Understanding the Internet Domain Registration Process

When starting a commercial website, one of the first tasks is to follow the Internet domain registration process. The purpose of registering the website under a domain name is to protect the name of the website so that others can not use it. If the domain name is not secured, hijackers will steal a domain name for their own use. When this occurs, people who are trying to access a certain website are redirected to a different website with different content. The Internet domain registration process ensures that registered domain names are legally owned and protected. Registrars will check the master domain name database and make sure that a domain name is not already taken.

It is difficult to create an easy, original, and effective domain name. By 2001, the majority of the short and sweet domain names were already taken. So, there should be much time and consideration given to developing a domain name that effectively communicates the purpose of the website and reaches the target audience. One way to come up with a domain name for Internet domain registration is to sum up the purpose of the website in two or three sentence. Be sure to completely capture the essence of the website within those sentences. Once this is done, highlight the most vital words and use those words in various combinations to create domain names. Feel free to use conjunctions, prefixes, suffixes, and numbers. These will add flexibility to the process.

After developing a list of names, visit a registrar’s website to check the master domain name database. When a vacant domain name is discovered, the Internet domain registration process can officially begin. Also, if a particular name domain name is already taken, purchasing the domain name from its owner is a possibility. Be aware that this may be a very expensive option. Domain names often sell for hundreds and even thousands of dollars.

Different registrars have slightly different registration requirements and processes. However, they all require these five bits of information: Registrant, Administrative Contact, Technical Contact, Billing Contact, and DNS Server Settings. It is very important that this information be provided honestly and accurately. Failure to do so could result in various problems. It may seem like a good idea to protect privacy be providing false email addresses, etc… But, many registrars communicate strictly by email. Therefore, if the domain name is due for renewal or any other changes occur, the registrar will not be able to contact the registrant. Also, be very wary of registrars who do not ask for a registrant contact. This gives the registrar the opportunity to use itself as the contact, essentially giving itself ownership of the domain name.

Once the Internet domain registration forms are completely filled, the registrar will ask for payment. Registration fees range from $9-$25 per year. Some registrars require that domain names be renewed yearly. Others allow registrants to purchase a domain name for several years before being renewed. Other options many registrars offer include, purchasing multiple domain names, email forwarding, website forwarding, and under construction graphics for newly secured domain names.

There are several ways to protect the ownership of a domain name after completing Internet domain registration. First and foremost, utilize any password protection and other safeguards offered by the registrar. Hijackers may still attempt to take control of a registered domain name. Enforcing these safeguards will help to stop them. Also, an online service called SnapNames will monitor domain names and give weekly reports of any hijack attempts or suspicious activity. Periodically, check the contact information to be certain that all information is current and up to date. If any unauthorized changes to this information changes, contact the registrar immediately. Read all emails from the registrar very carefully. These emails may contain very important information that could affect the ownership of the domain name. Finally, be sure to stay on top of domain name renewal. Domain names are a hot commodity and might easily slip away.