What Do You Need to Register a Domain in Kenya?

In order to register a domain name in Kenya, you will need to know the following:

List of Suggested Domain Names

Your domain name is essentially the name of your website. It is the part of the URL that appears before the “.com” or “.org.” When choosing a domain name, you’ll want something that is catchy, easy to remember and aligns with your business name and brand. Finding a domain name that is available and accurately represents your business and brand can be challenging, depending on how common the name is.

You can check the availability of a domain name with most domain registrars like Sino Soft. In some cases, the domain name will be “available” but it will have a hefty price tag attached to it—sometimes up to thousands of dollars. Unless you are willing to pay a substantial amount of money to get a domain name—and most people aren’t—you should consider the name with alternatives to the .com extension. In many cases, a domain name will be available with .org or .biz or .net.

\you can request the web hosting company for a search to affirm that your intended domain name is not taken already, Pay for the domain name if it is available to reserve it. Or simply do it yourself through this Domain Suggestion tool

In many cases, the domain name registrar will suggest similar domain names that are available. For instance, if myperfectdomainname.com isn’t available, the registrar might suggest myperfectdomainname.biz.

If your company already has a name, your first-choice domain is likely YourBrand.com, but if that’s taken, you have a couple options for making sure it’s easy for users to associate your brand with your domain name:

• Use a suffix. Add a word to the end of your domain name to differentiate it. You could add the name of your primary product (yourbrandshoes.com), your location (yourbrandcanada.com), or something all-encompassing (yourbrandonline.com, yourbrandstore.com).
• Use a prefix. Add an action-oriented verb at the start of your domain that draws attention to your product (getyourbrand.com, wearyourbrand.com, eatyourbrand.com).
• Use a different domain name extension. A domain name extension, also referred to as a top-level domain (TLD), is the suffix that appears at the end of your domain. The most commonly used domain extension is .com, but there are also region-specific domain extensions (such as .ca, .us, or .eu) and a growing number of specialty domain extensions (such as .shop or .store). Keep in mind that specialty domain extensions tend to be more expensive.

Even if a domain name is available, you should check to confirm that the name is also available on social media to ensure alignment between your website and social handles.

Choose a Domain Name Registrar

A registrar is a company that reserves and registers domain names on your behalf. When you purchase a domain name, either directly from a registrar or through a web-hosting service, it’s registered to the DNS for you.

Though there are more than a thousand accredited registrars, it’s best to stick with more well-known providers. Using a common provider will make it easier to find info on managing your domain and to troubleshoot issues you might have with syncing your domain to other services.

Domains can be purchased from a number of different types of businesses. You might choose to purchase one from a website-building platform (like Shopify, Squarespace, or WordPress), a web-hosting service (like Sino Soft or HostGator or BlueHost), or directly from a domain registrar (like GoDaddy, NameCheap, or Google Domains). 

Many registrars offer hosting and vice-a-versa. This can be a great way to keep all your website tasks under one roof, but isn’t necessary. You can purchase a domain one place, and use a different company to host if you so choose. 

Valid Email Address

This is where all your details about the registered domain are sent to. Your login credentials, payment period and the domain name itself as registered. This email is also used for authentication when requesting for changes or configuration of your website with the online support teams of the registrar.

Ensure the email is secure anyone who has access to the same can change administrator credentials and transfer them to a different email and you lose rights to edit or access the site for any changes.

This email is also needed should a need arise to transfer your domain name from one registrar to another. The registering email is the one to initialize the process.

Payment Method (Preferably Online)

After you’ve chosen a preferred domain name, and have found a reliable registrar, you need a payment method to finish the process of registration. You have to pay for the name. Some registrars offer a free domain if one pays for hosting for a particular number of years, with discounts increasing with a later expiry date.

How much does a domain name cost?

Domain names aren’t sold for a flat-rate. Instead, they’re paid for on a recurring basis (usually annually). When considering the costs of your domain, be mindful of the difference between the starting price and the renewal price. Typically, basic .com domain names run in the ballpark of about 10-15 USD a year. Premium domains such as 4 letter domains or incredibly common terms can cost significantly higher. 

Domain providers often offer discounted rates on domains for the first year or two, especially if the domain is purchased in addition to other services. The starting price is usually lower than the renewal price, so when budgeting for the long term, make sure you factor in the price of renewing your domain down the road.

On top of this, your domain extension can alter the cost of the domain. Specialty domain extensions like .store are usually more expensive than available .com domains. 

While the price of domains is important, there are a lot of other factors to consider as well. If you’re looking for the domain provider that’s right for you, here’s a couple of questions to ask yourself: 

• How easy will it be to point my domain to my website? The advantage of purchasing a domain from a web-building platform is that set-up tends to be fast and easy, since you’re only dealing with one company directly. Using services from different companies adds additional steps and tends to be more technical or confusing.
• Will I need domain privacy protection? When you register a domain, your contact info becomes publicly available in the global ICANN registry. Privacy protection is a feature that hides this information. Some providers (like Shopify), provide domain privacy protection for free on all domains, but some providers offer this feature at an additional cost. 
• Which domain extension(s) do I want to use? A domain extension is the part of the domain that comes at the end. All domain providers offer .com domains, but if you’re looking for a region-specific domain extension (such as .ca, .eu, or .au), or a speciality domain (.shop, .store, etc.), you’ll want to make sure you choose a provider that provides them. 
• Do I need any other services? Domain registrars usually offer additional services, like hosting, website development and building features, and email hosting. Occasionally, domains are offered at what seems like a low rate, but only in addition to the purchase of other services. 

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