What is a domain name?

A domain name is the unique and specific address of a website on the internet. It is the name that people type into their web browser to access a particular website. A domain name is vital for creating an independent online presence and establishing a unique brand identity.

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Why buy a domain name?

A domain name is like an ID card for your website. It's a must-have if you're planning to start your own online store. 

Owning a domain name makes it easy to develop your brand and maintain relationships with your customers. Because it provides a professional and consistent way for customers to find you and stay in touch with you.

Finally, a good domain name can also help improve your website's search engine optimization (SEO) ranking. This means your website will show up higher in search results, making it easier for people to find you.

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How to design a domain name

When it comes to designing a domain name, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

First, incorporate your brand elements into the domain name to ensure uniqueness. This could be the company name, product name, or industry-specific keywords.

Another important factor is keeping the domain name short and sweet. Try to keep it under 12 characters if possible, so it's easy for customers to remember and type into their browser. Plus, shorter domain names look better on marketing materials.

Lastly, choose a catchy and memorable domain name. If it's too complicated or difficult to say, customers may have a hard time finding your e-commerce website. A memorable and easy-to-pronounce domain name can help enhance brand recognition and increase customer engagement.

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How to buy a domain name from domain name registrars

Choosing the right domain registration service provider is a crucial step in creating a strong online presence for your business. Some popular options include GoDaddy, Namecheap, Hover, Google Domains, etc. Let's take a closer look at how to purchase a domain name through GoDaddy as an example.

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To get started, you'll need to create an account with GoDaddy. This is a simple process that only requires your name, email address, and password. Once you've created your account, you can search for available domain names.

After checking your domain name's availability, the next step is to generally choose the ".com" domain extension and add it to the shopping cart. If there are additional fees, it is also possible to purchase other extensions such as ".com.au" or ".net.au". Then simply add it to your cart and proceed to checkout.

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After the purchase, you will have your own domain name for your online store.

GoDaddy provides videos of getting started with domains in its Domains Help.

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How to connect your custom domain to your SHOPLINE store

Once you've purchased a custom domain name, you can easily connect it to your SHOPLINE Admin. This allows your customers to access your website using the domain name you've bought from domain name registers. It's a simple process and here are the steps to follow.

Before setting up a domain:

Go to Admin > [Settings] > [Domain Name]. Click Manage domain and click Add a domain name. Enter the link of the domain name you purchased in the field.

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Then, taking GoDaddy domain as an example: 

Step 1. Head to your GoDaddy admin panel 

Step 2. Select Manage My Product then All Products and Services

Step 3. Then edit the A and CNAME values of the domain you purchased. 

Step 4. Select to add the domain A record. 

Step 5. Enter the record value, and click OK. 

Step 6. Add another domain record, and select "CNAME" for this time. 

Step 7. Enter "www" to the host record. 

Step 8. Enter "vip.myshopline.shop" for record value. Then click Confirm.

Step 9. Return to the "Domain Name" setting at SHOPLINE Admin, enter the third-party domain name, then click Create.

Step 10. Check if you have successfully bound the domain name.

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If the binding is unsuccessful, please check:

• Check if there are multiple record values ​​at the domain name service provider. Remove irrelevant records. 
• Please confirm that the record value is consistent with the record value provided by the SHOPLINE Admin.
• Please wait for DNS resolution to take effect which usually takes about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, you can click the Add to List button to temporarily add it to the domain name list, and try to bind again later. 

Once your domain name is successfully bound, it typically takes around 5 minutes for the resolution and domain name certificate activation to complete. To view your online store, simply click the "eye" icon next to "Online Store" in the left menu. You can also switch the main domain name in the domain name management background to ensure that customers see your domain name first when visiting your online store.

See detailed guidance in SHOPLINE’s Help Center.

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Conclusion

So, bottom line - if you're running an ecommerce business, having your own domain name is a must. It's like your website's unique fingerprint, and it helps you stand out from your competition while also improving your visibility in Google search results.

Once you've picked your perfect domain name, you can easily purchase it from a reliable domain registration service provider. And the best part is, with SHOPLINE's website builder designed for ecommerce businesses, you can quickly set up your online store using your new domain name, and start your business easily.

So why wait? Set up a free trial of SHOPLINE and start building your online empire today!