How to register your domain name

Believe it or not there are those who have never set up a domain name, website, or conducted business online. These instructions are for those people. Each step is simple, there is nothing you can do wrong that cannot be fixed.

You will save thousands of dollars by learning how to set up a domain name, website, and develop content yourself. The services listed in this article are mine, ones I use for myself. The tech support is phenomenal and free.

DO NOT be AFRAID. There is nothing to fear. You are entering a new world, one that can be controlled (sort of), fixed, built to your needs, and viewed by others without having to invite them to your home.

A list of needs:

• Computer with Internet access (given, eh?)
• No knowledge of HTML or special coding languages is required.
• Your list of domain names (previous post)
• Credit or debit card (no worries, it is a secure transaction)

Steps to registering your domain name:

• Click: Network Solutions
• The page contains a search box. Type in your domain name, click Search.
• If the domain name is available as a .com the page opens to the next page. If not a note in red is posted at the top of the page. You can then select one of the other extensions by selecting the small black upside, down triangle next to the word .com. Try .org or .net. If these selections are not available, try the next domain name on your list and repeat the same steps.
• If you followed the last article and are sure your domain name is a winner, try adding a hyphen or use a number in place of the word. You can use hyphens, numbers, and letters. No spaces or other characters may be used.
• When you find a domain name that is available you are directed to the next page. Here you can select the services offered by Network Solutions. For now, ignore them, finish by paying for your domain name.
• Select how many years you wish to register your domain name. I suggest a minimum of five years.
• Complete the payment options and register your account. Make a note of the sign in ID and PW you selected. An email receipt will be mailed to you.
• Now you can choose to host your site with Network Solutions or set your domain name to redirect to GVO hosting.

If you get stuck, remember I am a click away.