Register a Domain in SA
Not only is it very easy to register a domain in SA, but below you’ll also discover companies that offer totally free domain registration in South Africa.
While choosing the perfect domain name can be quite challenging, it’s useful to know that you won’t be wasting money buying domains that don’t look that appealing after buying them.
Furthermore, if you register a free domain and later think of a far more suitable one, you can register that one as well without it costing you anything extra.
Your domain name plays a vital role in the identity & success of your website, which is why it’s important to brainstorm the prefect one for your site
I’ve often acted impulsively & registered a domain only to realise later that I could have secured & registered a far better domain name.
So by registering a free domain you can keep on securing domain names until you’re satisfied with your choice.
1. Wix
All you need to do is head on over to Wix and sign up for a free account.
Once you’ve done that you can choose a free domain name, build your website with Wix’ awesome web builder and have it hosted, all for free.
Sounds too good to be true?
Well yes, there is one thing to consider and that is that your domain name be made up of a free Wix subdomain.
The issue with this is that not only will you not have full control over your website, but the domain name itself won’t portray professionalism, as most visitors will see it as a free site.
If however, you aren’t worried about this, then this option is perfect for building an absolutely awesome looking website with Wix’ suite of web builder templates & tools.
2. WordPress
WordPress is another free domain option with hosting included.
While it’s much the same as the option above, I thought it was worth mentioning as your blog, or website, will be built on the famously reliable WordPress platform.
Just head over to the official WordPress site and see all the templates & plugins you’ll have access to to build your site.
Just remember you’ll be subject to all the WP TOS (Terms of Service) and your domain will be a WordPress subdomain.
3. Free Domain With a Hosting Account
The best way to secure a professional domain name of your own, at no cost, is with a new hosting account.
While the above options are perfect for anyone who doesn’t mind not being in full control of their websites, they aren’t suitable for people who want to project a professional online presence.
In this case, it makes good sense to sign up for a web hosting account that offers free domain registration as well.
It’s also wise to choose a hosting company like Bluehost that’s renowned for its high performance as well as its features & benefits.
Previously ZA Nic Provided Free Domain Registration In South Africa For “za.net” Domains But Ceased Accepting New Registrations Since October 2012
9 Benefits Of Owning Your Own Domain Name
While having your site hosted on a free sub-domain provides you with a free online presence, owning your domain name that is registered to you is a better long term strategy for the following reasons.
1. Transferable
Imagine investing a significant amount of effort and time into your free sub-domain and the domain owner suddenly changes their TOS which prohibits you from doing certain things that your site is dependent on.
This would force you to comply or start all over again on another platform.
For this reason, free sub-domains should be used with caution as your domain is not transferable whereas having your own domain is fully transferable amoungst different web hosting companies or domain registrars.
You also have the option of selling your domain which you can’t do with a free sub-domain.
2. Branding & Identity
Your own domain helps you create your business’ branding and establish its identity which can’t be done effectively with a freebie domain.
Therefore, if you’re serious about creating a long term business, or income generating site, you’ll register your own domain from the start even if its a free one you get with your hosting account.
3. Credibility & Professionalism
Not only does a free sub-domain scream “amateur”, but you can’t even have your domain name as part of your email address.
For instance, doesn’t an email address such as john@businessname.com look a whole lot more professional than john@businessname.wordpress.com
It also adds credibility which is so important in building that relationship of trust with your site visitors.
Remember, not many people would do business with a company that uses a free domain as it just doesn’t project credibility and will have your site visitors clicking away from your site immediately.
4. Simplicity
Another massive benefit is the simplicity of communicating your domain name without having to include the subdomain part of it.
It’s also far easier to remember www.mybusiness.com than www.mybusiness.wordpress.com and getting all the dots in the right places.
5. SEO
Your site’s relevance & ranking with Google, and other search engines, will be improved by having your own domain.
Interestingly, I recently read a success story of an organisation that decided to register a memorable and catchy brand name which lead to a significant increase in traffic as well as a massive improvement in their SEO rankings.
With the relaunch of their site with their own domain name, reflecting their brand, they also experienced a boost in sales through improved brand visibility.
6. Ubiquity
You’ll also have the opportunity of securing multiple domains with various TLD’s like .biz, .org, .info and associating them all with your business’ main site.
7. Speed
Having your site hosted on a free platform not only means that you have no control over improving your site’s performance, but these sites are often very slow.
This is because these free hosts have so many sites all hosted on one server which slows down everyone’s site leading to poor user experience.
We all know that one of the most important metrics used by Google is page speed and if yours is slow you’re unlikely to see your site anywhere near the top of the SERPS (Search Engine Results Pages) no matter how impressive your site looks.
Therefore, the one thing you cannot afford is a slow site.
8. Advertising
Many of the free platforms show ads on their users’ sites which is another big no-no for a professional site.
Again, without having the control over what you have displayed on your site isn’t going to impress your users much, so much so that they probably won’t be returning.
There’s nothing more annoying than having advertisements all over the page you’re trying to read.
9. Website Shutdown
This is a scary one.
If you unwittingly happen to contravene one of their TOS (Terms Of Service) you may have your site shut down without notice and lose everything, just like that.
I don’t know about you but there is no way I would ever risk that happening to any of my sites just for the sake of paying out a few bucks every month for a professional hosting package (including a free domain)>
Conclusion On Free Domain Registration
Considering all of the above, it is clear that if you intend of establishing a strong website presence, or business identity, you should have full control over your own domain name.
However, if you want to test the waters, or create a site for some other reason that you don’t want to spend a cent on, then the free domain & hosting options are the best options for you.
Lastly, unless you aren’t bothered by the longevity or potential of your site, the best option to secure a free domain is to secure your own when you sign up with a top hosting company.
Lastly, if you’re serious about establishing a professional web presence, having your own domain is non-negotiable.
Furthermore, you can secure a free one of your choice when you sign up for a hosting account with a reputable company like Bluehost from just $3.95 per month – it’s a no brainer, sign up now »