Website 101: Step 2 - Register a URL

So you've got a great idea for a website.  Super!  The idea is the hardest part but the next part is a bit tricky, too.  Time to register the URL, you know, the www.mygreatidea.com.

I suggest you go to Godaddy.com to register.  There are dozens of other places but they've always been fast and easy for me and they're not too expensive.  Yes, there are cheaper places but right now hundreds of web owners are crying over URL's registered with a site called Registerfly that is now being investigated for fraud.  Cheap isn't always better.

Where ever you register, you'll be asked to put  your idea for a URL into a serach engine.  Unless you're using something really odd, chances are the URL will already be taken by someone else.  I wouldn't suggest you go to a .net or .biz at this stage of the game.  Just play around with the wording and find a .com.  GoDaddy will offer a list of suggestions based on your original choice and that's lots of fun.

Keep it as simple as possible and have it make sense.  A cryptic word like google may have worked for those guys but if you're selling books, I wouldn't call your site, PlantWorld!  Also watch out for word combos that can be read wrong - this can be very embarrasing.  

For example when Experts Exchange registered www.expertsexchange.com (look close, you'll see it.)  Here's a whole list of very funny bad URL choices.

Once you find a domain name that's up for grabs -buy it.  I should cost you under $10 and that will make it yours for one year.  You'll have to renew every year.  You can set it to autorenew but be sure it's something you'll stick with if you choose that option.

Now that you've bought the URL chose to PARK IT.  That means the registering website, GoDaddy for example, will hold on to the name until you have a place to put it.  Think of your new URL as a fancy new car.  You want to show it off but you need a showroom, until you find one, just leave it parked.

Next up - renting that showroom, also known as domain hosting.