The domain name is the heart and soul of your website. As such, it’s essential that you register your own domain name and not allow a third-party to register it for you. Unfortunately, many newcomers assume that it’s okay for their web host, web design company, or some other third-party to do it for them.
In some cases, no conflicts will arise, but other instances can result in some serious heartache.
The process for registering a domain name is relatively simple and straightforward. You create an account on an ICANN-certified registrar such as GoDaddy or NameCheap, find a domain name that’s currently not registered, add it to your shopping cart and checkout. You’ll be asked to enter your contact information, including your name, phone number, and street address. Once you are finished, the domain will be under your control.
Unless you’ve registered a domain name in the past, you may believe that it’s easier to have another person register it for you. This is a common practice involving web design and SEO firms, many of whom will gladly register domain names for their clients. But this creates several critical problems that can come back to haunt you in the long run.
Of course, you can always attempt to retake a lost domain by filing a whois inaccuracy form with ICANN at http://www.icann.org/en/resources/compliance/complaints/whois/inaccuracy-form. Given the slow response time, however, it’s best to avoid situations like this in the first place by registering your own domain names.
The easiest way to prevent domain name ownership discrepancies is to register domains under your own name. As long as you are listed at the registrant — and your contact information is correct and up to date – you will retail legal ownership of the domain name.
Have you encountered problems when registering your domain name(s)? Let us know in the comments section below!
Image attribution: https://www.flickr.com/photos/india_7/
Comments are closed.
Thankfully someone shared this advice with me long ago. I’ve always registered my own domain name, but have known others who have run into trouble for allowing someone else to do it on their behalf.
I ran into this issue years ago with the company that set up my site. Unfortunately, I had to later select a new domain name. It was a nightmare.
Fortunately I let someone else register mine once, but it wasn’t an issue.