Purchasing a similar domain name to redirect to the main website

One of the issues with websites is that they and all that encompass them can be extremely difficult to understand. Take domain names for example. The average person might have questions about domain names such as:

• How do I get one?
• Do I need one?
• Does it matter where it's registered?
• What's the difference between a domain name and a hosting account?
• How can I check to see if one is available?

Let's focus on that last question. We just received this question from one of our clients:

If your domain name is one that is possible to be entered correctly, or is confusing for your users then yes, it's a valid request and worth looking into purchasing additional domain names simply to redirect to your main site's domain.

When we look into addressing domain name questions such as this from clients, here are some of the first things we do:

1 Try visiting the address in an internet browser

The first and perhaps most obvious way to determine if a domain name is already taken is to try visiting the address in a browser. If the address pulls up a website and the contents of the site show an established business, then you can pretty much forget trying to own the domain. At the very least, you'll be able to quickly determine that it's registered to someone else.

However, if you type the URL in a browser window and you see a page like this:

Then there's still a chance that the domain name is available.

2 Look up the domain at GoDaddy.com

GoDaddy will tell you if the domain is currently registered to someone else, or if it's available to be registered by you.

Try entering your domain name (including the top-level domain such as ".com") in the search bar at GoDaddy.com and you'll see either a good message like this saying that your domain name is available:

Or an unfortunate message saying that the domain name you entered is unavailable, but they might be able to help you get it.

Then it's up to you - is it worth the money to pay a few thousand dollars or more for the ideal domain name for your business?

3 Search for alternative domains

Maybe before hiring broker to help you try to purchase an already-registered domain name, you can try searching to see what else is available.

We like to use Instant Domain Search to search for domain names. Here, you'll see a massive list of domains with different domain name extensions. This site might be more ideal for thinking up a domain name for a new business or existing business with a new website, but it's a great resource nonetheless.

Once you've identified an available domain name, purchase or "register" it on your site of choice!