The StyleSheet - For businesses that use the internet

Registering and Protecting Your Domain Name

Posted April 1, 2007 By Nick Weynand |

If you’re going to start a business these days, you have to register a domain name.  In fact, it’s the first thing many businesses do.  Even though the process of registering a Web address is simple, owning one can be a nightmare if you don’t take some precautions.  I’m going to show you how to register a domain name, provide some tips on getting a good one and make sure you know how to protect your domain name after you own it.

How to register a domain name

So you have your business idea all ready to go and now it’s time to go out and nab that domain name.  The first thing you’ll want to do is choose a registrar.  They all do the same thing (as long as they are credible – more on that later), so try to find one that offers a good price.  Typically, you can register a domain name for less than $10 per year.  Here are some recommended registrars:

• Network Solutions (http://www.networksolutions.com)
• Register.com (http://www.register.com)
• GoDaddy (http://www.godaddy.com)
• GKG (http://www.gkg.net)

Once you find a registrar, get ready for some disappointment.  Chances are, the domain name you want has already been taken.  I know it was a great idea, but someone else had it long before you.  If the domain name you want is taken, you’ll need to get creative.  After you find an available domain name that you like follow the registrar’s steps for registering it.  I always recommend registering it for as many years as you can afford.

Don’t just register a domain name – register a good one

You can probably find a domain name that is available by typing some random characters, but that doesn’t mean it’s a good one.  Make sure you put some thought into your domain name and:

Get the .com

Make sure you register the .com version because that’s what most users will type in by habit. Securing the .net or the .org won’t help you much.  Also, you’ll regret registering the .net version if you later discover that the .com version is a domain name for a repulsive site that you don’t want to be associated with (like so many sites on the Internet).

Make it easy

Remember that much of your traffic will come from people typing in your domain name, so make sure it’s easy to type.  I recommend finding something that is phonetic – if you tell someone your Web address they should not have to ask you how to spell it.  Also, avoid special characters like dashes and underscores.

Register common misspellings

If someone does typo your Web address, wouldn’t it be cool if they ended up on your site anyway?  While in the process, go ahead and register some common misspellings of your domain. For example, we have www.trademartmedia.com registered as well.  Go ahead, try it out.

Protecting your domain name

Once you own a domain name you’ll need to protect it.

Trademark it

If you truly want to own your domain name, ask your attorney about getting it trademarked.  It’s a fairly inexpensive process and can save you some headache down the road.  If you don’t want to bother your attorney, check the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (http://www.uspto.gov)

Register it in your name

This is very, very important.  If you have someone register your domain name for you, make sure they make you the contact on the record, not themselves.  I’ve seen some pretty hairy situations where someone thought they owned their domain name when in fact the person who had suddenly fallen off the face of the earth was the true owner.  Also, register the domain using an email address that works and if your email address changes make sure you update it with your registrar.  If you don’t follow this step, you won’t get notified when your domain comes up for renewal.

We’ve registered a ton of domains for our clients so if you’re one of them and want your domain transferred over to you, just let me know.

Use a credible registrar

All of the registrars that I suggested earlier are credible.  If you want to venture out and find your own, make sure the one you choose is credible as well.  When in doubt, check with ICANN (http://www.icann.org) to make sure you’re using an accredited registrar.

Use Transfer Lock

Most registrars will provide a feature they call "transfer lock." This will ensure that your domain can’t be transferred to another registrar without your permission. If your registrar offers this feature, make sure you use it.

Save your user name and password

If you ever want to make changes to your domain name (which you will) you’ll need the username and password you chose when you registered it.  Make sure you put this information in a safe place and never lose it.  It can be an ugly process if this vital information suddenly turns up missing.

Registering and protecting your domain name is very important in today’s world of online business.  Get these steps down and you’ll be a domain registering pro. 

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