Last updated on April 15th, 2024 at 04:22 pm
Looking to buy domain in South Africa?
Welcome, in this article, you will learn everything you need to know about website names.
We will also reveal the cost of top domains in South Africa including .com, .co.za, .org, and .africa extensions.
But first, let us cover the basics.
Table of Contents
Terms you need to know before you get started
1). Domain Name – This the name of your site, and often follows after ‘www.’ and also comes after @ symbol in your business email.
For example:
‘www.Truehost.africa’ the ‘Truehost.africa’ is the actual domain name.
2). Domain Privacy – A feature often provided by domain registrars that hide the domain name owner information from the search results of a WHOIS inquiry.
Think of it as a way to hide your contact information whenever someone looks up your domain on WHOIS.
3). Domain Extension – The last letters of a domain name, such as .com, indicates the registry the domain is associated with.
For example;
Whenever you see a .ZA domain, which is a ccTLDs, tells you that the domain is from South Africa.
4). Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) – refers to the most common domain names, such as .COM, or .NET.
5). Premium Domain – this a high-value domain name that in most cases, has previously been registered. They often contain valuable SEO and are easy to remember and extremely brandable. They cost more than normal domains because of the perceived value it carries.
6). Registrar – An accredited business or organization that sells domain registration services to the public in South Africa.
7). Domain Transfer – Moving a domain name from one registrar to another without giving up ownership.
8). WHOIS – A system that makes it possible to search the owner information of a registered domain name in South Africa, as well as other details such as contact information.
These terms should give you a sense of an insider.
Before you even think to buy domain in South Africa, you must first have the name.
Now, let me show you how to pick the best name guaranteed to get you the results you are looking for.
Later, I will show you how to generate a website name in South Africa without breaking a sweat.
What is domain registration in South Africa?
Here’s a breakdown of domain registration in South Africa:
What is Domain Registration?
- Your online address: A domain name is the unique web address for your website (e.g., www.yourbusiness.co.za).
- Getting the right to use it: Domain registration is the process of reserving your chosen domain name so that only you can use it for your website or email.
Specifics of Domain Registration in South Africa
- Governing body: ZADNA (ZA Domain Name Authority) oversees the management of South African domain names.
- Popular South African domain extensions:
- .co.za: Most popular choice for businesses in South Africa.
- .org.za: Typically used by non-profit organizations.
- .web.za: General purpose option.
- .net.za: Internet service providers and networking companies
- Domain Registrars: You don’t register directly with ZADNA. Instead, you use accredited domain registrars, which are companies specializing in domain registration services. Some popular ones include:
The Registration Process
- Choose a Domain Name: Come up with a memorable and relevant domain name for your website.
- Check Availability: Use a domain registrar’s search tool to see if your desired name is available.
- Select a Registrar: Compare prices and services offered by different registrars.
- Provide Information: You’ll need to submit personal or business details for registration.
- Payment: Pay the registration fee (fees vary across registrars).
- DNS Setup: Configure your domain’s DNS (Domain Name System) settings. This links your domain to your website hosting.
Important Considerations:
- Registration Period: Domains are typically registered for one or more years and need to be renewed.
- WHOIS Privacy: Some registrars offer WHOIS privacy protection to keep your personal information hidden in public records.
- Bundled services: Many registrars offer domain registration bundled with web hosting, email, and other services.
How to do perfect domain search in South Africa
Here’s a guide on how to find the best possible domain name for your South African website:
1. Brainstorm & Understand Your Needs
- Your brand/business: What’s the name, what do you offer, and what’s your brand personality? Your domain should ideally reflect these aspects.
- Target audience: Are you targeting a South African audience specifically? Consider incorporating elements that resonate with them.
- Purpose: Blog, company site, e-commerce… different types of websites may benefit from different domain structures.
2. Key Domain Name Characteristics
- Short & Memorable: Easier for people to remember and type.
- Relevant: Includes keywords related to your business or niche.
- Easy to spell & pronounce: Avoid ambiguity or strange spellings.
- Preferably .co.za: The most trusted extension for South African businesses. Alternatives like .org.za or .web.za can also work.
3. Domain Search Tools & Tips
- Registrar search bars: Most registrars (https://www.domains.co.za/, https://www.hostafrica.com/domains/, etc.) have search tools to instantly check availability.
- Domain name generators: Use tools like Lean Domain Search: https://www.leandomainsearch.com/ or Nameboy: https://www.nameboy.com/. Enter keywords and they’ll suggest combinations.
- Thesaurus: Get creative with synonyms that align with your brand.
- Check social media: Ensure the same or similar handles are available across platforms for consistency.
4. Things to Avoid
- Hyphens and numbers: Generally make domains less memorable.
- Misspellings: Intentional misspellings can seem unprofessional.
- Copyrighted names: Avoid using registered trademarks or brand names in your domain.
5. A Note on Availability
Many seemingly “perfect” short domain names are already taken. Be prepared to be flexible! Here’s how to handle that:
- Be creative: Play with word combinations, synonyms, or subtle additions that relate to your brand.
- Consider less common extensions: While .co.za is preferable, .web.za, .net.za, or others work if your ideal .co.za is taken.
- Budget for premium domains: Sometimes a “perfect” domain is already owned. Be prepared to purchase it from the current owner if it’s absolutely vital, but be wary of exorbitant prices.
What to consider when choosing a website name in South Africa
Use these as a guideline to pick the best domain name in South Africa.
- Stick with .co.za or .com – avoid overcomplicating the process. Use .co.za domain if you are targeting readers from within the country, and .com if you are going global.
- Use target keywords in your domain – by doing so, you are telling search engines what your website is all about.
- Keep your website name short – long names makes it hard for users to remember and can even make mistakes when typing.
- Make it easy to pronounce and spell – again, do not try to be fancy. Use common words that are recognizable and easy to spell.
- Keep it unique and brandable – remember the domain is your online representation of your business. Make it unique to what your brand stands for.
- Avoid using hyphens in a website name because it makes it appear spammy
- Leave room to expand – do not restrict your domain to only one topic or product. What happens when the time comes to expand the market? For example, instead of using subwoofers.co.za domain, go with soundsystems.co.za. This way, you have room to expand without requiring a new domain.
By adhering to these tips, you are sure to end up with the best domain name for your website in South Africa.
Now that you know what to look for, let me show you the quickest way to generate domain name ideas in South Africa.
The easiest and quickest way to generate domain name ideas in South Africa
To generate a website name, you can do some brainstorming.
Here, you sit down and rock your mind looking for those awesome creative name ideas and hoping they will wow your potential customers online.
Truth is, it works.
But there is a catch;
It is tedious and takes a lot of your time.
What if there was a better way?
Is there the easiest way to generate domain ideas in South Africa?
Yes! Using domain name generators.
These are special tools that take the job of brainstorming off your hands.
An example of such tools is BizNameWiz.com
All you have to do is type a keyword into the box and hit generate.
For example;
For our previous example, I will just type ‘sound’ and hit generate.
The tool will come up with potential names.
You can set specific criteria based on your industry, the number of characters the suggested name should be, and whether it should rhyme or not among other cool stuff.
Among the results, you will notice some domains accompanied by logos.
These are premium domains you can buy.
In the end, by using this method, you are able to generate hundreds of potential website names in under a minute.
Once you have a list of handpicked names, it is time to move to the step; buy domain in South Africa.
To do that, you will need a domain registrar in South Africa.
But there is another problem;
There are a ton of them.
How will you know who to pick?
How to pick the best domain registration company in South Africa
Here are three things to consider before choosing a domain registrar in South Africa.
1). Domain prices in South Africa – the cost of a domain in South Africa varies from one provider to the next. It also varies depending on the domain extension where some are cheaper, while others are expensive.
2). Additional services – you need to go with a domain name provider that offers more than just website name registration. You will need domain privacy, DNS management, among other things.
3). Domain transfer policy – what happens when you no longer wish to host with your current company? You need to know the policies surrounding website name transfers to avoid issues down the line. Some offer free transfer, while others charge for the process.
The best domain name registrars in South Africa
As mentioned earlier, the list of website name registrars in South Africa is quite extensive.
But based on the criteria we highlighted above, here are the top domain providers in South Africa;
a). Truehost Africa
This is one of the providers of the cheapest domains in South Africa.
The company offers web hosting in South Africa, domain privacy options, and free DNS management.
Also, they offer 24/7 customer support through live chat, social media, email, and calls.
Truehost also allows you to transfer a domain for free.
b). Domain.co.za
This is another one of the best domain registrars in South Africa.
The company 60-day money-back guarantee for all of its services.
And with Domains.co.za bulk domain registration, you can register multiple domains at once.
c). Registerdomain.co.za
Registerdomain.co.za also supports bulk domain registration as well as bulk transfer.
According to their website, domain registration takes between 10 and 15 minutes.
You can sure buy domain in South Africa from any of these companies following the criteria we mentioned earlier.
How much does it cost to buy a domain name in South Africa?
Here is the cost of the most popular domains in South Africa;
| .co.za | .com | .org | .org.za | .net | |
| Truehost.co.za | R70 | R160 | R215.56 | R70 | R240.10 |
| Domains.co.za | R90 | R259 | R335 | R90 | R359 |
| Registerdomain.co.za | R85 | R229 | R275 | R85 | R245 |
Important note;
Remember some of the domain prices are heavily discounted which means they can change at any time.
How to buy domain in South Africa (step by step)
Follow these steps to register a website name in South Africa.
1). Head over to https://truehost.co.za/cloud//cart.php?a=add&domain=register
And type the name into the box and hit search;
The system will search to ascertain the availability of your suggested domain name.
If it is available (not already registered), you will get a congratulations message.
If it is unavailable, you will have to provide a different name.
And that is why you need a list of domain names.
To process, click on Add to cart>>checkout.
2). Domain configuration
Add add-ons to your domain order including the ID protection we mentioned earlier.
Truehost Africa offers free domain protection while others sell it as a separate product.
You can also change nameservers if you have custom ones.
3). Review & Checkout
Review your order and create an account.
Also, this is the place to use a coupon code if you have one.
At the same time, pick your preferred method of payment on this page.
And when everything is in order, click checkout and pay for your order to complete the process.
In under 5 minutes, you will receive a confirmation message with details on how to log into your client area.
That is how to buy domain in South Africa.
How do I permanently buy a domain name?
Unfortunately, you cannot buy a domain permanently, it is renewable every year. But you can register it for up to 10 years.
This means that you can own the domain for up to 10 years buy pre-paying for all that time.
Where is the best place to buy a domain name in South Africa?
The best place to buy a domain name in South Africa is Truehost Africa. The company offers the cheapest domain prices, free transfer, and free domain protection.