How to Purchase a Church Website Domain

When starting a church website, whether you work with a web design agency or venture out on your own, you will need to purchase a web domain. 

If you are very new to the world of church website hosting, let us explain. A domain is what you see in the URL box at the top of the screen. Something like “www.insertchurchname.com.”

You may be surprised to hear this is something you have to purchase. It is basically how you claim your own space on the internet. 

So where do you start?

First, you will have to select a registrar to purchase your domain.

 

What’s a domain registrar?

A domain registrar is a company that will facilitate the domain registration and purchase process. The different domain extensions (such as .com, .org, .net) are managed by respective registries but a domain registrar allows you to search through all domain extensions and purchase the one you desire. 

The registrar is a middle man between you and the different domain registries. 

 We oftentimes advise our church clients to use GoDaddy to purchase their church website domain. It is reliable and easy to navigate the process. GoDaddy is also a registrar that gives you full control and ownership over your website domain. This is important because When you don’t have full ownership of your church website domain, the registrar can do things like add their own information to parts of the domain details. This could cause issues when making necessary changes like pointing your domain to desired host or transferring your domain to a different provider. (All things we can help you with!) 

ICANN accreditation

You also want to choose a registrar that is certified by the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). This is a governing body over domain name registries. ICANN provides regulations over domain registrars and offers you, as a customer, additional information and guidance if you feel your registrar isn’t abiding by the rules set in place. 

This additional layer of regulation is a nice safety net for domain customers. Before committing to using a registrar, check on the ICANN website to assure they are accredited. 

Creating Your Church Website Domain Name

Once you select a registrar to work through, you will follow their process to see which domains are available and what price they are available for purchase. There is a lot that goes into selecting the perfect domain name for your church website. Please read through our guide for choosing a domain name for your church website, before making your purchase.

As a web design agency, we have worked with countless small businesses, nonprofits, and churches. We are available to offer our expertise in finding the best strategic domain name within your budget. We are here to help!

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