Your website will need a domain name (e.g., mycompany.com), so people can find your website on the Internet.

If you do not yet have a domain name — or you would like to transfer your existing one to the registration service that I use and recommend — then follow these easy instructions:

1. Go to 1&1 Internet, which opens up in a new window. If it asks you if you want to accept a cookie, then do so.
2. In the white field to the right of the "www.", type in the domain name you want, without any "www". Leave the ".com", unless this is for a nonprofit organization, in which case ".org" is usually best.
3. Click the yellow "More" button.
4. Their system will tell you whether or not your desired domain name is available.
5. If it is, then click "Continue" and follow their instructions to sign up for that domain name. Choose the "1&1 Instant Domain" plan, which is sufficient for any website's needs and is the least expensive.
6. If your desired domain name is not available, then contact me so we can figure out a good one that is available.
7. When you have completed the sign-up process, you will receive an email message from them, containing your customer ID number. Please forward that message to me, and also let me know the password you chose, because I will need that information for setting the DNS values for your new domain name.
8. Initially your new domain name registration is public, i.e., your contact information is displayed as part of the Internet's WHOIS record. To make it private, login to your 1&1 Internet account, locate your new domain name, lock it, and choose private registration.