Choosing the Right Domain Name Registrant for Your Blog or Site


Choosing the Right Domain Name Registrant for Your Blog or Site


Domain names identify you on the Internet for your customers and prospects. It's not a stretch to say that a good domain name is the first step towards a great website; Therefore you should take the time to brainstorm with a good name and make sure you choose the best. There are several reasons to have your own domain name and not to use a domain name that is part of a free service or blog, including:

� If you decide to change the web host (eg switch from GoDaddy to Bluehost), the domain name will stay with you. Regular customers and other visitors familiar with your name (e.g. www.example.com) need not be individually informed or bulk mail about web address changes (also known as URLs). As before, they will just type in your domain name and they can access your new site as if no hosting changes happened.
� As an online business, domain names give your company the presence and credibility. People tend to do business with or trust companies that do not have their own domain name.
� If your business domain name refers to your company's main activity, people will remember it easily and can visit your site without consulting their newspaper, business card or smartphone. With a good name that describes your product or service, you might attract people from Google search and just plain luck. Think of your domain name as another way to brand your online business.
� Good domain names are almost a prerequisite if you're looking for advertisers. They will give your website honor.
How to Find Great Domain Names.
� Do a domain search with your company's registrar/web hosting. You can also get ideas, brainstorm, and find available domain names by using a domain name generator.
� Choose a reliable company that will not harm your digital identity. The company should give you access to the widest possible options, including hundreds of niche-specific extensions (eg city, location, work, etc.) that will come online by hundreds of visitors.
� When choosing a registrar, look for simple domain settings that do not require technical expertise. It should also offer easy domain forwarding to existing websites, a number of good subdomains to customize your site and just an e-mail alias (eg @ example.com name).
� The ability to perform real-time monitoring to ensure your website is up and running is also desirable.

Privacy and Domain Protection

Domain privacy plans protect against identity theft, prevent domain-related spam, and prevent domain hijacking. The protection fee is usually the same as the domain name itself, but for ten to twenty dollars a year, a reputable registrar will offer a minimum:

� Protection is locked against exposure to personal information.
� Masking personal information in the Whois directory.
� Domain-related spam prevention
� Prevention of domain hijackers.
� Protect you from stalkers and harassers.
� Includes personal e-mail addresses that can be forwarded to you, filtered or blocked.
More business-friendly services (such as credit card protection, Certified Seal Protection, "deadbolt" domain conversion protection) are available.

Advanced Domain Name Service

The established registrar wants to make it as simple as possible for the customer's domain name. This may include some or all of the following services. Ask about them while investigating your domain options:

� Personal registration
� Geographic domain mapping tool that allows you to quickly locate and secure a specific set of domain name locations.
� International domain name: Register popular domain names in a number of different languages, and allow searches for both in English and native languages to work.
� Domain Backorders: Get a waiting list for a special name that is currently owned by another business, and is in a position to buy when it launches.
� Access to domain bulk and domain auction discounts.
Domain names, such as simple business aspects, can make a difference to your online presence. So, you should choose your domain names correctly.

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