What to do if my domain name is already taken
What do I do if the domain name I want has already been taken?
Choosing a domain name is a crucial step in building your online presence. However, it is common to find that the domain name you want has already been registered by another person or company. What should you do in this case? Forget about this domain name, or find an alternative solution?
In this article, we will explore the options available when you notice that the domain name you want has already been taken, in order to guide you in finding the right solutions. We will look at how to contact the domain name holder, consider variations, and opt for other extensions that will help you establish your internet presence.
Contact the domain owner
If the domain name you want is already taken by another registrant, the first step is to check if it is possible to buy it back from them.
This web tool allows you to obtain public information on the domain name’s registration, such as the name of the registrant, the registrar used, and the creation date of the domain names.
Who is the domain name owner?
Once you have obtained all the information on the domain names you want, you can try contacting the domain name owner, also known as the registrant, and offering to buy it from them. In many cases, domain name owners register names for speculative purposes, hoping that someone will one day want to buy them for a good price. There are many web platforms that allow you to evaluate the approximate value of a domain name based on several criteria, including the age of the domain name, the number of characters it contains, the simplicity of the domain name (with or without dashes), and how relevant the name is to the services on offer.
What should I do if the domain name owner does not respond?
The domain name owner may not respond to your request, or simply may not want to sell their domain name. In this case, you can always check the status of your domain name regularly via WHOIS. This is because domain name owners can opt out of renewing their domain names when they expire, which will make them available again.
Wait for the domain name to expire
Domain names have a limited lifespan, usually between one and ten years, depending on the chosen registration period. If the current owner decides not to renew their domain name, it will be put back on the market and become available to any new purchasers.
However, this method is not without risk. It is possible that the owner will renew their domain name just before its expiry, or that other potential buyers will also be waiting for its expiry in order to complete the registration of this domain name.
Is it a viable solution?
Waiting for a domain name to expire may be a good strategy, but it does involve some uncertainty. There is no guarantee that the current domain name owner will not renew their domain name at the last minute.
What’s more, this waiting period may delay the implementation of your website.
Change the TLD
If you are unable to get the domain name you want, another option is to change your domain name extension, also known as the TLD (Top-Level Domain). For example, if yourcompany.com is already taken, you can check if alternative names such as yourcompany.co.uk or yourcompany.net are available.
However, please ensure that the domain name you have taken does not already contain a registered trademark. For example, if you want to register a domain name that includes the brand name of an existing company, the company may ask you to stop using the domain name that contains its brand name.
Advantages of alternative TLDs
There is now a wide variety of TLD extensions, ranging from the classic .com, .org and .netto more recent extensions such as.tech, .shop and .io. Each extension has its own advantages and can be targeted at a specific audience. Choosing an alternative TLD extension means that you can keep your primary name while allowing your domain name to stand out.
For example, a company based in the UK could opt for a .uk rather than a .com extension, thus clearly showing its affiliation with the UK market. Similarly, an online business could use a .shop or .store extension to attract more customers interested in its products.
Explore alternatives
If none of the above-mentioned solutions are suitable for your business, you may need to explore more creative domain names as an alternative. You can opt for a completely different domain name, but one that is still relevant to your business. Another option is to add a prefix or suffix to the domain name, such as my-company.uk or business-pro.uk.
Finally, you might consider adding the business sector or location to your name, for example, consultinglondon.com or webdesignerbristol.uk. By combining dashes, geographic location, TLD and prefixes/suffixes, you can create multiple possibilities.
How do I buy an available domain name?
If you have finally found an available domain name, the last step is to finalise its registration. To do this, go to our page on how to buy a domain name. Choose the domain name and extension that you want for your website, add it to your shopping cart, and follow the steps to complete the purchase.
If you need more information on the differences between a domain name and web hosting (in simple terms, the domain name points to your company’s website that is hosted on a physical server), read this article detailing the difference between a domain name and web hosting. Once your company’s domain name registration has been finalised, you can start building your website and configuring your hosting space.
Conclusion
What should I do if my domain name is already taken? There are plenty of ways to do this: contact the domain name holder to try to buy it, or wait for it to expire, if that’s possible for you. If the domain name does not belong to a registered trademark, you can play with the spelling or opt for a different TLD.
Each option has its advantages and disadvantages, and the final choice will depend on your priorities: speed, cost, availability, or brand strategy. The main thing is to not give up on your project. A domain name is essential to your company’s online identity. Explore all the options available to you and choose the one that best suits your needs.