Your domain name is the address of your website and the second half of every email address your business uses. It is one of the few things online that you own outright, so it is worth getting right from the start.
Why .co.za is usually the right choice
For a South African business, .co.za is the extension customers expect and type by habit. It tells people you trade locally before they have read a word on your site. If you only register one domain, make it the .co.za.
A .com is worth adding if you sell outside South Africa, or simply so that a competitor cannot take it later. Non-profits and associations usually suit .org.za.
Choosing the name
- Keep it short. Every extra word is another chance for a typo.
- Make it easy to say. If you have to spell it out over the phone, it is too complicated.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers unless they are part of your business name.
- Check it is not someone else’s trademark or too close to a competitor’s name.
If your exact business name is taken, try adding your town or what you do, for example yourbusinessballito.co.za or yourbusinessplumbing.co.za.
Make sure it is registered in your name
This is the part that catches people out. Every domain has a registrant, the legal owner. Some web companies register client domains in their own name, which means that if you ever want to move, you have to ask them for permission to take your own address with you.
When we register a domain, you are the registrant. We are listed only as the technical contact, so the domain stays yours even if you stop working with us.
Keep it renewed
Domains are registered for a year at a time. If the renewal is missed, your website and your email stop working together, and after a grace period the name can be released for anyone to register. Make sure the renewal reminders go to an email address someone reads, or have your provider watch renewal dates for you.
Already have a domain somewhere else?
You can move it. South African domain transfers involve registrant verification and authorisation with the registry, including domains that came with a CIPC company registration. We handle that paperwork and set up the DNS records before the move, so your website and email keep running throughout.
Register your domain
Domain registration with Ketnal is R250 per year (excl. VAT). Search for your name on our domains page, or register it in our shop.
