How To Protect Your Domain Name
The best way to ensure that you are the registrant for your domain name is if you purchase the domain name yourself. If you’re not sure how to do this, your web designer can make the purchase for you, as long as he or she purchases it under your name, with your credit card and contact information, and then provides you with the receipt, as well as the username and password into your domain name account. This requires a certain level of trust, since you don’t want to provide your credit card number to just anyone. So make sure you do lots of research before hiring a web designer.
After your web designer purchases the domain name and provides you with the domain name username and password, log in to the domain name account to be sure the login credentials are correct. Then check the domain contact information in your account to make sure that your email address is the one showing in the registrant, administrative, and technical contact areas.
Why They Steal Domain Names
Why do thieves steal domain names? There are several reasons, but its mainly money. I believe they see it as a way to do something that they will profit from. They will hack into an account, transfer the domain name to themselves, and then sell the domain name. Theyll list it for 10 percent or 20 percent of the value of the domain name.
How Is It Decided Who Has The Best Claim To A Disputed Domain Name
Domain name administrators and registrars operate on a first-come first-served basis.
Over time, using a domain name will in itself establish some rights to that domain name, particularly if you also publicise that domain name .
However, the fact that someone has registered a domain name does not automatically mean that they have the best right to it. If the domain name incorporates a registered trademark, the owner of that trademark may well have stronger rights to the name.
In many cases, several businesses could have rights to a domain name, particularly when a domain name describes a product rather than using a company name or trademark.
Two other important factors come into play in many domain name disputes.
- You are more likely to win a dispute if you can show that the other party registered it in bad faith. Bad faith might include registering a domain name using your trademark in order to sell it to you , or to pass their website off as being related to your business.
- Large companies, with deep pockets, may be prepared to run up large legal bills pursuing a domain name. If faced with such an opponent, it may be in your interest to negotiate a settlement.
As disputes can be complex, you should take legal advice on your particular circumstances.
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How To Vet An Expired Domain
- Check to see if the domain and/or brand has any sort of bad reputation. A simple Google search will likely suffice, or check to see what kind of site the domain was previously associated with using the Wayback Machine. A domain checker site like whois can also give you details of IP addresses that were previously associated with a domain.
- Check their backlinks using a tool like Moz Open Search Explorer or Link Research Tools to run a backlink report. Is the profile full of nothing but spam? You should also check to see if any other domains 301 redirect to the domain.
- Make sure the domain is clean. Norton Safe Web is an initiative by Norton security that tracks websites for malicious codes and malware. You can check if a domain has previously been blacklisted for malware using the resource.
It is vital you perform these checks to help you understand whether a domain has been associated with bad practices in the past. Spammy content, dodgy backlinks, malwares and malicious code damage the authority of a domain, which is tough and not always timely to regain in the internet world. Remember, brand new domains are being registered every day, and our unique business names each come with a perfect .com domain.
Determine What Youre Willing To Pay
Now that you know the domain is available, and before you contact the owner, decide what youre willing to pay for it. This can be tricky since theres no agreed-upon value of a domain, but you can get an idea of what prices are by searching through a domain marketplace like Flippas.
Here are some factors to pay attention to when figuring out how to buy a domain that is taken:
- Keywords Domains with popular keywords in them are worth more because of their ability to rank high on Google and other search engines.
- Generic value A domain that can be used by almost any business within a given industry has generic value.
- Brandability When a domain lacks generic value or a strong keyword, its main value lies in its brandability. Short, memorable names that are easy to spell are easy to build a brand around.
- Age Older domains are generally considered more valuable.
- Length Or rather shortness. The shorter the domain, the more valuable. Usually, landing your hands on a three-letter .com will cost you a lot.
Before you approach the current owner of the domain you want, choose both the base amount youre willing to offer and the maximum amount youre willing to pay they can even be the same number if you want for the domain before you approach the owner.
Look for domains of similar length, similar keyword value, generic value, and similar age, this should help you estimate the price to a degree, and also decide if you can actually afford that domain in the first place.
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Once I Register A Domain Name How Long Does It Last Can It Be Renewed
When you register a domain name, youre able to use it for the period of time you registered it for, which is typically between one to ten years. If you want to keep using the domain name and any of the services associated with it you need to renew the domain name registration prior to its expiration.
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What If Its Too Late For Good Hygiene
If youve already lost access to your account and cant renew your domain name, its important to act quickly to secure it. If your name does not appear on the domains WHOIS record, then you likely havent been getting renewal notices. That means the first sign of trouble might be your website going down, or clients no longer receiving your emails.
In this case, use our WHOIS search tool to search for your domain name. The WHOIS record will display the status of your domain and its expiration date, regardless of whether its privately registered. See the following example:
For information on the meaning of status codes, please visit the ICANN status codes page.
If the domain is expired, you have two options. First, you can reach out to the person whose name appears on the WHOIS record and ask them to transfer the domain to you. This option rarely works due to the circumstances surrounding the three Ds, as outlined above.
Your next best option, then, is to go through a primary contact change process. This process differs from company to company, but the general steps are similar in most cases.
Youll start by reaching out to your customer service agent to let them know that your domain name is expired. Tell them you do not have access to the email address on file, but you do have proof of identity. Expect them to ask you to provide identifying information, such as a fax of your drivers license. Think of this step as being a bit like entering the DMV of the domain world.
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How To Backorder A Domain
The process outlined above is the easiest way to buy a domain name that is taken, but sometimes that isnt possible. If you still cant get the domain you want, your other option is to backorder it.
Backordering means that you wait for a domains ownership to expire and purchase it the moment it becomes available.
However, keeping track of a domains expiration date manually can be tricky, so youll want to use a backordering service.
Some of the popular options:
However, even if you use a backordering service, theres no guarantee that youll get the domain you want. The current owner still has to let their ownership of the domain expire, and many hosting services give owners an extra grace period where they can renew after the official expiration date. Typically, thats 75 extra days.
Be Ready To Prove Previous And Recent Ownership Of The Lost Domain
Iâve been contacted by individuals about reclaiming lost domain names. They were able to prove the legitimacy of previous ownership without a shadow of a doubt. In return, I transfer the domain at cost or no cost, if under a certain amount.
But Iâve also had people try to get over on me too with a sob story of how they lost a domain that was never theirs, to begin with. In short, they are essentially trying to steal the domain from me.
Nevertheless, contact the new domain owner to explain your situation of how the domain was lost. But donât count the new owner rolling over and just handing over domain because of your story. Always make a reasonable, market-driven offer when contacting a domain owner. Understand their asking price may not be cheap at all.
Most honest domainers aim to work a reasonably priced deal of some sort with you. You may have to legitimately prove previous ownership of the lost domain name that are in question. In some cases, domainers gladly return lost domain names to you at no cost but donât count on it.
See, if the new owner of the lost domain has paid money using either a backorder service or bought the domain name via an expired domain auction, then you may very well have to pay the new domain owner the amount that they paid for the lost or expired domain name.
This reason alone makes reclaiming lost domain names a very costly experience.
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If You Dont Know The Account Details For Your Domain
If the domain is in your name but you dont know, or have lost, the account details then get in contact with the Domain Registrar, explain the situation and ask them what you will need to do.
If the email address on the account is correct, its almost certainly just a question of sending a reminder to you.
If your contact details are out of date it will likely be a little more complicated, but speak to your domain registrar, get the ball rolling and it can be sorted out.
How To Recover A Hijacked Domain
Related
Once you register a business domain, you might feel the pride of ownership. But that domain isnt technically yours to own. You can only register it, and that registration can be stolen. Domain hijacking doesnt get a lot of attention, but it poses a real threat. It causes a lot of frustration, too, because even if you never let your Internet domain name registrations expire it can be surprisingly easy to lose control of a domain — and surprisingly hard and costly to get that control back.
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Holding Your Domain Name Hostage
The domain name registrant can do anything they want with it, so if you allow someone else to register your domain name for you, they can sell it without your knowledge or consent, fail to renew it, or hold it “hostage”.
Sometimes unscrupulous website designers will hold your domain name hostage if you decide you want to go with a different web designer. Or if you’re unhappy with their services and refuse to continue paying, they may justify holding your domain name hostage as a way to get you to pay what they think you owe.
Your web designer, however, may hold onto your domain name for less nefarious reasons…
Register All Your Domains With The Same Registrar
If you have more than one domain name, it can be challenging to keep track of them. An excellent way to make sure that none of them expire is to transfer all your domain names to one register and one account. This way, your domain names will be in one safe place and connected to the same credit card.
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What Happens To My Domain Name After It Expires
renewedremain in your Namecheap account for 30 days after the initial expiration dateDomain ListGrace Expired reactivate themRedemption Grace Period24/7 Customer Support Teamadditional redemption feeNOTEthis articleparking pageNOTE30-day Grace PeriodDNS propagation information for expired domain names cannot be changedEdit Domain Contactsrenewed privacy protection subscriptionNOTEfor freeGDPR implementationemail reminderson the expiration dateautomatic renewal
Secure Your Social Media Accounts
Before you get too involved with one particular social media network it makes sense to secure all the relevant social media accounts for your website/business.
In the short term you may only plan to use Twitter or Facebook, but whos to say later down the line you might not look to use other platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram as you expand your social media footprint?
For branding purposes its wise to ensure your social media accounts all have the same username/handle. Theres nothing more frustrating than going to sign up to a social network only to find someone else has beaten you to the punch.
When you find out all the best usernames are taken
For instance, at LCN.com we use the handle lcndotcom for all our social networks
- com/lcndotcom
- com/user/lcndotcom
- you get the idea
While this sounds like a terribly laborious task, its actually pretty easy to check the availability of your preferred name without signing up to each network individually.
Check out a tool called namechk , then just pop in your desired username/handle and hit enter. All of the social networks that are available will show in green.
This kind of preparation at the beginning of a website and/or business launch is vital for your long-term branding prospects. Get it right from the get-go.
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Preventive Measures To Take When Creating A Website
In a way, if youre reading this article because you face the problem addressed here, this section is probablyredundant, since experience has undoubtedly left you wiser. However, for the benefit of those who are reading this articlemerely out of curiosity , let me collect together a fewimportant things to do when starting out a website.
How Do I Renew My Domain Name
If you need help renewing your domain name, contact the registrar who you registered your domain name with. If you’re not sure which registrar you used, conduct a search at . The registrar’s name will be included in the results. A link to your registrar’s website is on the ICANN-Accredited Registrar list.
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Add Pages To Your Website
To add a page on WordPress, go to Pages -> Add New. Every site requires a different set of pages, but generally, here are the five must-have pages:
Homepage
Whether you use a website builder or WordPress, the homepage provides the first impression about your business to visitors.
That said, you shouldnt add too much information to it. Cluttered and messy homepages will deter visitors from continuing to browse as its harder to find relevant information.
Instead, keep it organized and concise and put visuals to guide visitors to the section or page that contains the information they want.
About Page
This page should provide information about your company history, vision and mission, team members, and testimonials. It helps customers, investors, or potential new hires to know more about your business.
However, avoid overexplaining your products or services. You can provide contact information here, but we recommend using a dedicated page for it.
Product or Service Page
The product or service page is crucial and decisive to convert your visitors into new customers. Provide details like features, benefits, and prices.
Product photos or videos also help make the page more visually appealing.
Blog Page
Adding a blog to your site can help drive traffic and increase conversion rates.
When writing blog posts, use relevant keywords to help your site rank higher on search engines.
Contact Page
Domain Expired A Few Days Ago:
This is a very easy situation. It just happened a few days ago. And youre domain name is still renewable. You can claim it back easily with just paying the renewal fee .
You could easily detect such a thing via the sudden expiration emails. Also, Its detectable if you tried visit your website and found it not loading any more. You will get to know that a domain issue is there.
Once the domain is expired, It will be in Auto-Renew Grace period for up to 45 days. Grace period here means that the domain is still yours & will instantly be activated after paying the renewal fee. No extra fees required.
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