Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Domain Name Renewal Woes

Domain name renewal might sound simple, but with so many scams going on, it's definitely a subject worth mentioning. If you fail to renew your domain name properly or within a certain amount of time, you could lose it to someone else and never get it back – no matter how hard you’ve worked on your website. Here are some helpful tips to ensure that your domain name stays right where it needs to be - in your domain name account!

Early Domain Name Renewal Recommended
It is recommended that you renew your domain name as early as possible - before its expiration date. The registrar (or domain name registration company) should send you a reminder of when it is due for renewal. But emails can get lost or stuck in spam folders easily. So it's wise to do your own scheduling for domain name renewal.

If you own multiple domain names, keep a list of all your domain names, their individual expiration dates (if each was registered at a different time), and your personal account information for your domain name registrar. You will likely need to log-in securely to an account to renew your domain name and pay the renewal registration fee.

Secure Your Domain Name for Longer Periods
If you own a domain name that you plan on keeping for many years to come, you can save money now and time in the future by signing on for a longer duration of domain name registration. For example, some domain name registrars are offering up to 10-year registration at a tremendous discount per year. You will pay a little more up front, but save dollars in the long run. Also, this frees you from the yearly domain name renewal for 10 years!

Use Renewal Time to Re-evaluate
When your domain name renewal time comes around, use that time to re-evaluate your website situation. Perhaps you've changed to a new hosting company since registering your domain name. You might consider moving your domain name to that company to make things easier in the future. During the renewal period, this is a good time to make the switch without wasting part of your yearly fee.

You might also use this time to register another domain name or two that will complement your business. You can package your registrations together to save money on each domain name.

Automate to Avoid Domain Name Mishaps
Many domain name registrars allow you to automate your domain name renewals so you won't have to be reminded each time. This is an automatic credit card charge billed to you during renewal time. Be on alert still with this system. No system is flawless, so you should still be mindful of when your renewal time is to ensure that your domain name gets renewed on time.

Start with the Initial Registration
If you're brand new to this whole domain name registration process, keep the following tips in mind. Register your domain name at a trustworthy company. Cheaper is not always better. Keep your domain name account information in a safe place on your hard drive as well as in your office, written or printed as a hard copy in case you lose your computer information.

When renewal time comes, you will need your account login and password to access your domain name information for renewal. Registrar companies are usually very strict when it comes to domain name security, so you might have to give an arm and a leg to get your password back if you lose it!

Keep these tips in mind when domain name renewal time comes around to ensure lasting success online!

Candice Pardue is a professional web content writer http://www.selectwriters.com Go to http://webmastercourse.com/subscribe for a free 7-Lesson Web Beginner's Minicourse and learn web design from start to finish.


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