How To Get A Free Domain Name In 1 Minute

Looking for a free domain name? You’re in luck.

I can respect not wanting to spend money when you don’t have to, even if we’re talking around ten dollars per year.

To me, it’s not about the dollars you’re saving. It’s the resourceful mindset to be scrappy and get yourself a better deal. That same attitude can save you millions down the road if you bring it to acquiring another business or raising capital, for example.

So here’s how you save money with this guide to securing a free domain for your website.

[If you already know the importance of a domain and have one in mind, skip to the heading How To Get A Free Domain In 1 Minute.)

Why Your Domain Is A Big Deal

Besides the fact that you can’t have a website without first having a domain—that’s like buying a house without a plot of land or an address (impossible)—here are four key reasons you want a well-thought out URL.

Creates a good first impression – A URL will attract more first impressions than a logo, brand colors, and sometimes even the company name. Get it right and you’ll give people a consistent and positive first impression as they click through your site.
Builds brand – Your domain name is the central headquarters of your entire online presence. Any digital ad, social media call-to-action, or in-person conversation where someone wants to learn more will lead to your URL. Now the naming of this URL puts them in a certain mental state and immediately adds meaning to your brand. Does the name create authority, credibility, curiosity, or awkwardness? Choose wisely.
Affects sales – Yes, choosing one domain over another may impact the bottom line positively or negatively. Finding a quality domain name is especially vital for B2C companies who rely on uniqueness in the marketplace more than a B2B company often does.
Can be profitably sold – Domains have sold for millions of dollars based on their name, traffic, or a combination of both. Keep in mind when you purchase a domain, it’s the only one in the world of that kind. That scarcity creates high-demand if leveraged correctly.

Pick A Domain

When picking a domain, I always suggest matching your company name or blog name exactly with the URL. Otherwise you have brand inconsistency when the organization and domain don’t match.

While most people pick their company name first and then look for the domain, I’d think about doing the opposite. Look for an available domain name you love, then you’ll have your company name.

Call me weird, but before I do any creative brainstorming I always do my best thinking offline.

For picking a domain, I recommend you go old school by grabbing a pen and a piece of paper to jot down 100 different domain names. Then circle your top five URLs.

Once you’ve done that, cross your fingers and pray that no else owns it.

To check for availability, use the Namecheap’s Domain Name Search. Remember you’re not buying a domain at this point—we’re only checking for availability.

Before you stress out, know that domain and company names are often meaningless until things play out and have extra context.

For example, if we lived in the year 1950 and I asked you, “What do you think of the name Google?”, you would most likely think it’s a terrible name. Now you think of Google as a great name because it’s one of the most successful tech companies on the planet.

That’s why you can relax if you don’t find your favorite domain available, the work you do to build that brand will morph the name into something cooler as time goes on.

During this time if you find your domain is taken and you’re browsing alternatives, you’ll also consider different domain extensions.

What’s The Best Domain Extension?

A domain extension is the ending of your URL. For our website, the “.com” in “robbenmedia.com” is the domain extension.

The most common domain extensions are:

.com
.net
.org
.co
.us
.info

Assuming it’s available, you should always set your targets on a .com since it instantly provides credibility and trust. That’s the top standard in domain extensions.

If it’s not available, add a word to your domain to get the .com extension.

For example, Elon Musk’s electric car company Tesla had to settle with the domain teslacars.com before it purchased Tesla.com years later.

Notice how Elon prioritized the .com and added a relevant word to make it work in the beginning? Do the same.

Then once your organization becomes huge, you can buy the shortened domain. Or sometimes you’ll get lucky and it expires, allowing you to grab it for around $10.

How To Get A Free Domain In 1 Minute

With the hard part finished by selecting an available domain, it’s time to purchase it.

The cool trick I use to get a free domain name is done by buying a domain with your website hosting. Call it a package deal.

Since you’ll need both a URL and hosting to have a live website where visitors can find you, this makes a lot of sense.

You also save time since you won’t have to migrate your domain and mess with a host’s name servers, which happens when you buy a domain separate from your web hosting.

Assuming you’re ready to do this , it’s officially time to purchase a free domain and pay for hosting.

First, start your timer at 60 seconds.

1. Go to bluehost.com and Click “Get Started”

2. Click “Select” under the Basic plan

3. Type your domain under the left box “new domain”

Then complete the registration process, enter your payment information, and you’ll get both a free domain and affordable hosting. That was easy.

Remember To Renew Your Domain

Domains often expire in 1, 2, or 3 years—depending on the package you purchase.

Why I bring this up is it’d be a shame to find a perfect URL, put time into designing a website, and add content every week, for it to then all go away because you forgot to renew your domain and another random Joe buys it.

It’s happened more than you think, even on a national scale.

During a presidential election, Jeb Bush and his team completely forgot to renew the domain JebBush.com and now President Trump, being a master persuader, bought the domain and had it redirect to his presidential election website.

To be safe, put your domain on auto renewal. Ensure your hosting provider has an email address that you actively check. And mark your calendar a month in advance of the expiration date to check on its renewal status.

Then you can be at peace knowing you’re safe from pulling a Jeb Bush.

Conclusion

That’s how you get a free domain name without having to pay for it.

In summary, technically you have to pay for hosting, but you’re not going to get free hosting anywhere that’s legitimate.

Better off paying for hosting and getting a free domain with a reputable company, than going with a sketchy provider who says they offer a free domain and hosting—with unfair strings attached.

Be sure to do your due diligence before you risk your domain and or website in the wrong provider’s hands.

That’s why we trust Bluehost. It’s a huge hosting provider that’s not going anywhere in the near future.

Enjoy your free domain!

Once you have your domain, here are some tips on designing a website that converts sales.

Disclosure: We sometimes use affiliate links which pay us a commission if you purchase a domain or hosting. This is at zero cost, and sometimes a benefit, to you.