Best Free Domain?

Discussion in 'Managing Your Online Community' started by GPT Noobs, Oct 31, 2012.

  1. GPT Noobs

    GPT Noobs Regular Member

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    What is the best free domain host? I have used dot.tk. Are there any better alternatives? I'm trying to register a domain for some of my sites to make them look a little more professional.
     
    Brandon likes this.
  2. fattony69

    fattony69 Regular Member

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    Free isn't good.
     
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  3. Brandon

    Brandon Regular Member

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    I've never been a fan of free domains or free hosting as far as that goes.
    The very first site I worked on with some friends was on a .tk domain and as shortly after we bought a $10 domain from godaddy because we hated it.
     
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  4. GasMan320

    GasMan320 Regular Member

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    Agreed. Only use a free domain if you don't care about it looking professional. If you are unable to pay for a domain name, you're not going to get very far in having your site be deemed as professional. Some places will offer you a domain name and hosting if you contribute to their community -- that may be an option for you.

    However you may want to rethink your objectives. A domain name will cost you under $1 a month when averaging out the cost of it over a year. If you are unable to invest that amount into making a site, you may want to re-evaluate your objectives and goals.
     
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  5. Martin W

    Martin W Regular Member

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    I completely agree with that GasMan320 has said. No one will really take you seriously with a free domain. You could have the best site, best idea and best theme and no one would really care because of the domain.

    As for the question, I think all domains are as bad as each other.
     
  6. CM30

    CM30 Regular Member

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    Depends what you mean by free domain. .tk and .co.nr? You're unlikely to be taken seriously if you use either.

    But in some places online I hear you can get a free .com or other standard domain by doing something or other. You know, via an affiliate scheme or something. I don't know which is best, but I guess you'd look just as professional if you got one via such a service.
     
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  7. GPT Noobs

    GPT Noobs Regular Member

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    I'm probably going to test run the site on a .tk domain first and see how much traffic I get. If a lot of people sign up and it's successful, I will probably switch over to a paid domain. I know some sites offer GoDaddy gift cards in exchange for completing affiliate offers, surveys, etc... I will give that a try.
     
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  8. GPT Noobs

    GPT Noobs Regular Member

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    I actually read that there is a way to get a free .com domain from Microsoft. It's aimed for small businesses but anyone can do it.
     
  9. CM30

    CM30 Regular Member

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    I heard that too. However, is that free program still running? I thought it'd ended by now...
     
  10. GPT Noobs

    GPT Noobs Regular Member

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    Unfortunately, it is no longer running. I read about it online but I just looked on the Microsoft site and it's been discontinued. It would have been nice though. :sour:
     
  11. johnthomas1433

    johnthomas1433 Regular Member

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    DOT.TK is not a free domain host. They simply provide you with you a domain redirect service. If you have a subdomain ( something like abc.site.com) or a lengthy domain name and deep pages, you can use the DOT.TK service to make it look like short. Its like a URL shortner service, with the difference being that instead of a sub directory of their domain name or a sub domain, you are indeed getting a new domain name.

    But they had stopped their service or so, I think.
     
  12. carntheroos4eva

    carntheroos4eva Regular Member

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    Go to Joomla.org mate. They have free domain names as well as paid ones. Their website builder is free and their hosts are awesome. Just moved from oxxus.net to these guys today. Cloudaccess.net is awesome.
     
  13. carntheroos4eva

    carntheroos4eva Regular Member

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    You are better off having a paid one dude. They don't cost the earth and it shows that yours is true.
     
  14. Shawn Gossman

    Shawn Gossman Regular Member

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    Why not spend the $10-$12 bucks a year and get a real domain. When I see websites that have .tk and .co.cc domains, I tend to stay away from them as do a lot of people as they have a reputation to be spam sites.

    Listen, too many people think they can start a website or a forum for free. Get back to reality because it isn't going to happen. You will have to spend money at some point otherwise the community will not go anywhere. As you use more resources, more money will be required.

    You get what you pay for. ;)
     
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  15. GasMan320

    GasMan320 Regular Member

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    Droppin' truth, SON.
     
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  16. Shawn Gossman

    Shawn Gossman Regular Member

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    Boom! LOL
     
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  17. fattony69

    fattony69 Regular Member

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    I'll buy domain names if people write articles for me.
     
  18. johnthomas1433

    johnthomas1433 Regular Member

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    How can you call yourselves a professional, if you cant even pitch in a $10 for a domain name? That shall be the popular response from your visitors, and having a free domain shall only scare them away. To be a professional, always stick with paid domain names, and get it from some reputated domain registrars.

    If you do not want to pitch in your money, there are plenty of areas where you shall earn a domain name, by completing surveys, offers, ptc or even contributing to the community. You may try your luck in such an arena.
     
  19. oman

    oman Regular Member

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    I always used co.cc until I realised that I wanted to set up a proper site. I bought technologyhub.org. When you think about it, domains aren't actually that expensive, and are worth buying.
     
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  20. Shawn Gossman

    Shawn Gossman Regular Member

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    Using .co.cc is a waste of effort anyways, its banned from Google. So unless you don't want your website to go anywhere, don't use a .co.cc domain name ;)
     

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