international domains
Buy the ideal domain in South Africa

Domains are snatched up quicker than you might think. More than 110,000 domains are registered every day. This means the number of domains that’re available dwindle with each passing day. So, if you’re planning to buy a domain, best to do it sooner rather than later.

To nail getting the perfect domain name, you’ll want to consider a few things:

• Obviously make sure the name you choose is not trademarked
• Make it something to remember. Something generic will just fall along the wayside and be forgotten
• Be as clear as possible
• Choose the right extension (TLD). You want it to be something that compliments your website, brand and SEO goals.

It really depends on what your goal and target audience is. If you’re targeting a global audience a country code TLD (ccTLD) can limit your reach because Google uses the ccTLD as a relevancy signal. If you want a global audience, then a .com is a better choice.

If you plan to focus your efforts locally then a ccTLD like co.za is great. A good strategy is to secure as many TLDs of your specific domain name as you can. This narrows the chances of it being abused by impersonators or used by competition in future.

There are billions of websites around today, so don’t be alarmed if the domain name you wanted is already taken. Simply choose a different domain extension. You can benefit from a more specific and easier to remember domain for your business, website, or interest.

For example, .lawyer can give a law firm credibility in their website name. If you really want a specific domain you can try a different spelling, a synonym, abbreviation, hyphen, or any other memorable marker. But it has to be easy to remember.

1. Decide on your domain name and check for availability
2. Choose a registrar then purchase your domain name
3. Wait for the DNS to propagate so your domain is usable

You only need to register your domain once, although you will need to renew your domain name every year for a fee. Some registrars allow for a ten year registration period, which is convenient if you’re in it for the long haul. It’s usually one year though. This is to ensure the domain is being used, and the name isn’t being wasted. You can (and only need to) renew your domain name once a year.

It can take up to 48 hours for your website to become visible to all users on the internet. The DNS propagation process usually takes no longer than 24 hours, but sometimes delays can occur with some internet providers, pushing it beyond the 24-hour period.