A domain name is the direct address of a website. It is also commonly referred to as a URL or a web address. These addresses are meant to be user friendly and are used for people to connect with businesses on the internet. It is imperative that your domain name is one that people will know and one that will be easy for them to remember. Sometimes, however, the ideal domain name that you want to have will not be available. Do you have to give up and choose something else? Not necessarily…
Using an IP Whois Database
When it comes to getting the domain name you want, you will want to use an IP whois database. This is quite simple to do, you simply need to find a company that provides this type of service. You can get a lot of information from using an IP whois database including the name of the owner of the domain name you may be interested in as well as information about the expiration date of the domain name. All domain names will expire at some point and if the owner fails to re-register them, they are considered to be free game to those who are looking.
You May Be Able to Buy the Domain You Want
Have you found that the domain you wanted is owned by someone and will not expired in the near future? If so, you still may be able to get the domain. Because you will be able to see who owns the site, you may find that it is possible for you to purchase the domain for yourself. Now this may not be something that everyone can do as some of them may go for thousands of dollars, but it may be worth a shot.
You Can Wait for Expiration
Finally, if nothing else works and you still have your heart set on a particular domain name, you can wait for it to expire. People are able to register a domain name up to 10 years in advance but at some point, they will expire. You will know the expiration date of the site in question assuming you did the whois database search, so you can wait for that date. Anywhere from 30%-40% of owners will never renew their sites so you may have a good chance of picking it up.
