Know the Name

Did you know there are over 1.9 Billion websites online? It could be easy to think that with that many sites, your ideal domain name isn't available, but that's not necessarily true.

Fortunately, registering a domain name in NZ is easy, so you can find a domain that works. Then, you'll be able to get your business a website.

Read on to learn how to register a domain name in NZ.

The first step to register a domain name in NZ is to know what domain name you want. If you already have a business name, you should look to register the domain for that name.

However, if you're looking to start a new business, you can figure out what's available. Then, you can choose a business name that's free as a domain, on social media, and the Companies Register.

If the domain name you want is taken, you have a few options. First, you can change the top level domain, so you can use .nz instead of .com or .net.

Another option for local businesses is to add the city of their location to the domain. So you could add "Wellington" to the end of your business name when registering a domain name.

You may also try adding "official" to the end of the domain. Or you could add a word such as "the" to the beginning. However, make sure your domain name isn't too long, or people may not remember it.

Determine Your Budget

After you come up with a domain name that you like and can register, consider the finances. When you register a domain name in NZ, you should consider how much you're able to spend on that expense.

While you can register a domain name separately from your website host, you will need to connect the two. You may also have a higher monthly or annual fee overall once you combine the two costs.

If your business is new, you may not have a huge budget, but it's worth investing in at least a domain name for now. Even if you don't create a website now, you'll know that no one else can get the domain you want.

Now, you don't have to wait to create a website. As long as you have the money for both, you'll be able to get your website up and running.

Research and Choose a Registrar

Once you know what you want your domain name to be and how much you can pay for it, you should research some domains with Dazzly. If you want to get the best websites and the best support, use Dazzly as your New Zealand registrar.

Then, you'll be awake during business hours, so you can get more support than if you choose an American company. At Dazzly, we love helping local businesses grow, and our services are perfect for small businesses.

When looking at any domain registrar, consider the fees and services that those fees include. For example, a cheap domain registrar may seem enticing, but it may not include things like domain security and privacy.

On the other hand, you don't need to pay for the most expensive domain registrar. You don't even need to choose a registrar at all if you already have a Dazzly website.

Choose a Template

If you want to register a domain name in NZ with Dazzly, you can start by choosing a website template. We start with the Coming Soon template so that you can get your website up and running in no time.

Choose from a variety of templates based on the aesthetic you want your website to have. You can also choose templates with one page or multiple pages, depending on the goal of your new site.

Alternatively, we also offer an eCommerce template for businesses that want to sell online. Check out the images of the template and see the templates in action on the live example site.

Then, you can decide which template will make the most sense for your website. And if you decide later that you don't like the template, you will be able to change it.

So don't feel like you need to choose the perfect template right now. If you just want to get your domain, you can choose any template and come back to the design.

Enter Your Information

Another important step in registering a domain name in New Zealand is to add your business and contact details. You should enter your business name and email address.

After you enter your information, the process can depend on your domain registrar. If you go with Dazzly, the next step will be to set up your new website.

Some templates take 10 or 15 minutes, while others can take up to half an hour. Either way, it shouldn't take long before you're able to register a new domain name if you don't have one already.

Register a Domain Name in NZ

At this point, you'll be ready to officially register a domain name in NZ. You can search for the domain you want to confirm that it's still available.

If the domain you wanted is no longer available, such as if you've waited some time, you can look for similar ones. Follow the steps from earlier to research new potential domains to get your site online.

Registering a Domain Name Made Easy

Registering a domain name in NZ isn't too different from the process in other countries. However, it can help to work with a local company to get more support and assistance.

Be sure to consider the steps to follow so that you can choose the best domain for you. Then, you'll be able to get your business site up and running sooner than you think.

Do you need to choose website hosting and register a domain name in NZ? Check out our website templates to get started.

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Choosing the perfect .co.nz Domain name for your new small business

Fresh into 2024, what New Year resolutions are you setting? How about your goals for your business?

Whether you're a sole trader, partnership or company it is important to sit down and evaluate what has happened in your business over the last year. Since the pandemic, many businesses and industries have had to change and adapt.

In New Zealand, most businesses are small and may be in a better position to pivot. Larger companies with many fundamental fixed asset investments may struggle with the change.

What is pivoting your business?

Like the buzz-word - disrupt, pivot is used to describe changing the direction of a business to serve either a new customer type or in a new fashion. For example, a Northland farm may supply products to the local creamery but now they may also consider selling direct to consumer online - this is a business pivot. In New Zealand, some regulation changes have prevented butcheries opening during lock-downs. In some instances it is a foreseeable that businesses may wish to pivot.

Whether you are starting a new business or pivoting to an online model, a website sits at the centre. With the latest advances in technology and SEO, Dazzly has your back.

To add to your online presence, you'll also want a custom email address to go with your Domain name. But before any of that happens we must ask the question - how should we choose which small business domain name to register?

In the example above, we used a farmer from Northland. They now supply their local creamery as well as delivering direct to consumer via online ordering. Shipping directly to the end-customer has opened up an entirely new revenue stream. They also stand to make higher margins on each order due to less overhead.

Things that Northland Farms should consider when choosing their new domain name:

Whether to use a branded domain name such as northlandfarms.co.nz
Whether to use a keyword-focused brand domain name such as buycheeseonline.co.nz
Whether to use a more open-version of #2: buyfreshdairyonline.co.nz

There are many considerations to go over but the main ones are as follows:

Do you have an existing brand in the market that is recognised by household consumers? This most likely is not the case - so don't feel too attached to using a branded domain name.
Is there a lot of competition in the market you're entering? Not sure? Using a modern Search Engine, search the keywords you're considering using. Look over the first few pages to see how many other businesses are attempting to be visible on those keywords - this will give you some idea.

If Northland Farms was interested in building up a distinguished, luxury brand of dairy products to sell at higher margins, then we would recommend choosing a brand domain name. Primarily because, at the end of the day regardless of your domain name you can achieve the SEO results you want. If you're willing to put in the work to build a household brand name, then naturally you'll be putting in that same level of work with your website content.

On the flip-side, if Northland Farms was interested in selling as much volume as possible, they may want to use a keyword in the domain name. This allows for potentially more traffic to the website from queries containing that keyword. By focusing less on the long-term brand or wider product appeal - you may choose a keyword domain name. This may provide you with some page ranking advantage depending on the level of existing competition.

Our advice, if you're unsure, then go with the brand domain name. You can always register both, in-case you want it for future use or for a one-off campaign website.

Domain Name Frequently Asked Questions

Should I consider registering a .nz or .kiwi domain instead of .co.nz?

Generally, if you're a small business, established and incorporated, then we recommend using the .co.nz domain. It is the most widely used and recognised domain TLD in New Zealand. If you have a recognisable brand trading in the market it is important to register the associated .nz and sometimes the .kiwi domains. Most businesses, especially in their early years, need not do this.

Does it matter how long the domain has been registered?

Yes it does matter. Domain name usage is stored to build a history of the Domain. How much traffic the Domain gets and the content that is associated with it contribute to the website rank. Most search engines favour Domains that have been registered for some time, rather than fresh new domains that have the potential to be spam.

Does it matter if my domain has expired?

It would not be advantageous to allow your domain to expire when trying to improve your organic rank in search engines. Only if you never plan to use the Domain again should you let it expire. Losing your Domain can also affect Email Hosting, Website Hosting and other services.

Should I put my town name in my domain name?

As per above, it is difficult to know whether you should be alexsplumbingservice.co.nz or haurakiplumbingservices.co.nz. The truth is that you need to look forward and project what you want your business to be (and speak with your accountant). Consider what is realistic and in what time-frames.

For small business and especially sole traders, more info about service branding, can be found in this video. In short, if you're a sole trader, we recommend representing your brand by representing yourself and your journey. Being very specific and value driven is recommended.

Where can I check if the .co.nz domain I want is already taken?

We suggest you simply use our Domain Availability Checker Tool to see if your desired .co.nz domain is available.

How can I register my .co.nz domain?

You can register your .co.nz domain here. We offer the ability to register many TLDs including .co.nz, .nz, .com, .net etc

How much does it cost to register a .co.nz domain?

It costs $35.00 (excl. GST) to register a .co.nz domain with Dazzly - this is standard pricing. By getting your Domain through Dazzly, your website will connect automatically. You also have the option of adding custom email addresses to go with your Domain.

How long does it take to check if my .co.nz domain is available?

It only takes a moment to check if your .co.nz is available. Simply type the domain name into our Domain Availability Checker Tool and within seconds it will tell you whether the domain is available or already registered.

If I decide I don't want to use the Dazzly service can I keep the .co.nz domain I registered?

Yes you can keep the .co.nz domain you registered - it is yours. Get in touch with our friendly Support team and we can help move things along. We can arrange to generate a UDAI code for your domain which you can provide to your new provider. The process is very straight-forward with a little organisation and communication. If you're experiencing any issues with Dazzly, please don't hesitate to reach out to support@dazzly.co.nz or through our Feedback form.

We hope the above will guide you in choosing the perfect domain name for your small business in New Zealand. At Dazzly, we aim to be the best New Zealand website builder, we also want to be the most trusted domain name company. We're absolutely committed to making everything digital as easy as possible for small New Zealand businesses. We welcome you to call our friendly New Zealand support team on 09 886 3202 or email us at support@dazzly.co.nz and we can answer any questions you have.

Registering a Domain Name in New Zealand