How To Determine Where A Domain Is Registered

You've spent time brainstorming domain names. You've tried different domain suggestion tools. And you've finally figured out the perfect proper noun.

But when you become to register the domain proper name you're set on, you find that someone has already claimed information technology. What a disappointment.

Before you give up on that perfect proper noun and offset the whole process once again from scratch, know there might notwithstanding be promise.

Registered domain names are sometimes still available—if you lot know how to find the owner.

People invest in domain names for a number of different reasons. Sometimes, it'southward to start their own website at that domain. Sometimes information technology's purely for investment purposes. And in a few cases, it may be for a website idea that either never comes to fruition, or that falls off the owner'due south radar over time.

If the website you're interested in isn't being actively used and updated, then the owner may exist happy to hear from an interested heir-apparent. And fifty-fifty if the owner is clearly using the domain proper name right at present, if you're willing to spend enough to make a sale worth it to them you may withal have a run a risk.

In both cases, you should anticipate spending more than for the domain name than if you lot went with something no 1 else owns yet. Just if you're really set on that domain name, it's worth trying your chances.

How to Find Out Who Owns a Domain Name

Before you lot tin can larn whether buying your domain is fifty-fifty a possibility, you demand to figure out who to contact near information technology. How much piece of work that involves will depend on a few factors, but you should be able to at least get the ball rolling with these iii steps.

Pace 1: Visit the Website

In cases where the possessor bought the domain equally an investment, they'll make it easy for you to contact them. So start past pulling upwardly the website to see what shows upward.

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They may say outright that the domain is for sale, and include contact data or a form y'all tin fill out. Or in some cases where the domain is in agile use, you'll exist able to discover contact information on the website's Contact or About page.

If you're lucky enough that this step does the pull a fast one on and yous notice the domain owner, you lot can skip the next two steps.

Footstep Two: Cheque the WHOIS Directory

Every time someone registers a domain name, the domain registrar that processes the auction is required to collect basic contact information. In some cases, that information then gets submitted to the WHOIS directory, then that there's a record of who runs each website online.

The WHOIS directory is therefore our next stop for seeking out a domain name owner.

whois directory for looking up domain name owner

Put in the name of the domain you're looking for and scroll down to find all the information the WHOIS directory lists for information technology. In a few cases, that may contain the owner'due south contact information. If so, you can skip the next step.

Fifty-fifty if not though, information technology will always include at least their domain registrar and domain expiration date. That lets you know if the domain volition exist coming up for renewal soon. If so, you may exist able to snap it upward for cheaper when information technology expires than if you buy it from them directly. Simply that only works if they don't renew, and then you're taking a take chances.

Either way, knowing the domain registrar enables you to take the next footstep.

Stride Three: Contact the Domain Registrar

Many domain registrars now offer domain name privacy, which keeps the owner's personal information from being listed in the WHOIS directory. Between that and GDPR legislation, the WHOIS directory is no longer a reliable way to observe a domain owner's personal contact information.

That ways in many cases, you won't exist able to larn directly who the owner is via the directory. But y'all will be able to notice out who they registered the domain with.

This still isn't a expressionless finish. Go to the website of the domain registrar (only Google the name if it's not included in the WHOIS tape), and wait for their contact data. Give them a call or write them an email letting them know what domain you lot're interested in buying, and ask them to laissez passer along your data to the possessor. The registrar will accept the possessor'south contact details on file, and will exist able to share your interest with them without violating whatever privacy concerns.

What Adjacent?

At this point, you have three different paths to consider.

1. Contact the Domain Proper name Owner

If i of the steps above leads you to the website possessor, information technology'southward time to accomplish out! Craft an email letting them know that you're interested in purchasing the domain.

To avoid looking like spam, make sure your email conveys seriousness and professionalism. If you have a professional person electronic mail accost at a domain name you own, that volition look more legitimate than ane from a yahoo or aol account. If not, consider at least setting upward a gmail address, which looks a bit more respectable.

Make certain your e-mail includes:

Your contact information – both email and phone, so it's easy for them to choose the method they prefer.
Language that makes information technology clear you're willing to pay – y'all may non want to include a specific offering yet (if you lot don't know where they stand, y'all could offering more than required), but they're more likely to respond if they know this is a genuine business concern offer
Something that shows your legitimacy – how tin y'all show you're a real person with serious intent? Maybe that's a link to a website you already run or a LinkedIn profile.

People go a lot of spam emails, then y'all want to clarify that you're a real person with real involvement. If you tin pull that off, the chances of getting a response are much higher.

2. Hire a Domain Broker

If you lot oasis't managed to find the contact data for the owner at this indicate, or if yous have just would yet like some help navigating the process of making an offer, look into hiring a domain banker. Businesses like Sedo and Brannans exist specifically to aid manage deals between domain sellers and buyers.

If you lot're inexperienced at buying a domain proper noun, they can help you figure out a reasonable price to request, find the right person to contact, and ensure the purchasing process goes through the proper steps and then that everyone's happy at the end of it. In that location are lots of scammers in the world of online transactions, and online brokers can help yous steer clear of those that be in the domain proper name industry.

three. Consider a New Domain Name

There's a decent adventure that even if you take all of these steps, the person that owns that domain now either won't want to sell, or will only accept a higher price than yous can pay.

In that case, you lot're far from the starting time person to have to come up with an alternative to the kickoff proper name you set your heart on. Consider dissimilar domain proper name extensions—if the .com is taken, the .internet or .co may still exist available. And brainstorm new domain proper noun ideas. You lot may merely come up with something you like even more than your original idea.

Conclusion

Finding a adept domain proper noun that hasn't already been claimed is hard—at that place are so many websites already out in that location that a lot of ideas accept already been snapped up. Merely you lot may still be able to buy the domain yous really desire. And failing that, a little creativity or flexibility will help you find one that works just as well.

Kristen Hicks is an Austin-based freelance content author and lifelong learner with an ongoing marvel to acquire new things. She uses that marvel, combined with her experience as a freelance business concern owner, to write about subjects valuable to small business owners on the HostGator blog. You can find her on Twitter at @atxcopywriter.