Domain name registration is the act of reserving a name on the Internet for a certain period, which is normally a one-year period. The domain remains yours for as long as you renew it. Unfortunately, there is no way to purchase a domain name forever.
Domain name registration is crucial for any website, email, or other web services. However, you don’t have to register a new domain name every time since most companies allow you to use subdomains of their domain names for a website. You can also choose to have an email with their primary domain.
The most important thing about domain name registration is that it gives your website personality and a recognized identity. Once you register a domain name, the information about the owner is available to the public.
Domain name registration prices vary greatly with the most common .com being the most affordable. Some domain name extensions are country-specific and in today’s article, we will discuss domain registration in Zimbabwe and their prices.
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Domain registrations in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is an African country and .zw is the official domain extension or the internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) of Zimbabwe. The ccTLD was introduced in 1991 and was intended for entities that were connected or affiliated with Zimbabwe.
Benefits of registering a domain in Zimbabwe
a). .zw domain is the right choice for a company that is connected with Zimbabwe and wishes to highlight that connection.
b). .zw domain makes it possible for a company to engage in a fair business competition.
c). .ZW domain is very compatible with any local brand promotion campaign in Zimbabwe.
d). .ZW domain makes your target audience well-defined.
Types of Domain Registrations in Zimbabwe and Their Costs
– .co.zw
Domain Registration Price – Z$2,500
Best for
The term .co.zw is a second-level domain for Zimbabwe. .co domain names are renowned worldwide and recognized across many languages and continents as an alternative for the saturated .com extension. With an emphasis on .co for corporation, company, and commerce, .co.zw is used for Zimbabwean businesses only.
Whether you are a Zimbabwean local, a small business owner, a miner, or an agricultural worker, you can use the .co.zw domain extension. The .co.zw domain name will help you rank higher in local search results and in the hearts of the locals.
Personal blogs in zimbabwe can also use a .co.zw domain name.
– .ac.zw
Domain Registration Price ZWL$3000.00
Best for
The term .ac.zw (short for academia zimbabwe) is in use as a second-level domain for academic institutions such as universities, colleges, and research institutes. In Zimbabwe, for example, academic institutions use domain names ending in . ac.zw
– .org.zw
Domain Registration Price ZWL $3000
Best for
The . org.zw domain is a domain name extension for charities and non-profit organizations registered in Zimbabwe. Initially, it was necessary to produce documentation as proof of being a non-profit organization in order to register a . org.zw domain, but now the domain is available for anyone to purchase.
Others
.COM
Domain Registration PriceZWL $22000
Best for
The term .com stands for “commercial” and can be used for business or commercial websites belonging to companies that sell goods or services for a profit. Since .com is one of the most popular and trusted top-level domains (TLDs), almost 51.6% of websites use it.
.NET
Domain Registration Price ZWL $22000
Best for
The . net domain name extension stands for “network” and was originally used by umbrella websites acting as a portal for smaller sites. . net domains are suitable for companies with a global presence. You can use a . net extension for a business that provides services like the internet, website hosting, databases, or collaboration tools.
.ORG
Domain Registration Price ZWL $22000
Best for
The .org top-level domain stands for “organization” and is more specialized and typically used for nonprofit websites such as charities, NGOs, open-source projects, and educational platforms. This extension was one of the original domains established in 1985 and is perceived as a stronger and more credible extension than newer alternatives.
Although profit businesses are now legally allowed to purchase and use .org domains, public opinion is still very much set on its old ways. All businesses using a .org domain are inherently perceived as nonprofit organizations, and the failure to clearly disclose the for-profit nature of a company could result in serious problems.
.IO
Domain Registration Price ZWL $12,880
Best for
As defined by Wikipedia, .io is the Internet country code top-level domain (ccTLD) assigned to the British Indian Ocean Territory.
Developers associate “io” with input/output which describes any program, operation, or device that transfers data to or from a computer or any other device. People in various forums have also referred to this domain by using the expression “Internet organization” (io).
.io has become popular recently, especially among tech and SaaS startups. Some of the established companies using the .io domain include canon.io, blockbuster.io, and coke.io. Even Google surprisingly has a .io domain also which is google.io.
.BIZ
Domain Registration Price ZWL $12,880
Best for
. biz means business and they are used by millions of businesses in over 200 countries and territories (Zimbabwe included). . biz is the domain of choice for any determined business looking to establish its online presence and take advantage of greater opportunities out there.
.INFO
Domain Registration Price ZWL $12,880
Best for
As a generic top-level domain (TLD), anyone in the world can register a .info domain name and that means you can register it in Zimbabwe. It’s a great alternative to .org or .com and is designed for anyone who wants to provide information to their audience through the internet.
Factors Affecting Cost of Domain Registration in Zimbabwe
Competitors in the market
Domain registration in Zimbabwe faces competition from international domain registrars. Being in Zimbabwe does not mean you must get your domain name registered in the country.
Since everyone is always looking for the most affordable deal, most people may prepare to go for international domain registrars who have better pricing rather than getting a domain registered locally at a higher price.
Due to this, domain registrars in Zimbabwe have a hard time finding clients especially due to the cost of domain registration.
Type of the domain
The type of domain you buy influences its cost.
The price for .com, .net, .org, etc is different. There are so many options regarding the type of domain you want to buy.
Get to know more about domain name extensions before making a purchase.
Transferring Your Domain
Transferring your domain means, moving a domain name from one registrar to another. Domain transfer happens for better customer service from a host or even to lower the costs of maintaining a domain name.
A fee is involved when transferring a domain which is normally an added cost in the long run. However, you could save monthly or even annually on the cost of your action domain name and hosting going forward.
It is important to consider whether transferring your domain name is worth the additional fee before doing it.
Domain Name Renewal Price
Many domains are renewed yearly for the same amount of money paid the first time you got your domain name.
The amount is paid so that you can keep the usage rights of that domain name.
Your domain name registrar may tell you the price of your renewal upfront. Some dome name registrars may allow you to purchase renewals for more than one year.
This is a win-win scenario for both parties since as a buyer you get to lock in the price for multiple years and the registrar gets more money than a single-year renewal.
It is always important to know the renewal fee before you buy a domain. If a domain registrar is reputable, they will present you with fee information openly.
Tips for Registering a Domain in Zimbabwe
Choose a name that is easy to remember
Your domain name is the address people use to find your website and therefore you have to choose a name that is easy to remember and also relevant to your business.
Some of the things you need to consider when choosing a domain name include:
- The keywords you want to be associated with your website. This will help customers easily find you on search engines
- Choose a name that is simple in that customers won’t struggle to spell it or remember it.
- A unique website address will prevent your potential customers from ending up at someone else’s website by mistake.
- Be creative and at the same time simple.
- Check for any trademarks before registering a domain name.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers they might confuse customers.
Use a reliable domain registrar
Most Zimbabwean companies offer a range of services and features which makes selecting the best option for your specific needs easy. You have to first be sure of the type of domain you want.
Different domain registrars offer different types of domains, so before making a decision on a domain registrar make sure they offer what you need. Do some research on their customer service record by reading online reviews.
Compare the prices of your top choices before making your final decision. You also need to be careful of any hidden fees or additional costs associated with the registration and renewal dates.
Register the domain for at least a year
When registering a domain name, you are able to use it for the period of time you registered it. Most of the time, the period is normally between one to ten years.
Registering a domain for a year makes it possible for you to use the services your domain registrar is offering and by the end of the year decide if you want to continue using their services. After that one-year period, if you like the domain name and the services associated with it, you will have to renew the domain name before its expiry date.
However, registering a domain name for multiple years is a good way of protecting your brand and keeping your website running smoothly. You also get to save money in the future.
Conclusion
The cost of .co.zw, .org.zw, and .ac.zw ranges between ZWL $2000 to ZWL $3500 in most of the domain registrars in Zimbabwe. For .com, .org, .io, .net, .biz, and .info the price varies depending on the registrar with some starting from as low as ZWL $ 6500 to ZWL $ 22,000.
Although some domain registrars are way cheaper than others make sure you check other important factors when it comes to purchasing a domain. These factors may include domain privacy protection, registrar’s transfer policy, expiration policy, and subdomains.
Registering your domain in Zimbabwe is beneficial, especially regarding your site loading speed and support.
Some domain registrars offer support only during their working hours which might be inconvenient if the country where your domain registrar is has a different time as zimbabwe.
A domain registrar in Zimbabwe will be much more helpful since there is no time difference. A language barrier can also be a big issue if you do not understand your domain registrar support team’s language.
With a Zimbabwean domain registrar, you can express yourself in the language you understand best since they speak the same language as you.
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