Everyone likes a bargain. Its even wise to keep ones costs down. On the other hand, you may be so cheap that you cut your own throat.

Here are two ways to register a domain name for free of price and some reasons why you might not want to.

1. You Must Have Your Own Top Level Domain (TLD) Name

Your business website should definitely have its own top level domain (TLD) name. This means a title like yourcompany.com. It doesnt mean a subdomain of someone elses domain title , such as yourcompany.someisp.net.

Sometimes persons hesitate to register a proper domain name because of cost, lack of understanding, or indecision. However, paying the nominal fee charged by the domain registrar for your own domain title might reap rich dividends.

A Uniform Resource Locator (URL) or Internet address like (ignoring the http part) someisp.net/hosting-accounts/yourco/, or yourcompany.someisp.net, just doesnt look as professional as yourcompany.com. It might be free (as in included with your web space) but it just doesnt cut it.

Consider: If you put your URL on your letterheads, business cards, signs, et cetera, which Internet address looks more professional?

If you mention your URL on your radio selling or to a customer over the phone, which one will be easier to remember?

As well, what if your web host goes out of business or you decide that you want to change to another provider. Now, you need to notify every body that you have now changed to yourcompany.someotherisp.net. You will also need to change all your stationery, signs, and advertising to reflect the change.

On the other hand, the domain title yourcompany.com, could be transferred from one web host to another simply by informing your domain name registrar of the change.

So, to avoid losing business and incurring unnecessary additional costs, be sure you have your own top level domain title .

2. Should You Get a Free Top Level Domain?

It is possible to get a costless top level domain from Dot TK (@www.dot.tk). (You can also get paid dot tk (.tk) domains from them.) However, there might be disadvantages to using a free of cost top level domain title .

Here are some of the restrictions noted on the Dot TK internet page .

You can register no more than three free domain names.

The ownership of the costless domain remains with Dot TK. This means that you cant sell it. (Of course, if you pay for the domain you do own it and can transfer it to a new owner.)

Also, if you do not have 25 visitors come to your home page within a ninety day period, your free of cost domain title registration is cancelled.

You need to have existing web content somewhere so that your dot tk title could be forwarded to it.

There may well be other disadvantages.

Apparently, Dot TK uses frames to show your internet site . This being the case, you might have issues with navigation (bookmarking or finding specific pages) and search engine friendliness.

Therefore, for serious business make use of , consider carefully the true cost of costless domain names.