Updated on 20 Jul 2026
If you're starting a business, registering a domain name is one of the first practical steps you'll take online. It comes before the website and the email address, and before you start pointing people to your online presence. And while the process itself only takes a few minutes, the decisions around what name to pick, which extension to use, and which registrar to trust, deserve some thought.
Start with the right name
The registration process is truly quick. The part you need to spend time on is choosing the name itself.
Match your domain to your business name
The obvious starting point is your business name. If your company is called Hartley & Lane, then hartleyandlane.co.uk is the natural domain. It matches your branding, your signage and what customers will search for.
The problem is that exact matches aren't always available, and they're not always the best choice. If your business name is long, hard to spell or includes characters that don't translate well to a domain (like an ampersand), you may need to adapt.
"hartley-lane.co.uk" works.
"hartleyandlaneconsultingservices.co.uk" doesn't. It's too long to remember, too easy to mistype and too awkward to say over the phone.
It’s good practice to also consider what your customers would search for. A gardening business called Green & Good might register greenandgood.co.uk as the primary domain. It’s the name of the business and works well as a domain. But they might also consider something descriptive like bristolgardencare.co.uk, which might be more engaging for people who don’t know the brand.
You don't need to limit yourself to one domain either. Many businesses register their exact brand name, plus one or two descriptive or regional alternatives, then point them all to the same website.
Keep it short, simple and easy to say out loud
A good domain name is one someone can hear once and type correctly without asking you to spell it. That rules out most hyphens (people forget them), most numbers (people don't know whether to write the digit or the word) and anything that relies on unusual spelling.
Test it by saying it to someone and asking them to write it down. If they get it right the first time, you've got a usable domain. If they pause, ask questions or write something different, reconsider.
Length is equally important. Shorter names are easier to type, easier to fit on business cards, invoices and email signatures, and less prone to typos. If you can say everything you need in two or three (short) words, that's usually enough.
Choose the right extension for your audience
The extension is the part after the dot. It’s also the first signal visitors get about where you're based and what kind of business you run.
For most UK businesses, .co.uk is still the strongest choice. It's been around for decades, UK customers recognise it immediately, and it signals that you're a British business. The shorter .uk extension does the same job and has been available since 2014, but .co.uk is more established in the public mind. Some businesses register both and point them to the same site, which is a reasonable belt-and-braces approach.
If you're targeting international customers or building a brand that isn't tied to a specific country, .com is the default. It's the most recognised extension in the world and carries no geographic assumption.
Look past .co.uk and .com and there are hundreds of specialist extensions. For example:
- .shop or .store works for ecommerce
- .tech suits a software or IT business
- .london pins you to a specific city
And there are several good reasons why you might want to choose a sector-specific domain name.
Just remember that some extensions are heavily discounted in the first year but cost significantly more to renew. A domain that costs £9 in year one might cost £40 to renew. Always check the renewal price before you commit, because you'll be paying it every year for as long as you keep the domain.
Check availability and have a backup ready
Before you get attached to a name, check whether it's available. Most registrars have a search tool that checks availability across multiple extensions at once. That helps you check whether your preferred .co.uk, .com and .uk are all open, or whether some are already taken.
If your first choice is gone, the search tool will usually suggest alternatives – different extensions, slight variations on the wording, or similar names. But it’s still better to have two or three backup options in mind before you start searching. Coming to the table with only one idea and finding it’s taken can lead to a rushed second choice you'll regret later.
If the exact domain you want is registered but not being actively used, you may be able to buy it from the current holder. That usually involves a direct approach or a broker, and the price depends entirely on how much the holder values it. It's an option worth exploring for a genuinely ideal name, but set a budget in advance so you don't overpay for something you could work around.
Pick a registrar you won't outgrow
A registrar is the company you register your domain through. There are dozens of them, and most access the same pool of available names. The differences are in pricing, management tools, support and what else they offer alongside the domain itself.
What to compare
When comparing registrars for domain names and registration, look past the introductory offer. A few things are worth checking before you commit.
- Renewal pricing – first-year discounts are common, but the renewal price is what you'll pay every year after that. A domain that costs £1 in year one but £15 to renew is a very different proposition from one that costs £8 from the start.
- DNS management tools – can you edit A records, CNAME records and MX records directly from your account, without contacting support? Good DNS management should be standard.
- Support – a registrar with UK-based support you can reach by phone is worth more than one with a slightly lower price and a chatbot.
- Bundled services – if you also need hosting, email or a website builder, a registrar that offers all of them in one account simplifies setup and means fewer logins, fewer invoices and one support team instead of three.
Why bundling domains with hosting saves time
If you also need web hosting, email and possibly a website builder, registering your domain with a provider that offers all of those simplifies your setup considerably. Your domain and hosting are in the same account. DNS records are often configured automatically, email setup is straightforward because the MX records are already in place, and when something goes wrong, you have one support team to contact rather than three.
Fasthosts provides domain names and registration alongside web hosting, email hosting and website builder tools. That means you can register a domain, connect it to hosting and set up email without switching between different providers or configuring DNS records manually.
Register a domain step by step
Once you've chosen a name and a registrar, the actual registration is straightforward. Here's what you need to do.
1. Search for your domain
Go to your registrar's domain search page and type in the name you want. The tool will show you whether it's available and display pricing for several extensions. If your first choice is already taken, it'll suggest alternatives with different extensions, related names or slight variations.
At this stage you're not committing to anything. Search as many names as you need to before deciding.
2. Pick your registration period
Most registrars let you register for 1, 2 or more years at a time. A longer registration period locks in the current renewal price and means you won't need to worry about renewals for a while. It also removes the risk of accidentally letting the domain lapse. This can happen more easily than you'd expect, especially in a busy first year of trading.
For a brand-new business, 2 years is a sensible starting point. It's long enough to give you breathing room without committing a large sum upfront.
3. Add your contact details
You'll need to provide your name (or your business name), an address, an email address and a phone number. These details are stored by the registrar and, depending on the TLD, submitted to the registry's WHOIS database.
Use an email address you check regularly. Verification requests, renewal notices and any urgent communications from your registrar will go to this address. If it bounces or you miss a verification email, your domain could be suspended.
4. Decide on WHOIS privacy
For .com and other generic TLDs, your contact details were historically published in the public WHOIS database. Since GDPR, many registrars redact personal data from public lookups by default for these extensions. But many still offer an additional WHOIS privacy service that replaces your details with the registrar's proxy information. It’s an extra layer of protection if you want to keep your name and address completely out of public records.
For .uk domains, Nominet’s public WHOIS does not show email addresses or phone numbers. Registrant name and address details are only shown if the registrant has consented to disclosure. Check your registrar’s privacy options and Nominet settings rather than assuming business details will automatically be public.
5. Choose your extras
At checkout, most registrars offer add-ons. Some are genuinely useful. Others are marketing padding. Here's how to evaluate the common ones.
An SSL certificate is essential for any live website. It encrypts the connection between your site and your visitors, and browsers will flag your site as "not secure" without one. Many hosting plans include an SSL certificate already, so check before paying for a separate one.
Email hosting makes sense if you want a professional address on your domain rather than a Gmail account. If your registrar offers it bundled with the domain, it's usually easier to set up than configuring a third-party email provider.
A website builder is worth considering if you're starting from scratch and don't want to manage WordPress or write code. It won't suit everyone, but for a simple business site (a few pages, a contact form, some images) it's often the fastest route from domain to live site.
Carefully consider what you do and don’t need. You can always add services later if you need them.
6. Pay and confirm
Enter your payment details and complete the order. You'll receive a confirmation email with your domain details, your account login and a summary of what you've purchased.
Save this email. It contains the information you'll need to access your registrar dashboard, and it's useful as a receipt for your records.
7. Verify your email address
Shortly after registration, you'll receive a separate verification email. Click the link to confirm your contact details. For generic TLDs (.com, .net, .org), this is required by ICANN. If you don't verify within 15 days, your domain will be suspended. It won't be deleted, but it will stop working until you verify.
Connect your domain to hosting
Registering a domain gives you the name, hosting gives you the server where your website lives and DNS records are what connect the two.
If your registrar and host are the same provider
This is the simplest scenario. If you've registered your domain and set up hosting through the same account – with Fasthosts, for example – your DNS records are usually configured automatically. Your domain points to your hosting, your website is reachable, and you don't need to touch any DNS settings unless you want to.
If your hosting is elsewhere
If your domain is registered with one company and your hosting is with another, you'll need to connect them manually. There are two ways to do this.
The first option is to change your domain's name servers. Your hosting provider will give you two or more name server addresses, something like ns1.hostingprovider.com and ns2.hostingprovider.com. You log into your registrar's dashboard, find the name server settings for your domain and replace the default name servers with the ones your host gave you. This hands DNS control to your hosting provider.
The second option is to keep your domain's name servers where they are and add A records and CNAME records manually through your registrar's DNS management panel. Your hosting provider will give you the IP address of your server. Create an A record that points the root domain to the server IP address, and a CNAME record that points www to your root domain or to the hostname supplied by your hosting provider.
If you've never used a DNS management panel before, it typically looks like a table – each row is a record, with columns for the record type (A, CNAME, MX, TXT), the name (your domain or a subdomain), the value (an IP address or a target domain) and a TTL (time to live, which controls how long the record is cached). Your hosting provider's setup guide will tell you exactly what to enter.
What DNS propagation means and how long it takes
After you change DNS records, the update doesn't take effect everywhere at once. DNS servers around the world cache records for a set period, so it takes time for the new information to spread. This is called propagation.
Most DNS changes are visible within 2 to 4 hours. In rare cases, it can take up to 48 hours for the change to reach every DNS server globally. During propagation, some visitors may see your old site (or no site) while others see the new one. There's nothing you can do to speed this up, it's a built-in part of how DNS works.
If you're setting up a new site and want to avoid DNS configuration entirely, our web hosting connects directly to domains registered through the same account.
Set up a professional email address
Once your domain is active, you can create email addresses that use it. It’s a simple step that makes a new business look established and credible and also reinforces your domain every time you send a message.
Email uses MX records in your DNS settings. If your registrar offers email hosting, the MX records are usually configured automatically when you activate the service. If you're using a third-party email provider like Google Workspace or Microsoft 365, you'll need to add their MX records to your domain's DNS manually. The provider will give you the exact values to enter.
Set up at least two addresses from the start – a general one (hello@ or info@) for customer enquiries, and a personal one (yourname@) for direct correspondence. You can always add more later as your team grows.
What to do after you register a domain
Registration is the starting point, and a few extra steps in the first week can protect your name and set your site up for visibility.
Turn on auto-renewal
Domains run on fixed registration periods. Forget to renew and your site goes offline, or someone else registers your name. Auto-renewal takes that risk off the table. Most registrars offer it, and it's worth turning on the day you register. You can always cancel before the renewal date if you decide to let the domain go, but the default should be to keep it.
Keep your contact details current
Your registrar sends verification requests, renewal notices and security alerts to the email address on file. If that address becomes outdated, you could miss something time-sensitive. Build a habit of updating your registrar account whenever you change your email, phone number or business address.
Register variations of your name
If your main domain is yourbusiness.co.uk, consider also registering yourbusiness.com and yourbusiness.uk. This stops someone else from registering them and lets you redirect all three to your primary site. At a few pounds per year per domain, it's cheap protection.
If your business name is commonly misspelled, registering the misspelling as well and redirecting it is also worth considering. Your customers won't know they typed it wrong, they'll just land on the right page.
Set up Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool that lets you monitor how your site appears in search results. You'll need to verify your domain ownership (usually by adding a TXT record to your DNS settings) and then you'll have access to data about which searches bring people to your site, which pages are indexed and any technical issues Google has found.
Setting this up early means you start collecting data from day one. If your site is going to use WordPress, search data can help you spot indexing issues, improve page content and make better WordPress SEO decisions.
Claim your social media handles
Once you've registered your domain, search for matching usernames on the social media platforms your audience uses. Even if you don't plan to post immediately, claiming the handles early stops someone else from taking them. Having some consistency between your domain name and your social profiles makes your business easier to find and harder to impersonate.
Common mistakes to avoid when registering a domain
A few pitfalls catch first-time registrants off guard. If you know about them going in, you can save time, money and frustration.
Registering with a throwaway email address is one of the most common. Your registrar uses that address for everything. Verification, renewal reminders, security alerts, transfer authorisation, and more. If it bounces, you lose access to your own domain management.
Ignoring the renewal price is another. A domain that costs £1 in year one might cost £15 or more to renew. Multiply that across several domains and a few years, and the total is very different from what you expected at checkout.
Choosing a name that's too similar to an existing business can create legal problems. Before you register, search Companies House and the UK Intellectual Property Office to check whether your chosen name conflicts with an existing company or trademark. A domain dispute is an expensive and time-consuming way to launch your business.
Skipping DNS setup after registration is surprisingly common. The domain is registered, the payment is made, and then the new owner assumes their site is live. It isn't until DNS records point the domain to a hosting server. If you registered your domain and hosting with the same provider, this is often automatic. If not, it's a manual step you need to complete before anything works.
Find out how Fasthosts makes registering a website domain name simple, with hosting, email and a support team of real people to help you when necessary. Search for your domain.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to register a domain name?
The registration itself takes a few minutes. You search for the name, fill in your details, and pay. Your domain is usually active within a few hours, though full DNS propagation can take up to 48 hours before your site is reachable from every location.
How much does it cost to register a domain?
Prices depend on the extension and the registrar. A .co.uk domain can cost as little as a few pounds per year. A .com typically costs a bit more. The important figure is the renewal price. Don’t be caught out by steep first-year discounts with significantly higher renewal prices.
Can I register a domain name without building a website?
Yes. You can register a domain and leave it parked until you're ready to use it. This is common when you want to secure a name for a business you're planning, a project that isn't ready yet or simply to prevent someone else from taking it.
What happens if the domain name I want is already taken?
Try a different extension: .co.uk instead of .com, or vice versa. Adjust the wording slightly. Or approach the current owner about buying it, either directly or through a broker. Some registrars also offer backorder services that notify you if a taken domain becomes available when its current registration expires.
Should I register my domain name with the same company that hosts my website?
It's not required, but it does simplify things. When your domain and hosting are with the same provider, DNS records are often configured automatically, support is centralised and there are fewer accounts to manage. If you choose different providers, you'll need to connect them by updating your DNS records or name servers manually.
