Search and buy available domain names

A domain name is what people type into a browser to find a website - similar to how you use a street address to find a building. Every website, server, or digital device that is connected to the Internet has an assigned IP address that you can use to see or visit it. This IP address is a long string of numbers and letters that would be very difficult for people to memorize, so a domain name is simply a human-friendly version of that IP address.

When you type a domain name - like www.godaddy.com or www.google.com - into your browser, the domain name system, or DNS, takes this domain and translates it into its IP address, allowing the associated website to be found.

In this sense, GoDaddy can help you find a domain name that best suits your business so you can easily promote your website.

Having your own domain name can help you appear more legitimate to people who search for you or your business online. With a domain name, you can:

• Build a website for your business
• Create a professional email with your domain name

To check if a domain name is available, just type it in GoDaddy's search bar and we'll tell you immediately if someone else already owns it.

1. If it's taken, you can search for your desired domain name using our WHOIS Lookup.
2. Or try our Domain Broker service, where we can negotiate acquiring the domain from its current owner.

We also offer a Domain Backorder service, where you purchase a backorder credit to give you a chance to get the domain you want when it goes to auction.

Here are the steps to buy domains:

1. Decide on a domain name extension. The extension is the part at the end of the domain name — .net, .biz, .org or .com, for example.
2. Think about what business name or specialty you'd like on the other side of the dot. Use our business name generator to find the right one.
3. Type the domain you want into the box at the top of this page. We'll tell you if that particular domain is available and also show you others you may like better.
4. Pick a domain, add it to your cart, and check out. You are now the proud owner of your very own domain. As long as it's registered to you, no one else may use it.

How long your domain registration lasts can vary depending on the domain you purchase. Many domain name registrars will allow customers to register domains for 10 years at a time, but typically customers will register domains for one to three years.

If you want to extend your registration, it's easy to renew your domain with GoDaddy. You can choose to manually renew or set up auto-renewal, so you ensure it stays registered to you.

Purchase an annual Web Hosting plan or any annual Managed WordPress plan by GoDaddy and you'll automatically qualify for a free domain.

Once you click Add to Cart for a hosting or WordPress plan, you'll be given the option to select monthly or annual terms. Make sure to choose an annual term if you want to get the free domain.

Click Continue with These Options at the bottom of the page to move on to the next step. This is where you'll see a search bar to look for the domain name you want.

Once you've found the name you want, just add the domain to your cart and continue to checkout.

When searching for a good domain name, keep these 4 things in mind:

1. Reflect your brand. Ideally, your domain name should be your business name, since that’s how customers will think of you.
2. Keep it short. Shorter domain names are easier for customers to remember.
3. Avoid numbers or hyphens. Customers might not remember to include hyphens, and if they hear your web address with a number, they won’t know if you’re using the numeral 5 or “five” spelled out. If your business name has a number in it, register both versions – with the number and with the number spelled out.
4. Register more than one domain. Keep your name safe by registering both common misspellings, as well as various domain extensions, such as .org, .net, .info, etc.