Choosing the right domain name registration company

Registering a new domain name should be a painless and simple process but sometimes companies apply tactics to keep you locked in to using them. Here are 5 checks you should always make before using a domain name registration company.

• Make sure your domain registration company uses your details for the registration and not their own as you will have no way of proving ownership if they disappear. UK domain names can be retrieved back through Nominet (for a small fee) as long as the details on the registration are yours.
• Ensure you are able to control basic things such as renewals and DNS changes through a control panel. You could find yourself waiting ages for any changes to be processed by a support team or you could end up being billed a renewal for a domain that you no longer require.
• If they lock you in to hosting only with them then consider another company. A domain registration and hosting services are two separate things. Many companies will try and lock you into both.
• Do they charge you an “admin fee” for transferring away? UK domains should be free to transfer away (unless they were provided as part of a contract) and other domains may require a years renewal paid upfront to the company receiving the registration.
• Don’t get suckered in to purchasing every available domain extension. Do you really need a .tv .photo .life or .hiphop domain? (unless you are in that industry)