A Comprehensive Guide to Buying Domain Names in Nigeria: Tips and Best Practices

A domain name is unique to each individual website, just like each home has its own address. In this age, when you want to visit a friend, you enter their home address into your map application, say Google map, and it takes you to the exact location. In the same way, when you want to locate a particular website on the internet, you have to input the domain name in the search bar.

Think of websites you have visited in the past. They all have domain names. Some examples are www.google.com, www.facebook.com, www.tfhost.ng and so on. This further emphasizes why a domain name must be unique, because there can only be one destination for each domain name.

But why do we need domain names?

Domain names were created to make our lives easier. When websites are hosted on the internet, they are usually assigned an IP address. These IP addresses are complex and not easy for the human brain to memorize. At least, not as easily as domain names (words). It would be near impossible for an average human being to memorize all the IP addresses of the websites they visit. Domain names have solved that problem for us. You can now easily access many websites without breaking a sweat. Now that we understand what domain names are and how they came to be, we will take a step further and look at some factors to consider when buying domain names in Nigeria.

Factors to consider when buying domain names in Nigeria.

There are certain factors you must consider when buying a domain name in Nigeria. There are different registrars, both indigenous and abroad that you can purchase a domain name from. The factors below will help you in arriving at a good choice.

1. Choose a domain name: This step is quite obvious. Before you buy a domain name, you must have first decided on what name you want for your domain. Keep it in mind that your domain name must be unique. You can check the availability of a domain name on the TFHost website. Type in your desired domain name and click the search button. The results will tell you if the domain is available for registration or if someone else has registered it. If someone else has registered your intended domain name, you will have to look for another. The search result will also carry some suggestions. If you are a startup, it is advisable you buy a domain name and park it even if you do not have any intentions to build a website at the moment. You can read more about parked domains here.

Some guidelines to keep in mind when choosing a domain name are:

i. Keep it short and simple. This will help your customers and clients to easily memorize your website name.

ii. Choose the appropriate domain name extension. There are many domain name extensions available such as .com - Commercial purposes, .org - Organizations (often non-profit), .net - Network infrastructure, .edu - Educational institution, .gov - Government entities and so on. Usually, for .edu and .gov, there are certain criteria to be met before you can register them.

iii. Domain names can include letters and numbers, with hyphens allowed but not at the beginning or end, and consecutive hyphens not permitted, while special characters like $ or & are not allowed. Adding special characters to your domain name will make it more difficult for people to remember. The second-level domain must be between three and 63 characters, and case sensitivity is not a factor.

2. Choose a Registrar: Now that you have decided on the domain name you want to use, the next step is to find a home for your domain; a registrar. There are different registrars all over the world providing with their unique packages. When buying domain names in Nigeria, and even worldwide, certain factors have to been put into consideration. Some of those consideration includes: 

i. Pricing: One of the greatest factors that might affect your decision is the cost of registering a domain name with a particular registrar. Different registrars have their own unique pricing and it is up to you to find one that fits into your budget while maintaining quality service delivery. Take a look at the initial registration and renewal fees, as well as additional costs for add-on services. At TFHost, you can get a domain name for as low as #3,500 per year. Also, buying domain names in Nigeria is advisable for Nigerians to help mitigate the effect of the ever increasing dollar rates that might come with patronizing foreign based registrars.

ii. Domain Extension: Before settling for a particular registrar, you must confirm if they support the domain extension you want to use, particularly for country specific domain extensions. Such extensions as .com.ng, .org.uk, and so on.

iii. Customer Support: This is a very important factor to consider also before choosing a registrar. Put into consideration the quality and availability of customer support channels like phone, email, live chat, and knowledgebase or documentation resources. A good registrar should have a 24/7 customer support across all their support platforms.

iv. Transfer Policies: Domains can be transferred from one registrar to another, if the owner deem it fit. However, some registrars put some difficult policies in place or even charge high amounts to discourage transfer of domain to new registrars. Be sure the registrar you are choosing will allow you to transfer your domain easily if the need arise in the future.  

Some other factors to consider may include: management tools provided—intuitive interfaces and features like DNS management, any additional services offered, such as email hosting or SSL certificates, security measures, privacy protection, etc.

3. Purchase your domain: Once you have decided on which domain registrar to purchase from, the next step would be to go ahead and make necessary payments. You will also need to provide some information about you and your business while registering. Once the payment has been processed, your domain will be active and available to you for use. 

CONCLUSION

We have extensively discussed some factors you should consider when buying a domain name in Nigeria. From selecting a memorable and unique domain name to choosing a registrar that offers affordable pricing and reliable customer support, each decision contributes to establishing a strong online presence. When choosing a domain name, it is advisable that you put the future into consideration. You should go for a name that truly represents your brand. Changing your domain name in future might come at greater costs.

If you are buying a domain name in Nigeria, you should consider a reputable domain registrar such as TFHost.