You’ve registered a domain name. Now what?

This article was originally published on Oct. 20, 2014. It was updated on April 25, 2017, Dec. 7, 2018, Aug. 28, 2019 and April 2, 2020.

You racked your brain to come up with just the right name for your business online. Now you’ve registered a domain name — a name that perfectly represents who you are and what you’ve got to offer.

Maybe you nabbed a .com or went with a descriptive domain extension to name your online presence. So, what’s next?

Want to register another domain name? Here’s your chance.

If you’ve registered a domain name, you probably have some idea of what you want to achieve, but you might not know where to start. Follow along as I break down a few options that might make sense for you and your business.

I’ll bet more than one will fit the bill.

Related: 10 tips for choosing the perfect domain name

You’ve registered a domain name. Here are 4 ways to use it.

There’s more to domain names than websites — you can do so much more (though the website is pretty important).

1. Use your domain for a custom email address.
2. Create a website that’s attached to your domain.
3. Get an online store that’s attached to your domain.
4. Sell your domain name.

Let’s look more closely at each option.

1. Use your domain for a custom email address

You’re a professional, so why are you still using that personal Gmail, Hotmail, Yahoo, MSN (you get the picture) email address you created 10 or even 20 years ago?

If the email you’re using to communicate with customers isn’t branding your business, then it’s time you kick that free email to the curb and set up a custom email using the domain you just purchased.

If you register a domain, you can set up a personalized email address such as YourName@yourdomain.com. That’s so much better than YourFirstandLastName_1975@gmail.com, right?

You can put that custom email address on your business cards, the side of your car, everywhere you promote your business.

With Professional Business Email from GoDaddy, not only will you get 24/7 customer support, but you’ll also get as many email aliases as you’d like (so you can have sales@yourdomain.com, support@yourdomain.com and anything else you can think up).

You’ll look more professional, credible, and with so many email address options, you can guarantee that emails are going to the right people.

Related: How to use a custom domain name for email

2. Create a website that’s attached to your domain

Chances are, you had a website in mind when you set out to secure a domain name. Your domain name is the heart of your website address. And everyone keeps telling you that you need a website for your business.

A website gives you a branded, dedicated space to share your contact information, a rundown of your services, a snapshot of what your business is all about, a portfolio of your amazing work, customer reviews and links to your social media accounts.

And did I mention it’s perfect for businesses that want to expand their reach and attract NEW customers?

But understanding the benefits of having a website for your business and actually creating one are two very different things. I know, it might feel scary.

Related: How to design a website when you’re not a website designer

You basically have three options:

Hire a professional website designer

This option will cost you more but require less of your time. In most cases, you’ll need to supply the content for your website — including text and images — but a designer can put it all together to give you a beautiful, highly functional website.

Editor’s note: The experts at GoDaddy’s Website Design Service can create a mobile-friendly, beautiful site that reflects your industry while following your lead and input.

Do it yourself with a content management system (CMS)

If you’ve got some skill, you can build a site using a popular CMS like WordPress.

Want to build a WordPress site but don’t feel like handling all the technical stuff on your own? You might want to check out our easier way to get started with WordPress.

GoDaddy’s Managed WordPress Hosting features a Quick Start Wizard to get your new WordPress website up and running in a snap. Featuring eight pre-built customizable pages, easy drag-and-drop page building, and quick access to thousands of WordPress plugins, there’s virtually no limit to what you can create.

You’ll also get 24/7 support, core software updates and patches, free daily backups and one-click restore, a free domain with an annual plan and more.

Related: How to build a WordPress website for the first time

Do it yourself with a simple-to-use website builder

You don’t need any design experience to build a lovely site via the affordable DIY solutions available, including GoDaddy’s Websites + Marketing. Choose your industry, customize it, and hit “publish.” Just like that, your website is live.

GoDaddy’s Websites + Marketing also has templates for a variety of industries. You can even give the templates a test run before you decide if GoDaddy’s website builder meets your needs.

Related: How to plan a website

3. Get an online store that’s attached to your domain

With a custom ecommerce site, you can sell your products, track your orders, collect payments, and manage your inventory all in one place.

You’re looking at basically the same options for creating an online store — hire a pro or do it yourself with an easy-to-use online store builder (like GoDaddy’s Online Store) or an ecommerce plugin for WordPress and the like. We like WooCommerce.

Since GoDaddy’s Online Store is built into the Websites + Marketing structure, you can build your store quickly and start receiving payments immediately. You’ll have easy access to appointment setting, inventory management and more, all while staying mobile-friendly.

But, what if you’ve registered a domain name that’s perfect and invested the effort into launching an online store — and no one ever finds you?

An ecommerce solution like GoDaddy Online Store can help. How? It includes a built-in SEO wizard, smooth integration with Google My Business, and marketplace selling features that enable you to easily sell products on marketplaces like Amazon, eBay, Walmart and Etsy and manage your orders and inventory all from one place.

Nice!

Related: How to start an online store in 3 steps

4. Sell your domain name

Stuff happens. Maybe inspiration struck at 3 a.m., when an amazing new domain name woke you from a dead sleep. And that other domain you already registered? It can still help you out.

You can get it in front of interested buyers via domain aftermarket sites that only take a small percentage of the sale.

One such aftermarket option is GoDaddy Auctions.

For an annual fee and a percentage of the sale, you can list your domain name for auction or set a “buy now” price and GoDaddy will handle all the details.

Related: 5 tried-and-true tips for selling domain names for profit

Put that domain name to work!

Your domain name is no use just sitting in your account collecting dust — so take it out for a spin and see what wonders it can do!

You’ll be amazed.

Ready? Go forth and put your domain name to work for your business!

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