getting a domain name for free with the right domain registrar! That’s just a tip from your boy.

Let’s do a little domain registrar homework.

4. Do Your Domain Registrar Homework

We recommend doing a little research about your domain registrar before you buy your domain.

There are a lot of great domain registrars to choose from, how can you possibly know which is best?

Do your domain registrar homework! We’ve compiled a few handy resources about domain registrars, just for you:

Your goal in doing your domain homework is to find out if it’s trusted and reliable for your website.

And try to get some freebies!

Speaking of getting freebies, let’s talk about what you can get before you buy a domain.

5. Check for Freebies

Who doesn’t love freebies? Before you buy a domain, check out what’s included first.

Find out if your domain registrar offers the following:

Free SSL certificate
Free domain name
24/7 customer support
Free website builder
No transfer fees
No WHOis privacy fees

A majority of the domain registrars out there may not offer all of this! That’s why we recommend you check out Bluehost.

Grab a free domain name, free SSL certificate and discounted web hosting.

Are you Ready to Buy Your Domain Name?

We told you there might be some things to do before buying a domain name!

Now that you’ve reviewed our 5 recommendations, are you ready to buy your own domain?

As a quick review, we talked about domain availability and history, sneaky hidden fees, domain registrars and some domain name freebies.

If you need more info on domains in general, we’re always here. Domains are our thing here at Nameboy, so we’re happy to help.

Ready to get your own free domain name and get started on your website?

Good luck! You got this.