Domain Name Registration
A domain name is your unique address on the web. Choosing the right domain name for your online presence is just as important as choosing your business or blog name. It needs to present a professional image and also convey what your site is about.
Below we discuss choosing a domain name and domain name extensions, explain domain name registration jargon and explain our domain name registration service. Purchase our domain name registration service below.
Choosing a Domain Name
Choosing the perfect domain name will take some work. A lot of good names are already taken. Pick a domain name that sounds professional, creates the right image for your blog or website and conveys the theme of the website/blog. Just like your business name, it needs to be memorable.
Do your research before deciding to register a domain name. Use the search engines to see if the name you like is taken already or if there is a similar name already being used. You want a name which makes you stand out from the crowd therefore if someone else has a similar name and the theme of their website/blog is also similar it would be better to choose another name to avoid visitor confusion when looking for you in the search engines. Build a list of possible names as when you actually go to register the domain name your first choice may have been taken.
Domain Name Extension
The domain name extension is the last part of your domain name. You will see different ones around the Net. e.g. .com is very popular, .org was originally intended for organizations, .net was originally intended for people in the IT business like your internet service provider.
There are also country specific domain name extensions. e.g. .ca is for Canada, .uk is for the United Kingdom. For a complete list of country specific TLDs (Top Level Domains) visit IANA's Root Zone Database for more specific information for your chosen country specific domain name extension.
Which Domain Name Extension is Right for Me?
People are use to typing .com at the end of domain names so that is something to consider.
If you intend to market only to a specific country then a country specific domain name extension might be the right choice. A country specific domain extension in combination with a web server in the same country can help you rank in the country specific search engines (not the be all end all solution to ranking in country specific search engines but is a little helper). Think about the future. Are you ever going to want to expand your market to worldwide? A country specific domain name can rank worldwide with some serious search engine optimization work.
To protect your online identity you might also want to consider multiple versions of your chosen domain name and multiple extensions. How many of these to get is up to you and your budget.
Domain Name Registration Jargon
Those new to the registration of domain process might not understand some of the jargon associated with domain name registration. Below we define what each party's name and what they do.
WHOIS Information
There are services provided by the domain name registrars, third parties and the domain name registries where anyone can look up the information about a domain name's registration called a WHOIS search. All this information is public unless you have used private registration.
When someone does a WHOIS search the results will show the registrant's name and contact information including the administration, technical and billing contact information, the registrar company used and the DNS (domain name service) being used for the domain name.
Private Registration
If you use a private registration service your registrant information is subsituted with the private registration firm's contact information. They act as a middle man between you and anyone using the WHOIS information to contact you. Some domain registrars include this as a free option and some charge extra for the service.
Pros and Cons of Private Registration
- Pros
Your contact information for the domain name remains private unless you put it on your website.
The email address you used for your domain name registration is hidden from spammers. Spammers search the WHOIS records (and other places on the net) for emails to add to their lists.
- Cons
If may appear that you are trying to hide something when you use private registration (other than your email from spammers).
Someone who decides to check you out before doing business with you, particularly if you sell big ticket items, might be put off doing business with you.
Registrant
The registrant is the person who registered the domain name and owns it. This would be you if you ask us to conduct the domain name registration process for you. See below.
Registrar
The registrar is the firm used to register your domain name. They are the middle man between you and the official domain name registery database. They will be listed as the Domain Service Provider or Registrar in the WHOIS record for your domain name.
Domain Name Registry
The domain name registry is the database which keeps track of all the domain names registered (taken) and who owns them.
Domain Name Registration Service
If you find the registering a domain name process daunting or uncomfortable Accrete Web Solutions can do this for you. Following the principles of our website ownership philosophy
the domain name will be registered in your name and have your contact information in the registration.
You might think the above point is an obvious thing but some who provide this service do not do this.
The following information will be required to register your domain name. It will be viewable by the public unless you opt to private registration.:
Note:.ca registration information is not public by default. The CIRA (the body who looks after .ca registrations) has set up their system opposite to other domain registration bodies. With .ca domain names you have to turn on the information being public.
- An email address.
This email address is used by your domain registrar to notifiy you and correspond with you about your domain name.
This needs to be an email address you check regularly and will keep for a long time as notices regarding your domain name will be sent to it regarding the expiry date of your domain name and any legal notices.
Do not loose this information or dump this email without changing it in your domain name registration as you will have huge problems if you do. Domain registrars make it very difficult to make changes or do anything with a domain name if you don't have access to the email address in the registration. Rightly so, anyone could pretend to be you and steal your domain name. This is why we put everything in your name (unlike some who provide this service). So you have control over your domain name.
This should be an email address other than one at this domain name. If your domain name/site is broken no one will be able to get in contact with you.
- Registrant's name, address and contact informaton.
The registrant is the person who the is the registered owner of the domain name.
- Administration Contact Information
This can be you or you can assign someone to be the contact for administration issues regarding your domain name. Contact name, email, address and phone number are required.
- Technical Contact
The technical contact can be you or you can assign this to someone else. As with the administration contact, their name, email, address and phone number are required.
- Billing Contact
As with the administration and technical contact information, this can be you or you can assign someone to receive these enquires.
Country TLD registrations (e.g. .ca) require some additional information which we will collect from you before starting the process.
Your PayPal or credit card information will be required to finalize the process. This information will be shreded once the process is complete. We will ask you to fax us or email this information in pieces for your own security. Email is not secure, hence if you opt for the email route you will be asked to send the information in pieces.
Purchase Domain Name Registration Service
The pricing below includes:
- Creating an account for you with the domain registrar company.
- Filling in the required information to register your domain name(s)
- Your account registration information for the domain registrar company sent to you for your safe keeping.
- WHOIS report showing the domain name information has been updated and registered in the applicable domain name main registration database.
- Copy of your domain registration invoice.
You will get all this information from the domain registrar company also but we provide this information in one document for your safe keeping and records.
| Price | Includes |
|---|---|
| $25.00 | Registration of up to 4 domains at the same domain registrar company. |
| $25.00 each | Registration of your domain names at different domain registrar companies. This option is for those who wish to use more than one domain name registrar for their different domain name registrations. |
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