4NET

01. Select a domain registrar

Before you can start choosing a domain name, you need to first know where to buy a domain name. A domain registrar is a company that reserves and manages domain names. While the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages all domains worldwide, a registrar deals with ICANN on your behalf.

When choosing among the best domain registrars, keep in mind:

• Customer support: Check if the registrar offers 24/7 support, accessible via phone, live chat or email. Reliable customer support can be crucial if you encounter technical issues or need help managing your domain.

• Range of domain extensions: Consider the variety of domain extensions (TLDs) available, especially if you're interested in less common or niche extensions, such as .tech, .ai or country-specific domains.

• Additional offerings: Look for value-added services such as web hosting, email hosting, SSL certificates and website builders, which can simplify managing your online presence in one.

   

• Reputation: Research the registrar’s reputation by reading customer reviews and checking industry ratings. A trustworthy registrar with a good track record is less likely to experience outages or take unexpected actions like domain locking or price hikes.

• Security: Consider the infrastructure the registrar has in place to ensure your domain is secure. Attacks specifically targeting domains include domain hijacking, DNS spoofing, DDoS attacks, typosquatting, domain squatting and malware distribution, so make sure to protect your domain.

   

• Privacy: Look for a registrar that offers domain privacy protection to keep your personal information safe from public Whois searches. With Wix you can opt for domain privacy for no extra fee, when you register your domain.

• ICANN accreditation: Choose a registrar accredited by ICANN to ensure they follow industry standards and operate legitimately.

• Renewal fees: Pay attention to the renewal costs of your domain. While initial prices are often low, you’ll need to renew periodically, so understanding ongoing fees is important to avoid surprises.

   

Tip: Wix.com is a registrar and also a web-hosting service (web hosting is a type of internet hosting service), meaning you can not only purchase a unique domain, but also create your site on the same platform. With the purchase of a premium plan, you get a voucher for a free domain name for a year. Wix also applies SSL and TLS protocols to all of its sites.