How to Choose and Purchase Your Domain
What do you want your domain to be?
Before you can make your website live, you’ll need to purchase a domain. The first thing you need to figure out is what the domain will be. Obviously, the availability of a particular domain will matter, but that’s not the only thing you need to consider. Ideally, your domain will be short and easy to remember—this may be your business name, or you may need to consider shorter alternatives if your business name is long.
Where should I purchase my domain?
Before purchasing your domain, consider:
Do I need to set up email addresses at my domain?
Do I plan to pay for a Google Workspace (formerly GSuite) or Office365 subscription?
Will I manage it myself? Or have someone else handle it for me?
Some common options along with their pros and cons:
Purchasing the domain from your website platform - If you're managing your website on your own and don't feel confident in your ability to connect a domain from another platform, this is a good option. However, common places to buy domains typically have easy-to-follow instructions to get everything set up. Your website platform may charge more per year for your domain (e.g., Squarespace starts at $20/year). You'll still need to set up an email account at your domain through Google Workspace or Office365.
Google Domains - Google Domains are usually $12/year and connect well with website platforms like Squarespace. While there are no free email accounts included, you can create a free forwarding email address to connect to your existing inbox.
Domains.com, Namecheap, etc. - These options may be less expensive than Google Domains and often come with free email accounts, but in a clunky platform (if you’re going to use something like Outlook for your email, this may not be a big deal).
