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Domain Name Registration Explained

No two websites can have the same domain name (or web address, as most people refer to it). For this reason, a process known as domain name registration was established. Domain name registration is overseen by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This company regulates the thousands of domain name registration websites where you can register your domain name.

When going through the domain name registration process it is important that you make sure the registrar site in which you are doing the domain name registration is registered with ICANN. This is important because there are many scam artists who claim they can register your site and lead you to believe they did. Then what happens is you invest a lot of time and money into developing your website only to find that your domain name was not registered and is no longer available. It is not until weeks, or even months later, that you find out that the domain name registration was a scam.

The cost of domain name registration is generally the same price with most registrars, so your biggest concern after finding a domain name registration site is to make sure it is registered with ICANN. The domain name registration process itself is very simple. Hopefully, you have developed a list of potential domain name registration hopefuls in order of most wanted to least wanted. Starting with the domain name you want the most, all you have to do is type it into the domain name registration site and it will tell you if it is available or not.

Domain name registration also allows you to choose an extension, such as .com, .net, .ed, just to name a few. Obviously, .com is the most popular, but if your domain name is not available with the .com extension you may be able to find it with a different extension. However, don’t settle for an obscure extension for the sake of obtaining a certain domain name. Part of the domain name registration process is acquiring a domain name that will be easy for people to remember and which will fit well with your website.

Think of your domain name as a word, or set of words, that represents your business. People should be able to figure out what to expect from your website just by reading your domain name. Keep this in mind when undergoing the domain name registration process. You want your domain name to be unique and to stand out. You’ll need to be creative in order to do this. It should also be noted that if you do acquire the domain name you want, with the extension you want, you may also want to consider registering the domain name under any other extensions that are still available. Doing this during the domain name registration process will keep others from having the same domain name as you, and thus, could potentially cause confusion among Internet surfers and possibly lose you business.

Once you have your domain name and finishing the domain name registration process, you may want to consider purchasing the name for at least two years. It would also be a good idea to leave a credit card on file and specify that the domain name registration should automatically be renewed at the end of the term. All too often people loose the use of their domain name because they failed to renew it and then someone else gets it. This is no big deal if you don’t depend on your website much; however, if your website expands and becomes more popular, not renewing the domain name registration could prove disastrous for your business.

The domain name registration process is not as difficult as it might seem at first; in fact, it is quite simple. The hard part of the domain name registration process is finding a domain name that is available and which properly represents your website. A little creativity though, and you’ll breeze through the domain name registration process easily.
About the Author

InfTek, Inc., a Cary, North Carolina based corporation, is one of the US’s leading dealers in affordable web hosting solutions and custom tailored computers. http://www.inftekhosting.com

Domain Name Registration Explained by Scott Bowen

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