Protecting your domain name – Domain.com | Blog https://www.domain.com/blog Mon, 21 Mar 2022 13:56:18 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.5.3 https://www.domain.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/favicon.png Protecting your domain name – Domain.com | Blog https://www.domain.com/blog 32 32 Transferring Domain Name Ownership: Everything You Need to Know https://www.domain.com/blog/transferring-domain-name-ownership-everything-you-need-to-know/ https://www.domain.com/blog/transferring-domain-name-ownership-everything-you-need-to-know/#respond Tue, 15 Mar 2022 09:00:00 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2661 Continue Reading]]> Transferring a domain name is a straightforward process. 

Sure, there are a few steps to the whole thing, but they aren’t complex or anxiety-inducing, especially not when you have a guide.  

In this post, we cover the A to Z of how to transfer a domain name. Keep reading, and you’ll learn the following information: 

  • What does it mean to transfer a domain name? 
  • Common reasons for transferring a domain name. 
  • How to transfer a domain name. 
  • Cost of transferring a domain name.  
  • Whether or not your website and email will go down during a domain transfer. 
  • And more! 

Use the table of contents below to jump to a particular section in this guide or start from the top for a comprehensive overview of transferring domain names.  

Domain Name Transfer FAQs 

Here’s everything you need to know about transferring domain names in one place.  

What does it mean to transfer a domain name? 

Transferring a domain name means moving a domain from the registrar where it is currently managed to a different registrar.  

Definition of registrar: A registrar is an accredited business that sells domain registration services to the public.
Definition of the word registrar.

Why transfer a domain name? 

You might want to transfer your domain name from one registrar to another for any number of reasons. Below, we’ve listed some of the most common reasons we hear from our domain registrants.  

  • Cost and value.  
    • Registrars determine their own pricing based on the products and services they sell. Some registrars, like Domain.com, offer free perks with your domain registration (like email forwarding, URL forwarding, and more).  
    • If you’re not happy with the pricing structure of your current registrar and the features they offer, it may be time to make a change.  
  • Domain management and user-friendliness.  
    • Managing your domain names shouldn’t be a hassle. Choose a registrar who prioritizes ease of use and offers all the features you need.  
    • Some registrars offer their own services and seamless integrations for things like email and hosting — while others offer clunky 3rd party integrations that may slow you down.  
  • Domain name is changing ownership.  
    • Did you sell a domain name? Or purchase one from someone else? That domain needs to be transferred to its new owner. 
  • Customer support.  

How long does it take to transfer a domain name? 

Transferring a domain name is a quick process. Once you’ve completed a few steps (like making sure the domain is unlocked, etc.), the rest of the process is taken care of by the registrars.  

You can complete your portion of the transfer process in one sitting (which we recommend for security reasons) It only takes an hour or two, max, and that’s being generous. Then, the registrars do their parts to complete your transfer which can take up to 5-7 business days.  

How to Transfer a Domain Name | Domain.com

What do I need to transfer a domain name? 

To facilitate a successful domain name transfer, ensure the following four criteria are met: 

  1. Domain(s) must be valid and registered with another registrar.  
  2. The domain(s) must have been registered for at least 60 days and in unlock status.  
  3. Admin contact and domain registrant information must be up-to-date.  
  4. You have your transfer authorization, or EPP code, from the registrar you’re moving away from.  

Does transferring a domain name affect my custom email address? 

Moving your domain name doesn’t mean you have to move your email hosting. 

Are you using a third party to host your email? If so, it shouldn’t be affected by transferring a domain name. Domain.com does not make changes to the name servers for your domain during the transfer process.  

If your custom email address is hosted with your domain provider, a transfer could affect you. To avoid that, make sure to transfer your email account’s MX records to your new registrar while transferring your domain. By doing this, you’ll ensure your email account is linked to your domain name. However, you’ll continue to manage your email with your original provider. 

Want to transfer to Domain.com and manage your email with us? Create a Google Workspace account with Domain.com and migrate your email to that account.  

Will my website go down during a domain name transfer? 

Nope!  

When you transfer a domain name from one registrar to another, that’s literally all you’re doing. You’re not moving your email or hosting. During the domain transfer process, your nameservers don’t change — they’ll stay pointed to the same pre-transfer nameservers.  

Now, it’s another story if you’re changing your hosting provider along with your domain registrar. If you decide to change your website host, follow these steps to avoid site downtime: 

  • Import your DNS records to your new hosting provider (it may be your new registrar.) 
  • Double-check to make sure the DNS information is correct.  
  • Change the nameservers at the originating registrar.  
    • You may have to wait for propagation; it could take 24-48 hours.  

Another scenario to consider is if you’re using the default nameservers of your current (pre-transfer) registrar. Many registrars offer access to free nameservers so long as your domain remains registered with them. If you decide to transfer your domain, you could lose access to those nameservers.  

If you’re unsure whether you’re using default nameservers, ask your registrar BEFORE you transfer your domain. We recommend keeping your domain pointed to your hosting provider’s nameservers.  

Will my website content transfer along with my domain name?  

No. Your website content will remain hosted wherever your site is hosted.  

Your domain will love it here.

Can I make changes to a domain while it’s being transferred? 

You cannot make any changes to a domain name when it’s actively in the transfer process.  

This means you’re unable to: 

  • Update nameservers. 
  • Change the WHOIS registration information.  
  • Renew the domain registration.  

If you must make one of those edits, you’ll need to contact the originating registrar with a request to cancel the transfer. Otherwise, you’ll need to wait the standard 5-7 business days for the process to finish so you can make your edits.  

Can I transfer an expired or expiring domain name?  

Domain names must be in good standing for transferral.  

Attempting to transfer a domain that is on hold, expired, or expiring within 10 days can sometimes cause unexpected complications. If your domain is in one of those statuses and you’re looking to transfer it, call our transfer team for assistance at 800-403-3568.  

How do I prepare my domain name for transfer?  

Ready to transfer your domain name? Verify that you’ve got the following ducks in a row with your current registrar and you will be.

  • Unlock your domain name.  
  • Disable your domain’s privacy settings.  
  • Ensure the admin contact information is updated and correct.  
  • Get your transfer authorization code, also known as an EPP code.  
    • Depending on your registrar, you may need to contact them directly for your code.  
  • Ensure your domain is at least 60 days old or opt-out of your domain lock. 
  • Make sure your domain isn’t tangled up in any legal disputes as that’s a quick way to get it locked at the registry level.  

What is the 60-day domain lock? 

As of December 1, 2016, domain registrars are required to impose a lock that prevents a domain name from transfer for 60 days post-change to a registrant’s information.  

The good news? Registrars can provide a way to opt out of the 60-day lock. Not all registrars offer that ability upfront, which can make life difficult when managing domain names.  

At Domain.com, we believe you should have total management of your domain name, so we provide the option to unlock your domain right from your account dashboard. Simply toggle your domain lock on or off, depending on your needs.

Screenshot of the Domain Lock enabled in a Domain.com account.
Domain Lock enabled in a Domain.com account

How much does it cost to transfer a domain name?  

ICANN, the non-profit organization that oversees domains, requires that domain names be renewed for an additional year when transferred.  

At Domain.com, you can transfer your domain name for as low as $9.99. We don’t charge additional fees for domain name transfers, though the same can’t necessarily be said for all domain registrars.  

Transferring domain names to Domain.com 

Looking to transfer your domain name to Domain.com? Thanks for your consideration! Here’s what you need to know.  

Why should I transfer my domain name to Domain.com? 

Domain names are our bread and butter, and we’ve been a leader in the industry since 2000.  

However, it isn’t our age that makes us a great fit for your domains; it’s the fact that we’re designed to make managing your domains a breeze. Here’s how we do it… 

Straightforward domain management. 

Your domain dashboard lets you quickly and easily manage your domain names. That means no hunting around for hidden tools — toggle the most important features on or off as you need them.  

Screenshot of a Domain.com account summary dashboard that shows common domain management actions.
Screenshot of an account summary dashboard.

Once logged in, you can manage additional domain features (like pointers and subdomains) from the menu immediately to the left of your summary dashboard.  

Plentiful hosting options. 

We’re here to make your life easier when it comes to domains and to help you create and build your online presence.  

We don’t just offer over 300 TLDs for registration; we offer various website hosting and builder services, email, and more! 

Automatic domain name renewal.  

Your claim to your domain name has an expiration date.  

When your domain registration period runs out, so does your ownership of that domain name. You can leave yourself a reminder on your calendar to manually renew it, or you can use Domain.com’s Auto Renewal feature so that it’s one less thing to worry about.  

Cost-conscious pricing.  

We offer some of the most competitive pricing available in the domain name industry. Don’t believe us? Check it out for yourself. We’re not in the business of hiding our pricing and making it difficult to find.  

24/7 customer support.  

Sometimes, we all need a little help. Our teams are there for you 24/7.  

You can reach our teams by phone or live chat, and you have a comprehensive Knowledge Base chock-full of FAQs and step-by-step guidance at your disposal.  

How to transfer your domain from GoDaddy to Domain.com. 

Ready to make the move to Domain.com from GoDaddy? Here are the steps you’ll take to transfer your domain name to Domain.com.  

  1. Log into your GoDaddy Account Manager.  
  2. In the “My Products” section, find and click “Domain Manager.” 
  3. Use the checkbox(es) to select the domain name(s) you want to modify.  
  4. Above the list of your domain names, select “Locking.” 
  5. To unlock the domain(s), clear the lock domains checkbox.  
  6. Select “OK.” 
  7. Click “OK” again. 

To retrieve your transfer authorization code from GoDaddy, follow these steps:

  1. Log into your GoDaddy Account Manager.  
  2. In the “My Products” section, click “Domain Manager.” 
  3. Select the domain name whose authorization code you want.  
  4. In the “Authorization Code” field, click the “Send by Email” hyperlink. 
  5. Select “OK.” 
  6. Click “OK” again. 

After submitting your transfer request to Domain.com, we’ll then send you an email confirming your transfer. Make sure to confirm your transfer via that email. Within it, we provide a link to your account so you can log in and enter your transfer authorization code.  

And that’s it! 

Transfer your domain name and build your online presence  

Transferring a domain name shouldn’t be a complicated process. At Domain.com, our goal is to make your domain name transfer as painless and intuitive as possible.  

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to our teams, leave a comment down below, or check out this Knowledge Base article to learn more about transferring a domain name to your account.

Transfer your domain name today.

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Why You Should Renew Your Domain Name https://www.domain.com/blog/renew-domain-name/ https://www.domain.com/blog/renew-domain-name/#respond Thu, 06 Aug 2020 09:00:00 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=3757 Continue Reading]]> Losing a domain name is more than a slight inconvenience — it’s a big blow to your brand, your business, and your customer relationships.   

If you’re new to domains, you might not realize that they can expire, and that’s because domains aren’t a “one and done” type of purchase. When you register a domain name you’re in effect leasing it for a set amount of time, usually anywhere from 1 to 10 years.  

In this post, we’re discussing the importance of domain names, the lifecycle of domain names, what happens when a domain name expires, and domain name renewal.

Why should you renew your domain name?

The importance of a domain name

Domain names are more important than you might at first realize. They’re a big part of your online identity and represent your business.

A good domain name offers your business credibility and sets it apart from spammy websites. It inspires trust in your customers, gives your SEO efforts a boost, and gives you a central point to grow and market your digital business.

The perils of losing your domain name

When you lose your domain name, you lose an integral part of your brand. Your domain is a pivotal touchpoint that people have with your brand — in essence, it’s the address they need to arrive on your digital doorstep.

If you don’t renew your domain name and it expires, it’s available for purchase by just about anyone, including your competitors. Could you imagine a competitor snatching up your domain name and redirecting it to their main site? They wouldn’t even have to create a redirect to hurt your business, all they’d have to do is hold on to the domain name so that you can’t use it anymore.

Expired domain names are a hot commodity. Once a domain name has been registered and used, it can offer a history of established website traffic and backlinks, making them valuable to a great many people.

It’s not just competitors you have to worry about when your domain name expires. An expired domain name can impact your SEO, or search engine optimization. If your site goes down because your domain expired, it looks pretty bad to search engines, and there’s a good chance your site will lose its ranking in search engine results.

And then there’s the brand-building aspect that you have to worry about. When a domain name expires, you risk losing it altogether to another buyer. That means all the hard work you’ve put into marketing, establishing your site, and creating consumer trust is gone. GONE. It’ll set you back to the beginning of your digital journey and you’ll need to build those things all over again.

Real-life examples of expired domain names

Have you heard of Foursquare? When they were just a startup, they forgot to renew their domain name. For a business that was valued at nearly $80 million dollars at the time, that was a giant mistake and left them open to a lot of ridicule.

An expired domain name can also hit you where it hurts the most — right in your wallet. In 2017, Sorenson communications forgot to renew their domain name. However, they’re a provider of services for many Americans with disabilities and their domain expiration gaff was deemed “a preventable service outage.” In the end, they had to pay $2.7 million dollars on top of an additional $252 thousand dollar penalty. Ouch.

The lifecycle of a domain name

Domain name lifecycles can be broken down into four pieces: Active, Expired, Redemption Grace Period, and Pending Deletion.

  • Active
    • When your domain is active, you can change its settings and modify contact information. Having an active domain name is essential to keeping your website online and your professional email working.
    • A domain becomes active once it’s been registered, those registration periods lasting anywhere from 1 to 10 years.
  • Expired
    • A domain officially becomes expired one day after its expiration date. Your website and any email addresses associated with your domain name won’t function. Instead, your website will display a “parked” page.
    • Note: Others can bid on and attempt to purchase the domain name as soon as it expires; however, your claim to the domain takes priority over 3rd party bids if you renew your domain within 30 days of its expiration.
  • Redemption Grace Period
    • After about 45 days of being in an expired state, the domain name will enter a redemption grace period. Some TLDs may enter redemption status the day after they expire.
    • Note: If your domain is in a redemption period you can still retrieve it. Most registrars will charge a redemption fee in addition to your normal domain renewal rate. You can contact us if your domain was registered through Domain.com and you need to redeem it during the redemption period.
  • Pending Delete
    • Once a domain enters the pending delete stage it can no longer be retrieved. It will remain in this status for about 5 days and then be released back into the public for new registration. If this happens, you can try to purchase the domain name again, assuming someone else doesn’t, and not have to pay any redemption fees, only the regular registration fee.

Domain name renewals

If you’re a Domain.com customer, we make renewing your domain easy. Instead of having to set a yearly calendar reminder or a bunch of reminders depending on how many domains you own, we give you the option of automatically renewing your domain name.

You can find the auto-renewal option in your account once you’re logged in. All you have to do is click “Domains” at the top left of the page, then select “Manage” under the domain name you’d like to set to auto-renew. You should then see the selection for auto-renew, and a quick switch of the toggle is all it takes as you see below.

Domain name renewal tips

Here are some tips we’ve put together to try and help make life a little easier when managing your domains.

  • Keep your renewal reminder notices turned on. If you turn them off and don’t have auto-renew set up, it could be a recipe for disaster. We’ll send an email 30 days before your domain is set to expire and again within 5 days of the day it expires.
  • Set your domains to automatically renew. This way, you won’t have to worry about missing an email reminder in a potentially over-crowded inbox.
  • Update any outdated billing information. If you lose your credit or debit card, or if it expires naturally, you don’t want to find yourself in a bind. Instead of risking the loss of your domain name, go through your statements to see what charges are there and update those services with your new card information.
  • Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate! It’s not easy keeping track of multiple domain names with different expiration dates across different registrars. We recommend keeping your domains with one registrar where you can see them all in one place.
  • Is your email address up to date? If it’s not, you’ll never receive any domain expiration reminder emails. If the domain is your own, make sure your email address isn’t associated with a school or business you no longer attend or work for.

Protect your business, your brand, and your site with domain auto- renew

Purchasing a domain name is your first investment in your website and online business. Keep the momentum going by setting it to auto-renew so that you don’t lose your domain name and tarnish your brand.

No domain name? Grab yours today at Domain.com!

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What is WHOIS and How Is It Used? https://www.domain.com/blog/what-is-whois-and-how-is-it-used/ https://www.domain.com/blog/what-is-whois-and-how-is-it-used/#respond Fri, 17 Jul 2020 09:00:00 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=3727 Continue Reading]]> Every domain name that’s been registered belongs to someone, and by default, that registration information is public. 

WHOIS is a way of storing that information and making it available for the public to search. 

In this post, we’ll dive into the WHOIS public database to understand what kind of information is stored there, why it’s available, and how you can use it. We’ll also discuss options at your disposal for keeping your personal information private in the WHOIS database. 

What is WHOIS?

WHOIS is a public database that houses the information collected when someone registers a domain name or updates their DNS settings.

ICANN, the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, regulates the WHOIS database. They’ve done so since 1982, back in the wild and wooly days of the early Internet. They describe the WHOIS service as a “ …free, publicly available directory containing the contact and technical information of registered domain name registrants.”

The registration data that’s stored in the WHOIS database is actually held in different locations, all managed by different registries and registrars. A registry owns and manages domain extensions, like Verisign who owns .com and .net, but they don’t sell them. Instead, their domains are sold and registered through different registrars, like Domain.com

Why was the WHOIS database created?

Initially, the database was created as a directory. It listed “the contact information … of anyone transmitting data across the ARPANET,” a building block of the Internet as we know it today. 

Think about it: The Internet we’re familiar with today is absolutely massive. Odds are, you can find just about anything on the Internet. But how often have you stopped to think about where the information is coming from and who’s behind it? With the rise and prominence of fake news, it’s more important now than ever before to know the source of your information. 

WHOIS helps to democratize the Internet. Anyone, from businesses and corporations to law enforcement and individual users, can access and use the WHOIS database to find out who is behind a domain name and any associated website. 

Beyond that, many people find the WHOIS database a great tool for business opportunities. If you’re looking to take your business online or start a website you’re going to need a domain name. However, as you get started, you might find that the domain name you want is already registered by someone else. You can use the WHOIS database to get their contact information and reach out to try and broker and deal for the domain name you want. 

What kind of information is stored in the WHOIS database?

When a domain name is registered the registrant has to supply their information and it needs to be accurate. If you supply false information when registering your domain name you run the risk of losing your domain. ICANN writes, “If the domain name registrant knowingly provides inaccurate information, fails to update information within seven days of any change, or does not respond within 15 days to an inquiry about accuracy, the domain name may be suspended or cancelled.”

The information collected during the domain registration process includes your:

  • Name. 
  • Address. 
  • Phone Number. 
  • Email Address. 

That’s pretty sensitive information to have at anyone’s fingertips, especially the Internet-at-large. If you’d rather not have all of your personal information easily searchable by anyone with an internet connection, you do have options. 

Most every domain name registrar offers some form of domain privacy, which is just as it sounds. Domain privacy allows you to supplant the registrar’s information for your own, so instead of having your contact information displayed in WHOIS Lookup results, your registrar’s will show. If someone needs to contact you about your domain name your registrar acts as the “middle man” — they’ll direct any inquiries to you for you to view and act upon. 

At Domain.com, we’ve taken domain privacy to the next level. We offer Domain Privacy + Protection, a tool that keeps your information out of the WHOIS database and provides malware scans and blacklist prevention, the latter powered by SiteLock. 

In addition to your information (or your registrar’s if you’re using domain privacy), WHOIS Lookup results display information about your registrar, administrative contacts, and technical contacts. This information is incredibly useful to have on hand if you run into any technical issues with your domain or site. 

WHOIS Lookup limitations

While the WHOIS database stores a massive amount of information about registered domain names, it doesn’t display all of the registration information for every domain name. Certain TLDs, like .com and .net, will always have their registration information in the WHOIS database. Other TLDs, like .me or .gov, display less information. And then there are some domain extensions, like .asia or .coop, that don’t allow for domain privacy, so the registrant information will always be searchable and viewable. 

ICANN is always working to improve the WHOIS system and has acknowledged that “The evolution of the Internet ecosystem has created challenges for WHOIS in every area.” 

Rest assured that as improvements are made, Domain.com will continue to strive in providing the most accurate information while ensuring you have the tools you need to maintain your domain privacy and protection. 

Ready to perform a WHOIS Lookup?

Get started researching domain names today at Domain.com

If you have any questions about understanding your WHOIS Lookup results, or any other questions about WHOIS in general, let us know in the comments below. Happy searching!

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Secure and Protect Your Domain, Website, and Personal Information https://www.domain.com/blog/secure-and-protect-your-domain-website-and-personal-information/ https://www.domain.com/blog/secure-and-protect-your-domain-website-and-personal-information/#respond Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:15:14 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=3226 Continue Reading]]> Do you want everyone with access to the Internet being privy to your personal information?

No?

We didn’t think so.

Read on to find out how people can get your information and what you can do to stop it.

Domain Privacy + Protection: How to keep your personal information private

If you’re looking to purchase a domain name, or if you’ve already purchased one, you’ve surely seen mentions of “Domain Privacy.” But what does it mean? How is Domain Privacy + Protection any different? Let’s explore that.

Whenever a domain name is purchased, the person or company registering it is required to use their legal, accurate personal information. ICANN, the international governing body for domain names, requires every domain registrar, like Domain.com, to maintain a publicly viewable “WHOIS” database. This database displays the personal contact information for every registered domain, which includes phone numbers and email address.

It’s important to know who’s behind the websites you visit and trust the most, and where you get your information from, so there is a reason for having that information be available. However, there are a lot of bad actors out there who take advantage of the public WHOIS database and they scrape the base for numbers and email addresses.

Has your phone number ever made it onto a telemarketing list before? If not, take it from the rest of us, it’s not pleasant. How about your email address — do you like spam?

Ready for some good news?

You can maintain the privacy of your information

When you purchase Domain Privacy + Protection you’re making the decision to keep your details out of the WHOIS database and instead, provide the database our information. We have the teams and resources to deal with any spam volume that amounts from having our information on the database; this way, your precious time and information remains yours alone.

Domain Privacy + Protection can save you a lot of headaches, just take Shiloh’s word for it.

Go beyond maintaining privacy with protection

Every domain registrar, like Domain.com, offers some kind of privacy product for your domain names. However, we thought we’d take it a step further and provide protection for your domain, too.

In addition to keeping your information private, you also have to worry about the threat of hackers and human error to your domain and website. Domain Privacy + Protection helps to keep you safe from both of those things. Our protection services are powered by SiteLock and provide malware scans and blacklist prevention to maintain your online reputation. When domains get blacklisted, their site traffic and marketing will suffer. Stay confident that your domain name has a good reputation by using Domain Privacy + Protection. We’ll alert you if anything should happen so you’re able to take quick, corrective action.

You’ll still own your domain name

One question we frequently hear is, “Do I still own my domain name if my information isn’t shown in WHOIS?”

Yes! You do. You still maintain full control and ownership over your domain name. Domain Protection + Privacy helps to prevent identity theft, unwanted spam, and the sale of your personal information to make owning your domain name a little easier and worry-free.

How can I get Domain Privacy + Protection?

Although you can add Domain Privacy + Protection before or after registering a domain name, we recommend doing it before. This way, your personal information is never made public in the WHOIS database. If you wait to purchase Domain Privacy + Protection, your information could be made public for a while and there’s no telling who will have seen it. It may take some time for all the WHOIS websites to clear their data caches and remove your information from public view if you choose to purchase it after your domain name.

Ready to purchase your domain name and take your idea to the next level? You can do that right here. And let us know if you have any questions, we’re here to help.

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Why You Can’t Register a Domain Name With a Fake Name or an Alias https://www.domain.com/blog/dont-register-with-a-fake-name/ Tue, 26 Feb 2019 09:00:05 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2844 Continue Reading]]> You have secrets. That’s alright – we all have secrets.

Using an alias for certain websites and chat rooms is generally accepted, but does that mean you can use an alias to register a domain name? The internet is perfect for keeping yourself hidden, but keeping your real name hidden during the registration process, isn’t a smart idea.

We’re not trying to be “Debbie Downers,” or bring unwanted attention to your private life, but there are a few reasons why it’s necessary to register your domain using your accurate, legal information.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

Help the right internet servers find your website  

When you purchase a domain name, you’re purchasing it through a domain name registrar, like Domain.com, which is accredited by ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.

As their website states, “To reach another person on the Internet you have to type an address into your computer … That address must be unique so computers know where to find each other. ICANN coordinates these unique identifiers across the world. Without that coordination, we wouldn’t have one global Internet.”

ICANN is also “committed to implementing measures to maintain timely, unrestricted and public access to accurate and complete WHOIS information, subject to applicable laws.” Unlike ICANN, WHOIS is not an acronym, it’s a query protocol that searches independent registries and registrar databases to determine who owns a specific domain.

When you register a domain name, your personal information is made visible to all WHOIS queries unless you choose to use domain privacy. You, the registrant, are responsible for giving accurate and reliable contact details, and maintaining the accuracy of that information.

What happens if you’re forgetful? It’s a good thing we’ve got you covered. We’ll email you a reminder each year asking you to verify the accuracy of your information. Keeping your information current is an obligation, and part of every registrar’s Terms of Service agreement.

What happens if you give the wrong information anyways?

You may live life on the wild side, eschewing rules and regulations, but in this case, the stakes are too high. WHOIS states, “If you give wrong information on purpose, or don’t update your information promptly if there is a change, your domain name registration may be suspended or even cancelled.”

Could you imagine how terrible it would be to find your domain name gone? Your domain name is the address that leads people to your website, so without the right information,  you lose both traffic and revenue.

Help your customers find your business online

Once you lose your domain name it becomes available for others to purchase, and there’s no guarantee that you can ever get it back.

Let’s set the stage for a sinister scenario: You’re relaxing on the sofa watching a movie, resting after a busy day of work. You spent the day optimizing your website to show up higher on the search engine results page. This should bring more traffic to your website, and in turn, more revenue. During a commercial break you realize you forgot one little task, so you log in to manage your site. But something is amiss. Your precious domain name – that you matched perfectly to your business name — is gone. Your customers knew your domain name. They trusted it. What now?

If someone decides to run a WHOIS query on your domain name and finds that you’re using fake information, they can report you. Who could have done such a thing? Anyone. Once you’ve been reported you have a short window of time to update your information, or you can lose your domain name.

Maintain your privacy and still keep your domain name secure

Don’t lose your domain name because of an alias. Instead, you can have the best of both worlds, privacy and security, using domain privacy. With domain privacy you never have to worry about coworkers discovering you’re the genius behind a Backstreet Boys Adult Fan Club website. You can rest easy knowing you’re also secure against any inaccuracy complaints that could cost you your domain name. So register your domain name today using accurate information – your secrets are safe with us.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

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What is ICANN? https://www.domain.com/blog/what-is-icann/ Tue, 22 Jan 2019 09:00:23 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2779 Continue Reading]]> You might not have heard the acronym ICANN, but it’s imperative to keeping the Internet running as we know it.

In this post, we’re going to talk about everything you need to know about ICANN, and the vital role it plays within the worldwide web.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

What is ICANN?

ICANN, which stands for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is a non-profit organization that was established in the United States in 1998 to help maintain the security of the Internet, and allow it to be usable by all. Anytime you register a domain on the Internet, you go through a domain name registrar, who pays a small fee to ICANN to register your domain as part of the domain registration process.

While ICANN doesn’t control what content goes on the Internet, meaning it cannot regulate Internet access or help to stop spam from occurring, it does help keep the web safe by developing and enforcing policy on the Internet’s unique identifiers. These unique identifiers are the name and number that you type into the address bar when conducting a search for a given site. The address for that site has to be unique so computers know where to find each other.

By helping to coordinate these unique identifiers all over the world, ICANN allows us to have a global Internet. In doing so, ICANN also helps promote competition on the web and plays a vital role in the expansion and evolution of the Internet.

How is ICANN related to the Domain Name System?

There is a system that exists to make the Internet accessible to human beings. This system, called the Domain Name System, or DNS, makes it easier for us to remember a web address, or IP address.

An IP address is a complex series of numbers that each correlate to a different device, however, it would be quite difficult for a human to remember these long lists of numbers. The DNS steps in to convert these numbers to a series of letters instead. The IP address links this series of letters to the precise series of numbers.

When this conversion is done, you can find a given website with its name, rather than a seemingly random series of numbers. The computers still communicate with each other and know the address by these numbers, but for humans, we just need to remember to Domain.com, for example.

The DNS, therefore makes it much easier for people to use the Internet. It also prevents a domain from being tied to one specific computer, since it is easy to change a particular domain and IP address. When a change occurs,, it takes the entire Internet less than 48 hours to recognize the change because the ultra-flexible DNS infrastructure is constantly updating.

A domain is comprised of two elements, including what comes before and after the dot. What comes to the right of the dot, such as a “com,” “org,” or “net,” is what is known as a top-level domain, or TLD. For each particular TLD, there is one company, or registry, that is in charge of all domains that end with that specific TLD. This registry has access to the full list of domains that are directly under that name, in addition to any IP address with which those names are associated.

The part before the dot is likely the name of your company, or organization, and is the domain name that you register. This domain is used for your website, email, and more.

The DNS, therefore, makes it possible for people to find particular websites on the Internet, through the information provided during the domain name registration process. Email and many other online uses are also based upon this system.

Now you might be wondering where ICANN comes in…

Domains are sold by registrars. There is no single registrar that rules over all domains, but rather a vast network. These registrars can charge whatever they want for a domain, but each registrar has to pay a set per-domain fee to the appropriate registry in which the domain is being registered.

ICANN has contracts with each of these registries and runs an accreditation system for registrars. This system of checks and balances provides the stable domain name environment, which gives us an open Internet.

What is ICANN’s role in IP addresses?

The relationship between ICANN and IP addresses is similar to that of the domain names used by humans. Just as you cannot have two domains of the same name, there also cannot be identical IP addresses.

ICANN does not run this system, but serves in an administrative role. It helps coordinate how IP addresses are handed out so no repetitions occur. ICANN also serves as the central repository for IP addresses. In this repository, ranges are supplied to regional registries, who then distribute them to network providers.

What does ICANN have to do with root servers?

There are thirteen root servers in all, meaning, more technically, that there are thirteen IP addresses where root servers can be found. These servers that have one of the thirteen IP addresses can be located in dozens of different physical areas of the web. However, all of these servers store a copy of the same file that acts as the main index of the Internet’s address books. Each top-level domain has an address listed where you can find that registry’s address book.

Root servers are not consulted very frequently, since once it is known by computers on the network, the address of a top-level domain is retained. They only check back in occasionally to make sure that the address has not changed. However, root servers are still an important piece of the Internet and help to keep it functioning smoothly.

The operators of the root servers are able to remain largely autonomous. However, they still need to work with each other and make sure the system stays up-to-date with ICANN and the changing Internet.

What is ICANN’s primary purpose?

The main role of ICANN is to make the Internet run smoothly all over the world. This is more commonly known as “universal resolvability.” This term means that you get the same results when you access the network, no matter where you are in the world. This gives us one Internet, rather than an experience that works differently depending on your location.

How is ICANN structured?

ICANN as a whole is actually made up of several different groups, which each represent a different section of the Internet. Each group contributes to any final decisions made by ICANN. These supporting organizations of ICANN represent IP addresses, domain names, and country code top-level domains.

There are also four advisory committee teams that offer ICANN advice. These advisory committee groups represent government bodies and international treaty organizations, root server operators, Internet privacy and security, and the at-large community (referring to the average Internet user).

Finally, there is a technical liaison group that works with organizations to provide basic protocols for Internet technologies.  

All ICANN final decisions are made by its Board of Directors. The Board has 21 total members, 15 of whom have voting rights, while the remaining six are non-voting liaisons. Eight of the voting members are chosen by an independent nominating committee, while the rest are nominated by supporting organizations.

ICANN also has a President and CEO, who direct the ICANN staff and its work. This staff is located all over the world in different countries and coordinates their efforts with supporting organizations and advisory committees.

What is the ICANN decision-making process?

Since ICANN has a pretty important job to do, you may be curious about how they go about making changes to the Internet.

The supporting organizations suggest changes to the current network, or bring up any concerns that they or an advisory committee identifies. These changes are discussed, and eventually, a report is created and released for public review. When the suggested changes impact another group within the ICANN system, that group is given the opportunity to review the suggested changes and offer opinions on the matter. This group’s views are then released to the public, as well.

Each of these reviews is put into a single report that is put before the ICANN Board of Directors, including a list of recommendations based on the feedback. The Board then goes over the list, and either approves or denies the changes. The Board can approve all changes, or approve some and deny others, or even perhaps deny the entire proposal. Often, the issue is sent back to one of the supporting organizations involved, with an explanation of what needs to be amended before the matter can be approved.

The process repeats until every group involved, and the Board of Directors, can agree to a compromise or a final decision on the report is made.

Who holds ICANN accountable?

There are both external and internal accountabilities for ICANN.

As far as external accountabilities are concerned, ICANN as an organization is incorporated under the law of the State of California. ICANN, therefore, must abide by United States’ law and can be taken to court by the U.S. judicial system. As a public non-profit organization, ICANN and its directors are also held legally responsible for upholding their duties under corporate law.

ICANN also holds itself accountable through its bylaws, the global Board presence, an independent nominating advisory committee (which selects some Board members), senior staff who are annually elected by the Board, and dispute resolution procedures, including a Board reconsideration committee, an independent review panel, and an ombudsman.

Keeping the Internet open

ICANN serves a primary role in the efforts to keep the Internet open for all. It does this through its model of multi-stakeholder control, although some have expressed concerns about ICANN operating as an independent body, fearing that no single business, government, or individual should be in control of the Internet.

It should be stated once more that ICANN’s role is not to regulate content that appears online, however, there are concerns about the content that may emerge when the DNS is controlled by international governments. There are additional concerns over how ICANN handles controversial content, and other matters, since domain-level takedowns could be viewed as violations of freedom of speech and/or freedom of the press.

The processes ICANN has incorporated serve to ensure that the Internet remains open to all users, all over the world, on one connected network.

ICANN helps to keep your website online

As you can see, ICANN plays a pivotal role in maintaining the Internet as we know it and continues to mold and evolve the Internet of tomorrow. Anytime you register a domain, ICANN gets a small piece of the fee, and oversees your domain to help maintain the security of the web.

It all starts with the right domain. Get yours today at Domain.com.

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How to Find a Domain Name Owner https://www.domain.com/blog/find-a-domain-name-owner/ Tue, 13 Nov 2018 09:00:58 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2620 Continue Reading]]> Are you trying to learn how to find a domain name owner, but don’t know where to start? If you want to find the owner of a domain name, it’s essential to first understand the meaning of a domain name.

It’s helpful to think of the relationship between a domain name and a website in the same way you think of your home address. When you look up a website, you enter the domain name (the address) so that you can be delivered to a specific website. In order to find a single website, you need an exact domain name.

Domain.com has over 300 domain extensions to choose from to help set your website apart from the rest. It all starts with a great domain.  

TLDs

Every web address on the internet concludes with a string of letters called domain name extensions or TLDs. TLD is an abbreviation that stands for Top Level Domain. There are hundreds of TLDs in existence, and more are added regularly. The most famous, and the one used for the vast majority of websites, is .com.

It’s possible for virtually anyone to sign up for a .com TLD if the domain name is available, but other extensions are more restricted. For example, if you want to sign up for .museum, which designates museums, museum organizations, and individuals within the museum profession, you must be able to furnish proof that you’re a museum or an affiliate.

When you’re looking for a domain name owner, it’s vital to know which TLD is associated with the web address. Running a search with a .net TLD instead of .com can potentially direct you to an entirely different website.

Who is the domain owner?

Domain names are owned by whoever first registered the web address with an accredited registrar, such as Domain.com. In order for that person to maintain ownership, they have to pay registration fees and ensure that all of their contact details are up to date.

Once a person has legally registered for a domain name, and has given all of the relevant personal information to an accredited registrar, that individual owns the rights to that web address. They are in sole possession of that web address and have the right to sell it at any time. The owner can transfer domain name ownership to a new user if they care to do so.

Length of domain ownership

Typically, the standard domain ownership period is two years. However, depending on extensions, it’s possible to register a domain name for up to 10 years. Renewal is also an option for people who don’t want to commit to a multi-year deal.

Domain owners pay an annual fee, which varies based on the TLD they’ve chosen. Since the year 2000, Domain.com has offered some of the most affordable TLD registration and renewal fees available.

Why look up a domain owner?

There are many reasons someone would want to look up a domain owner. Often, it’s because the owner can furnish information about the domain and website that no one else can. It’s also common for domain owners to search themselves in order to confirm that their website is being accurately represented online.

Other reasons to look up a domain owner:

  • Make a purchase: Most often, a person looking up the owner of a domain is interested in purchasing that domain name. There are hundreds of millions that are registered, and for many individuals and business, their ideal domain has already been claimed by someone else. Sometimes, the process of purchasing a pre-existing domain is as simple as making contact with the domain owner and striking a deal. Often, it’s much more complicated, but it all depends on the domain name owner, any plans they may have for the website, and their willingness to negotiate.
  • Ask about products or services: Sometimes, a website might not provide all of the necessary information related to its products or services. In cases like these, the domain owner may be able to fill in the gaps or answer questions that might not be answered on the website.
  • Verify authenticity: Before conducting business through a website, it’s important to make sure that the website is exactly what it claims to be. The internet is a hotbed of misinformation, and it’s surprisingly easy for websites to misrepresent themselves, either intentionally or otherwise.Researching the domain owner can help verify that a website is legitimate, which can offer peace of mind to parties seeking to engage in financial transactions. Similarly, confirming the legitimacy of a website can make it easier to trust whatever information may be offered.
  • Report a technical problem: If a website is malfunctioning and there are no obvious ways to report the problem, it can help to contact the owner directly. The owner is invested in the website’s upkeep, and will often be grateful to have been alerted of an issue.
  • Confirm your own information: If you own a domain, it’s important to verify that your website’s information is being accurately represented in searches. There are hundreds of millions of registered domains, and information errors are virtually guaranteed. If you plan to sell your domain at some point, ensuring that your personal data is up to date can help potential buyers get in touch with you.

Finding a domain name owner

If you know a website’s domain name, there are a few ways to discover the identity of the owner. In most cases, the easiest way to find a domain name owner is by searching WHOIS databases. If a WHOIS search fails, there are several other strategies for identifying a domain name owner.

WHOIS databases

These are free, publicly available search tools that contain almost every single website and domain name. WHOIS services work in conjunction with registrars like Domain.com, collecting all of the information related to the purchase, sale, and transfer of domain names.

WHOIS services and ICANN

There are various WHOIS databases and all of them are coordinated through Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). ICANN is a nonprofit that ensures the maintenance and security of domain names, websites, and other internet namespaces. Since 1998, they’ve coordinated a central registry that contains all recorded domains.

How WHOIS works

WHOIS was constructed to be as simple as possible. The Internet contains an overwhelming amount of information and ICANN has remained committed to ensuring that domain ownership remains transparent.

When you run a search on a WHOIS database, the website taps into ICANN’s central registry and pulls all of the information, present and historical, related to the domain that you’ve searched. You should be able to easily find essential information about the owner, such as their name, contact information, any past ownership, and the domain’s expiration date. Some WHOIS databases will go even further and furnish website statistics such as traffic and performance as well as other domains that a given owner might possess.

WHOIS limitations

While ICANN and WHOIS attempt to be as comprehensive as possible, it’s possible, even legal, to mask some of the most essential ownership information. The most common method used by domain owners is a tactic called proxy registration. In these cases, owners have paid or struck deals with companies or organizations to act as the registrants on record. When you search for a domain that has been masked by a proxy registrant, the information reported will provide no helpful clues as to who the real owner is.

However, if you are determined to find the real owner of a website and have discovered a proxy registrant, there are research techniques you can use to acquire the information. After you’ve pulled up the domain on WHOIS, check the ownership history.

Sometimes, it’s possible to see when the transfer from owner to proxy occurred and thereby identify the original owner. If you encounter other privacy settings, look for information that predates those settings. If the owner has registered other websites, look them up on WHOIS and see if they contain any updated contact information.

In other cases, domain owners may have failed to update their contact information. Unless the updated contact information somehow interferes with the ability of the domain registrar to collect their annual fee, this misinformation tends to linger, sometimes indefinitely.

Other methods for searching domain ownership

If you attempt to find a domain name owner through the WHOIS databases but fail to uncover the desired information, there are a few other research methods you should try before giving up.

Carefully inspect the website

Even if the domain name owner has hidden their information on the WHOIS database, the website itself might be able to furnish contact information. Scroll around, paying particular attention to the top and bottom of the page, searching for links that read “contact information,” or something similar. Even if it doesn’t connect you directly to the owner, they might point you in the direction of someone who knows.

Social media

Scan any and all social media accounts associated with the domain name or website you’re looking into. Consider resources like LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Again, look for any reference to “contact information” or email addresses that might be visible.

Negotiating with a domain name owner

If you’ve consulted WHOIS databases or otherwise discovered the identity of the domain name owner, the next step for those looking to purchase a domain name is to negotiate with the owner.

It’s important to remember that as long as an owner’s domain registration hasn’t expired, they retain complete control over the name and can either sell it or keep it, as desired. Sometimes, even if you’ve discovered the perfect domain name, the owner might be unwilling to put it up for sale. Circumstances like these arise rather frequently; for that reason, it’s important to keep an open mind and be willing to entertain the idea of registering an alternative name.

Send an email or otherwise get in contact with the owner by using the information you’ve acquired through research. Reach out with a positive attitude. Even if there won’t be any face-to-face negotiations, it’s important to be friendly. Once you agree to the deal, exchange payment for ownership.

How to secure domain privacy

If you’ve managed to secure a domain name, but haven’t registered it for domain privacy, your private information will be available to anyone who conducts a WHOIS database search. If you’re not comfortable with having your information so readily accessible, but are set on domain ownership, Domain.com offers Domain Privacy registration for several TLD domain extensions.

If you register for Domain privacy, a WHOIS database search for your domain will report Domain.com’s information instead of your personal information. In effect, Domain.com will mask all of the personal details that you don’t want to be shared with the public. Registering for Domain Privacy does not mean that you sacrifice any control over your domain–you retain total ownership.

Unfortunately, not all TLDs qualify for Domain Extension privacy. Domain Privacy is only available to .com, .co, .net, .org, .tv, .info, and .mobi domain extensions.

Why domain names are important

Now that we’ve covered how to find the owner of a domain name, it’s necessary to understand why domain names are important in the first place. Domain names are there to help websites be located and categorized. However, for companies and individuals, domain names can be the difference between a thriving web presence and one that has trouble getting off the ground.

When you’re the owner of a domain name, your business or personal website gains credibility. Many internet users are rightfully skeptical of unknown websites, and when your domain name is tailored to your business, it gives your company a sense of trustworthiness that it might not have otherwise.

If a company’s domain name is related to the services they provide, it becomes easier for internet users to find them, even if they haven’t heard of the company before. People who use a search engine to look up services or goods will have a higher chance of being directed to the company’s website, especially if the content on that website has been optimized for search engines.

Domain.com has over 300 domain extensions to choose from to help set your website apart from the rest. It all starts with a great domain.  

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Why You Should Secure Misspellings and Alternatives of Your Domain Name https://www.domain.com/blog/secure-domain-misspellings/ Tue, 06 Nov 2018 09:00:31 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2603 Continue Reading]]> Helo. Strt aticle. Kep reeding.

When a customer misspells your domain name, will they still make it to your website?

Instead of hoping each customer is an expert speller, you can buy misspellings of your domain name to keep search traffic heading in your direction.

If you’re just starting to get your idea online, buying every misspelling or variation of your domain name may be unreasonable. Instead, find out the alternative domain names that will help you get started, so that when customers stumble over their keyboard they’ll be guided back to the right place – your business.

Domain.com has over 300 domain extensions to choose from to help set your website apart from the rest. It all starts with a great domain.  

The most common misspellings and alternatives

When talking with friends and family about your new domain name idea, did you ask them to spell it? The spelling they use on the first attempt is one that many of your customers will also try. Another test to perform yourself is to type the name as fast as possible and see if any extra letters end up in the URL.

If there’s an alternative or regional spelling of your name, that may be another name to add to your domain roster. For example, the owners of ketchup.com could also own catsup.com, as both are accepted spellings of the same word. Each path you connect to your website creates another avenue for traffic to arrive at your site.

Include relevant domain extensions on your list

The domain extension you chose, whether it’s .com, .net, or something else, is not the only one that will work for your business. New domain extensions, nTLDs, are added to our list of domain extensions every week, so finding an alternative that will work for your industry, products, and audience is only limited by your creativity.

If your new craft beer and used bookstore has recently launched a web presence at bookbar.com, there are a handful of available domain names that will add to your traffic growth and establish a creative voice for your brand at the same time. Your new domains could include readbooks.bar, drinkbeer.books, and many more – the list could stretch on happily ever after.

Find out what your customers are typing in

The surest way to catch customers typing in the wrong domain name is to find out what they’re typing in instead. Tools like Google analytics or Keyword Planner can help you track down the most common search terms and keywords used by your potential customers. Then you can use these phrases to create alternative domains that point this traffic to your site.

If your customers are searching for bookbar.com, there’s a chance they’ll type in booksbar.com, bookandbar.com, instead by accident. Find the top searches, then redirect these domains towards your site. You don’t need all of the domains right away, but starting with the three or five most popular will help you retain more traffic.

Hide those misspellings & mistakes from the world

Don’t worry about leaving misspellings of your domain name all across the internet. Securing these alternatives sweeps your audience’s mistakes under the rug, rather than discouraging them with an error message and causing them to give up. A quick redirect means that nobody needs to feel guilty about anything.

Buying a misspelling and adding a redirect means that when your customer types in the wrong name, their URL will change to the correct domain name almost instantly. When your customer sees the correct domain name popup, their error could make the memory of the correct name even stronger for their next visit.

Make it easier for customers to find your website

The success of your business depends on getting customers to the right place, even if they misspell your domain name. Adding alternatives and misspellings of your domain to your portfolio will keep search traffic heading your way, even when your potential customers make a mistake.

Domain.com has over 300 domain extensions to choose from to help set your website apart from the rest. It all starts with a great domain.  

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A Glossary of Domain Terms https://www.domain.com/blog/a-glossary-of-domain-terms/ Tue, 09 Oct 2018 09:00:38 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2565 Continue Reading]]> Updated September 11, 2019. 

There’s more to domain names than you might think. 

Since the right domain name is essential to getting your business online and raising awareness for your brand, we’ve created this Glossary of Domain Terms to further your understanding of everything related to domain names.

If you want to learn more about owning, registering and maintaining a domain name, check out our starter guide, Everything You Need to Know About Domain Names.

Domain Name Terms

A

  • A Record – This setting is used to point a domain name to a specific IP address.

C

  • Country Code Top-Level Domain (ccTLD) – These are two-letter domain names that are associated with a specific country, such as .us for the United States or .ca for Canada.
  • Cybersquatting – The process of registering a domain with the intent of preventing someone else from doing it, in the hopes to block them, steal traffic, or sell the domain to the other party at an inflated price.

D

  • Domain Name – The name of your website, which follows the ‘www.’ in the URL, and also what follows the @ symbol in an email address. For example, in ‘www.Domain.com’ the ‘Domain.com’ is the actual domain name.
  • Domain Name System (DNS) – The system that translates the numbers of an IP address into an easy-to-read domain name.
  • Domain Flipping – The process of buying a domain name and selling it quickly for a profit.
  • Domain Privacy – A feature often provided by domain registrars that hides the domain name owner information from the search results of a WHOIS inquiry.

E

  • Extension – The last letters of a domain name, such as .com, that indicates the registry the domain is associated with, and as in the case of ccTLDs, the country

G

  • Generic Top-Level Domain (gTLD) – The most common domain names, such as .COM, or .NET.
  • Grace Period – The period after a domain name registration expires, but can still be renewed by the registrant, and before the domain is offered up for general sale.

I

M

  • Misspelled Domain Name – Purchasing different, even incorrect spellings, of a domain name ensures that the audience looking for your business or brand online find your website, even if they type in your domain name with a few errors.

N

  • New Top-Level Domain (nTLD) – TLD stands for “Top-Level Domain” and the “n” stands for “new.” A TLD is a string of characters that follow your domain name. For example, in the domain “myawesomedomain.com” the TLD, or domain extension, is .com. nTLDs are newer to the market, and include extensions such as .club, .design, and .news.
  • Nameserver – A web server that stands in as a resource directory, sometimes for another server.

P

  • Parking – The process of pointing a domain name to a page that is acting as a placeholder, used either as a space to advertise the sale of the domain or as a standby page before the owner starts using the domain name.
  • Premium Domain – A high-value domain name that has been previously registered. They often contain valuable SEO keywords. Premium domain names have a stronger branding potential, are easier to remember, and attract more website traffic than standard domain names.

R

  • Redirect – If a domain name is no longer being used, but is still registered, an owner can push any incoming traffic to a new, connected domain name instead.
  • Redemption Period – After a domain name registration expires, and after the grace period, when the previous owner can still renew the domain, but usually at a higher price.
  • Registrant – The owner of a domain name, or corporation in control of the registration of the domain, either of which is listed on the domain name’s name record.
  • Registrar – An accredited business or organization that sells domain registration services to the public.
  • Registry – An organization that maintains and controls top-level domains (TLDs). They generally don’t sell domains directly to the public and instead sell domains through 3rd party registrars (like Domain.com). 
  • Renewal – The process of re-registering a domain name for another year(s) to continue ownership of the domain. 
  • Reseller – An individual agent or affiliate of a specific registrar who sells domain name services.
  • Reverse Domain Hijacking – The process of trying to obtain a legitimately owned domain name by using false claims to contest its ownership.

S

  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – The practice of tweaking and optimizing your website, or the content on a page, with the goal of showing up higher in search engine results.
  • Second-Level Domain (2LD) – A domain name that is located below another domain name, for example, .com.us, with the .com being the second-level to the .US domain name.
  • Subdomain – A separate address located under a domain name, such as store.brand.com.

T

  • Top-Level Domain (TLD) – The last segment of a domain name, or the part that comes after the dot. Examples are .com, .net, .org, and .club.
  • Transfer – Moving a domain name from one registrar to another without giving up ownership.

U

  • Universal Resource Locator (URL) – This is the string of numbers and symbols located in the address bar at the top of your web browser, which includes all of the information your computer needs to find the right page, image, or document on a website.

W

  • WHOIS – A system that makes it possible to search the owner information of a registered domain name, as well as other details such as contact information.

Want to learn more? Our starter guide, Everything You Need to Know About Domain Names, helps you start finding a home for your business online. It all starts with a great domain.

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Everything You Need to Know About Domain Names: A Quick Start Guide https://www.domain.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-domain-names-a-quick-start-guide/ https://www.domain.com/blog/everything-you-need-to-know-about-domain-names-a-quick-start-guide/#respond Thu, 04 Oct 2018 09:00:12 +0000 https://www.domain.com/blog/?p=2567 Continue Reading]]> Updated September 11, 2019. 

Have an idea for a business or just a really great idea? Are you ready to take it online?

Well, it all starts with a great domain. 

So we’ve gathered all of the essential information you need to find a domain name that stands out, looks professional, and attracts the right audience. Bookmark this page to keep it as a resource for the future.

Ready to get started? Domain.com makes it easy and inexpensive to get the domain name you want, fast.  

Glossary of Domain Terms 

Words and phrases you need to know when researching and purchasing the right domain for your business or brand. Find the definition you need here

Domain name vs. URL, what’s the difference?

A domain name is like your website’s address and it’s what leads people to your site, whereas the universal resource locator, or URL, includes more specific information like the location of documents or pages on your website. Discover more here

What is a domain extension or top-level domain (TLD)?

In the domain name “Domain.com,” the letters after ‘Domain’ represent the domain extension. While .com may be the most well-known extension, there are thousands of others like .co, .tech, .online, .live, and more.

How to choose a domain name

How do you select a domain name that is relevant to your business or brand and that’s also catchy, short, easy to spell, and easy to say? Check out our best tips in this article

How to buy a domain name

Find a registrar, like Domain.com, for access to all of the major TLDs available, and choose the one that best fits your needs. Find out what to expect when you start searching for yours.

The difference between new domains vs existing domains

Whether you’re buying a new domain name, adding to your domain name portfolio, or purchasing an existing domain, Domain.com is here to help. Not sure what the difference is between new and expired domain names? We can help with that, too. 

What if your domain is already taken?

Find out what your options are for securing an alternate domain name, or learn how to find the owner of the domain that’s perfect for your business so you can attempt to purchase it from them.

I bought a domain name, now what?

Once you’ve secured your domain name, it’s time to start establishing your brand and attracting an audience from around the world. Here’s a rundown of what you should do post-domain name purchase. 

How to maintain your new domain

Domain names require some maintenance. Don’t worry, it’s nothing too extreme. Here’s what you need to know

It all starts with the right domain

Find the best domain name for your business by first doing a little research. Read the in-depth articles we’ve linked to above and learn how to find a domain name that stands out, looks professional, and attracts the right audience.

Any questions? Let us know in the comments below. 

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