Top tips for registering
a domain name
The domain name is an essential part of any web site, but
choosing and registering it can be a tricky process.
Top tips for registering a
domain name
The domain name is an essential part of any web site, but
choosing and registering it can be a tricky process.
Here are some great tips to help you through this process.
1. Choose your domain name quickly
.uk domain names are being registered at a rate of one every 20 seconds and
allocated on a first-registered, first-served basis, so a delay in decision making
could mean someone else gets there first.
2. Choose a name that suits your business
You should choose your domain name so that it best represents your
company's interests. Bear in mind the brand, what you offer, your unique
selling point and the implications of being alphabetically listed.
Think about domain names that solve a problem or names that describe the
products or services your company provides e.g. 'marketing solutions'. Either
way, your name will help drive targeted traffic to your web site if you take this
approach.
3. Be flexible and creative in your choice of domain names
There are approximately 120-130 million domain names registered worldwide.
It may be useful to think about a few alternatives in case the name you ideally
want is already registered. Consider using hyphens and acronyms.
4. Decide which Top Level Domain (TLD) to use
Companies based in the UK usually register a domain name ending in .co.uk,
and recent independent research suggests that British Internet users are six
times more likely to choose a .uk rather than a .com address when looking for
information via an Internet search engine. 72% of respondents also said they
would visit a British web site above any other.
There are however a number of other alternatives including .com or other
Second Level Domains such as .org.uk (or non-commercial organisations),
.me.uk (for individuals), .ltd.uk and .plc.uk (for Ltd and Plc companies) and
.com, .info and others for generic usage.
5. Register your domain name in other suffixes
It's not a bad idea to register several similar domain names. If you have
'yourname.co.uk' you could register 'yourname.org.uk' so no-one else can
come in at a later stage and capitalise on your brand name using another
major domain name type. You could also register your full company name
and a shorter, easier to remember version.
6. Check whether your chosen name has already been registered
Use the WHOIS search facility on the Nominet home page -
www.nominet.org. uk to check the availability of all .uk domain names.
7. If it has been registered, you could check if it is for sale
If your first choice domain name is unavailable the cheapest solution is to
choose something else. However, if you have your heart set on a particular
name, you could try buying it from the current registrant. There's no
guarantee you will be able to acquire the domain, and even if the current
registrant is willing to sell, it could cost you anywhere from a few hundred to
many thousands of pounds.
8. Make sure the web address is registered in your name
This will make it easier to transfer a domain name, even if your registrar
subsequently goes into liquidation. Pay particular attention to your rights to
move your business and your domain name to another registrar, and whether
there is a charge for doing so before you sign the contract. Use the WHOIS
service to check the name has been registered in your name.
9. Make a diary note of the renewal date for your domain name
All .uk domain name registrations are valid for two years from the date of
registration; others may vary so check your domain name certificate. Your
registrar will normally contact you before the expiry date to ask if you wish to
renew it for another two year period.
For .uk domain names, we will also contact you before cancelling the
registration. Be aware that 'Notices of Expiration' demanding payment from
sources other than your agent or Nominet may be a scam, so check
correspondence carefully and contact your existing agent or us if you have
any concerns.
10. Tell your registrar if your contact details change
Your details must be correct for the domain name registration to remain valid
and your registrar will not necessarily prompt you. You can change any of
your contact details using our Online Service. Log on with your account
information and update the relevant details - it's as simple as that!
About Nominet
We are the registry for all
Internet domain names
ending in . uk .
We operate at the heart of e-commerce in the UK,
running one of the world's largest Internet registries
and managing over six million domain names.
We maintain the register of . uk domain names.
We also run the technology which locates a computer
on the Internet hosting the web site or email system
you're looking for when you type in a web address or
send an email that ends in .uk.
We aim to be the leading provider of registry services,
including ENUM and other associated technologies.
For further information about
Nominet, visit our web site
www.nominet.org. uk
Nominet
Minerva House
Edmund Halley Road
Oxford Science Park
Oxford OX4 4DQ
t. +44 (0) 1865 332211
e. nominet@nominet. org.uk
http://www.nominet.org.uk/
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