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So, you’ve decided you want a website. Now what? Well, the first step is to pick out a domain name. Go to a domain registrar such as Dotster or GoDaddy . Search to see if the name you want is already taken. So your name is JaneSmith and JaneSmith.com is available? Great. But what if some other overachieving Jane got to your name before you did? You can pick a variation of your name such as JaneASmith. You could use a hyphen Jane-Smith.com, or you could add author such as janesmithauthor.com While the best solution is to use your name, if you are already writing under a name and someone else owns that domain, you’ll need to be creative.

I suggest always getting the .com version of the domain. This is what the majority of users will expect you to be using. Most people, when they hear the name of a website, automatically assume it’s www.something.com. You can also register the .net, and .org versions of the domain if you wish to prevent any confusion with someone creating a janesmith.org and the two sites getting confused–especially if you’re using your real name.

Next you need to register your domain. I’ve used both Domain Names $14.95 or Less with Dotster and www.GoDaddy.com I like companies who allow you to register your name and control it yourself. I suggest using the privacy option which both of these registrars offer. What the privacy option does is when people do a whois search on your domain name, instead of seeing:

Jane Smith
123 Real Address
Real City, State Zip
real email
real phone number

they’ll see:
Domains by Proxy (or in the case of Dotster they’ll see c/o Dotster)
c/o address
city, state, address
Privacy company’s phone number

You still own the name, your private information is just hidden. So pay the little extra and get the privacy option wherever you decide to register. You should be able to get your domain name registered and made private for about $20 US per year. There are cheaper places to register. If you go that route make sure to google the registrar’s name and see what people are saying about them before using them. Network Solutions used to be the go to registration company, but they are now about $35 a year for registering a .com and an addition $9 for the privacy option.

Now let’s talk about ownership of the domain. Some web hosting companies will offer to register your domain for you. Some web designers will offer to do this. If you take either up on it, make sure you are listed as the Registrant of the account. If your web designer disappears (it happens) or your web host goes out of business (yes, this happens too) you might lose all rights to your domain, and the ability to renew it if they have registered your domain in their name. If you let someone else register your domain (in YOUR name), make sure you have the user name and password to the registrar account. This is one area where taking the easy way out and having someone else register the domain for you might not be the best way to go in the long run.

If you are not yet published, go ahead and register your name. Many of the tips we’ll give here at the site will apply to both published and unpublished author websites.

Most important points to remember:

1) get at least the .com extension of your name
2) make sure you are the registered owner
3) use the privacy option

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Tags: Website Tips //