DON’T BUY A DOMAIN BEFORE YOUR WEBSITE! HERE’S WHY.
Hello, amazing business owner!
I’m so glad you’re here because we want you to 🛑STOP🛑 and read this before you buy your domain.
If you’re wondering why we are taking this so seriously it’s because we want to save you money! That’s right, you can save $ when you buy your domain after purchasing your website subscription with Squarespace. 🙌
Many people think that the first step to starting their business is to purchase a domain name, which could make sense if you’re scared your new business name is going to get taken by someone else. However, the odds of someone else using your new business name as a domain while you're building your website are highly unlikely.
Unfortunately, many people go to GoDaddy for their domain because that’s probably the only domain host they have heard of. And then they find a web designer and tell them that they already have a domain. But I’m always a bit sad when I hear this from a new client because they didn’t know they could have saved money, time and hassle if they had waited to purchase the domain.
So we are SO happy you are here before purchasing your domain and website so you can avoid these pitfalls! Here are the three things you can save on when getting a domain with Squarespace after you have purchased your website subscription.
1. Save Money
This is arguably the most exciting part of using Squarespace domains!
When you purchase an annual Squarespace website plan you can also register your first domain for FREE for its first year!
This is included with all annual Squarespace website subscriptions. Here are the steps to getting your free domain.
In addition to the amazing deal of getting a free domain for one year, Squarespace Domains has no hidden fees. It also allows you to pay for your domain on an annual basis which will renew each year until you cancel it. Other domain hosts, like GoDaddy, may want you to pay for a set number of years, which could confuse you later when your subscription expires, and your domain stops working.
F.A.Q.
How much does a domain cost?
The price of domains vary but you can expect a typical Squarespace Domain to cost around $20 per year. We’d say that a good domain price is anything around $40 per year or less.
For more info on what a Squarespace website cost, check out this blog post!
2. Save Time
When you get your Squarespace domain after your website subscription you can also save on time! The quickest way to register, transfer or connect your domain with your Squarespace website will be with a Squarespace domain. This will allow you to easily integrate your domain with your existing website and manage them going forward all from within your one Squarespace account. Whereas, if you have a domain with a third party host, it can take longer and be more complicated to transfer or connect it to your Squarespace site.
3. Save the Headache
There are major bonuses when you get your domain from Squarespace after you get your website subscription. Overall, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your domain is hosted by a credible, safe and trusted registrar. Did you know that Squarespace acquired Google Domains in 2023? So now all domains that were registered with Google Domains are now under Squarespace Domains. This might seem like a boring, nerdy fact but to me it speaks to the credibility and legitimacy of Squarespace and their role as an industry leader.
As one of the largest domain registrars, Squarespace incorporates many safety measures to protect your domain.
WHOIS Privacy - Keeps your personal information safe and protect you from spam
SSL/TLS - Free and automatically updated SSL/TLS certificate to ensure a safe connection and prevent hackers.
Premium DNS - Powered by top services like Google Cloud DNS for a secure and reliable connection. Also includes end-to-end encryption to protect and authenticate your domain with DNS security extensions (DNSSEC). (See domains.squarespace.com for more info.)
Two-factor authentication for your account
Your Squarespace domain will also save you the headache that many other providers will cause! With a Squarespace domain, you get:
Free domain forwarding to direct your viewers to a desired landing experience
Free and easy email forwarding to create up to 100 email aliases or forwarding addresses
An easy connection to third-party email services
Ad-free, complimentary parking pages for your domain landing page before you publish your website
24/7 Customer Support from the support team and Squarespace Help Center
How to Get Your Free Domain
Okay onto the best part! Let’s get you that free domain!
Here’s the breakdown according to Squarespace, “All eligible Squarespace sites on an annual billing plan include one free custom domain for one year. This domain is free for the first year, starting from the date it's registered or transferred. This offer is valid within one year of signing up or switching to an eligible plan.” You can visit this Squarespace support page to make sure you are eligible for the offer.
Now, if you are working with a web designer, ask what their process is. An experienced Squarespace designer should know that you will get your domain free for the first year after you purchase your annual website subscription. Pro Tip: Try to work with a designer who is a Squarespace Circle Member so they can provide you a discount on your website subscription!
If you are making your website on your own, here are the simple steps to getting a free domain for one year!
Start a free website trial.
Click the blue Subscribe at the bottom of your window.
Select and purchase an annual* Squarespace website subscription
*IMPORTANT! You can only get the deal if you get an annual subscription, not a monthly subscription!
Now click the settings menu with the gear icon at the bottom left of your window.
Click Domains & Email and select Domains.
Click the Get a Domain button and complete the prompts.
The Review page will show your discount, confirming that the amount due today is $0.
If you need more information or help, check out these resources from Squarespace.
Congrats! 🥳
You just got a free domain for your first year AND you are saving yourself time and hassle in the future by using Squarespace Domains! We hope you found this information helpful. Feel free to email us if you have any questions or reach out to Squarespace.
Here are resource links from this article:
Blog: How Much Does a Squarespace Website Cost?
