Buy a Domain

Your domain name is important. Your domain is your address on the web — it covers up the numbers that form your digital address, making a “friendly” address for your visitors to see. The search engines also see your domain, so having a domain related to your key topic (your primary keyword, or niche keyword) is important.

This isn’t set in stone. There are some big websites out there that have domain names that don’t even seem related to their main topic (I’ll admit Milk and Mud isn’t really related… my other sites have keyword-focused domains).

You want to do your keyword research before you choose your domain name. Once you’ve picked your site topic, you can choose a domain. To get your domain, you need to visit a domain registrar. I recommend you use Namecheap. The next steps are outlined below:

Note: if you’re using Site Build It! for your website you do not need to do this step! Your domain is included with your SBI site, and you will follow the Action Guide to do all your research before you pick your domain

If you use Bluehost you get a free domain name with your first year of hosting as well

Finding an Available Domain Name

When you initially pick out the main keyword for your topic you’ll be excited. Head over NameCheap.com and type your keyword into the box.

Don’t be too surprised if it’s taken. That happens. Actually, it happens a lot. You can try your keyword, or keyword “phrase” to see if that’s available. You may have to get creative, and that’s OK. Add something onto the end of your domain that makes sense. Here are some examples:

These examples may not be as nice as warping back to 1999 and grabbing the exact keyword domain name, but if you take a look at the top 10 search results for your keyword, you’ll probably realize you can rank up there with a unique domain name.

Just try to get the keyword in there!

Buying Your Domain

Once you’ve picked your domain you can step through Namecheap’s easy order process.

You’ll need to fill out information on your location for the domain registrar, then you’ll receive an email verifying your purchase.

Here’s a quick video where I step you through the process at Namecheap:

Getting Your Domain to Point to Your Website

Once you’ve gotten your domain set up, you need to point it to your web host. If you’re using Bluehost and Namecheap, this is how you do it:

• Click “My Account” in the navigation bar at the top of Namecheap.com, and select “Manage Domains” from the dropdown.
• Click the checkbox by the domain name or names you want to change (they’re listed in the middle of the page)
• Click the “Edit Selected” button
• Click “Modify Nameservers” in the left-hand navigation menu
• Click the circle beside “Use Custom NameServers”
• Enter this into Box 1.
• • ns1.bluehost.com
• Enter this into Box 2.
• • ns2.bluehost.com
• Click “Save Changes”

This can take up 72 hours to complete, so give it time

Now your domain name is pointing to your webserver, and you’re all ready to go! Remember, if you’re using Site Build It!, they take care of all of this for you. Just follow the Action Guide until you get to the section on choosing your domain

If you’re using Bluehost and Namecheap, these steps will only take you a few minutes — but do your topic/keyword research before you buy your domain!

Here’s a quick video to walk you through the above steps: