When it comes time for domain registration, your first stop, even before purchasing web hosting (and definitely before making a big purchase like a dedicated server!), should be a whois domain lookup service. These domain lookup services are nearly always free, and what’s more, whois services can save you a ton of wasted time and productivity. This, of course, is putting aside (for the moment, at least) the frustration you’ll avoid by spending an extra five minutes verifying the availability of your desired domain name.
Domains Whois
If your domain lookup service of choice says that the domain name you want is available, you can just go ahead and register it. Congratulations! If, on the other hand, someone’s already bought the domain you’re after, it should show you the relevant registration information. This is where a whois domain lookup service really shines, because if you want to buy the domain anyway, you can contact the current owner. If, however, you prefer to play the odds, your domain lookup tool should tell you the date of domain expiry – if the registration lapses, even for a brief period, you can snap it up for yourself!
At this point, you may be asking yourself where to find these domain lookup services (especially the free ones!). Have no fear… like most things these days, they’re just a quick Google search away. Before you rush to the nearest computer, though, bear in mind that not all of these domain lookup services are created equal. Some, as previously stated, may charge for certain features, while some will show more information to searchers than others might.
It’s always a good idea to shop around for a little bit and make sure you’re happy with the service provided to you. After you’ve settled on one that offers features and price points you feel comfortable with, the actual search process is pretty straightforward… just don’t forget to actually register the domain(s) you find available!
And that’s really all there is to it. Happy hunting!