10 Reasons to Register Your Domain Name in 2021
Registering your domain name isn’t just a formality. It’s a necessary step that enables you to better protect your assets, brand, and online identity. It complements your marketing and advertising efforts and plays a big role in bolstering online recognition and brand awareness. Read our article to find out why it’s become increasingly important for you to register your domain name and how it can help you scale up your ventures.
Having your own domain name is an exciting milestone, whether you’re an individual who owns a blog or an entrepreneur looking to build your online presence. Now that you’ve thought of the perfect domain name, what’s next?
Domain name registration is an essential, albeit often overlooked, step. More than coming up with a catchy, iconic, or relevant domain name, registering it is equally important. Doing so, means you won’t have to worry about losing your online brand and identity because your domain name is already in use.
Our guide dives deep into why it’s essential not to skip registering your domain name and how doing so can benefit you and your venture.
What Is a Domain Name?
Simply put, a domain name is a website’s name. It can often be found after the” www.” in a web address or after the “@” in an email address, such as “press@dunkinbrands.com,” where “dunkinbrands.com” is the domain name.
In reality, domain names are much more complex, they are actually a string of numeric internet addresses that can be difficult to remember. Every computer that’s on the internet is assigned a unique internet protocol (IP) number. These IP addresses are made up of a set of numbers that are separated by periods. The numbers tell a computer how to reach that particular address.
For illustrative purposes, an IP address looks something like this: 191.0.3.4 or 187.222.225.101. Because of domain names, users won’t have to type “press@187.222.225.101.”
While this might be useful and easy to process for computers, it can be challenging for humans to remember a string of numbers. Typing a wrong number, for instance, can redirect a user to a different website.
Think of domain names as substitutes for these hard-to-remember IP addresses. When a user keys in an inquiry or a request from their computer, it’s then received by a server, which uses a domain name system (DNS) that translates the domain name into an IP address that the computer understands.
There are several types of domain names you should know about. These are:
Top-level domains are so-called because they’re the highest level in the DNS hierarchy. These include .com, .net, .edu, .org, .mil, and .gov.
-
Country Code Top-Level Domains (ccTLDs)
ccTLDs are used to distinguish one country from another, such as .uk and .ru for the United Kingdom and Russia, respectively.
-
Internationalized Country Code Top-Level Domains (IDN ccTLDs)
IDN ccTLDs are country code top-level domains that are allowed to use a country’s non-Latin script or special characters.
-
Generic Top-Level Domains (gTLDs)
gTLDs are classified under top-level domains and encompass several subcategories, including generic, generic restricted, sponsored, and infrastructure domains.
Second-level domains can often be found before top-level domains. For example, in “Google.com,” “Google” is the second-level domain of “.com,” which is the TLD.
Third-level domains usually precede second-level domains when you type a domain name. So, if you key in “www.google.com,” the “www” is the third-level domain.
The Importance of a Domain Name
A domain name is an extension of your brand and online identity. Without a well-thought-out domain name, your audience will find it difficult to know how and where to look for you. Without a domain name, you run the risk of being drowned by the competition.
You can think of domain names as a means to get a good or lasting first impression from your target audience. This is because the domain name usually serves as the visitors’ first point of contact with your brand. Using a domain name that’s not exactly a good fit with your brand may adversely affect how your audience perceives you.
How to Register Your Domain Name
Registering a domain name is akin to getting first dibs on something. This establishes a record on ICANN, a not-for-profit public-benefit corporation whose goal is to keep the internet a secure, stable, and interoperable resource. While ICANN oversees the distribution of domain names, it’s unable to help you with domain registration.
To register your domain name, you need to enlist the services of domain name registrars. Take note that registering your domain name isn’t equivalent to purchasing it from a registrar. Think of it as reserving your domain name, so only you can use it exclusively for a specified amount of time, say five years.
After that period, you’ll have to renew your registration to prevent your domain name from expiring. This is to prevent anyone else from using your domain name.
Forgetting to renew your registration can result in big problems for your business, especially if you’ve spent years cultivating your brand and identity online.
To give you an idea of how to register your domain name, here’s a simplified look at the process:
-
Before registering your domain name, you need to brainstorm to ensure that you come up with one that encapsulates what you do or who you are.
-
Once you have your domain name, you can look for domain name registrars, so that you can reserve the usage for your chosen domain name.
-
From there, you can contact your registrar to get the primary and secondary name servers of your web host.
-
Once you’ve completed the first three steps, you can proceed to build your website.
Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind before registering your domain name:
-
Try to keep it as simple as possible and avoid special characters or numbers.
-
Make it reflect what you do or offer, such as "earlybirdtickets.com” or“discountcouponsnevada.net.”
-
Don’t forget to renew your registration. You can discuss arrangements for its renewal with your registrar.
-
Try to include relevant keywords in your domain name.
10 Reasons to Register Your Domain Name in 2021
1. It gives you the opportunity to be memorable to customers
Registering your domain name allows creating a relevant name memorable to your customers.
A good domain name is a crucial aspect of any marketing campaign. It’s what sets you apart from the competition, which is why it’s important to come up with a domain name that’s memorable and easy to type.
Besides giving the audience an idea of who you are or what you can offer to them, a domain name helps convey to visitors that you’re credible and trustworthy.
2. You can get personalized email addresses
One of the great things about having your domain name is getting personalized emials addresses. For example you can use "sales@yourdomainname.com".
This makes your emails more memorable or more targeted. It can even help you come across as more trustworthy or authoritative.
3. You can leverage domain forwarding
Don’t have a website yet? With a domain name, you can use domain forwarding. This means that you can redirect your visitors to any webpage. For example, you’ve registered your domain but haven’t set up your webpage or blog yet.
You can set it to redirect traffic to any of your existing online pages or channels, such as your social media accounts. This way, even if you don’t have your own website yet, you’re still easy to locate on the internet, and you can maintain an online presence.
4. You can create sub-domains
Sub-domains are great if you want to expand your reach. You can use them to redirect traffic to your other sites or pages, create unique email addresses, or have an entirely different webpage with different content.
By subdomain, this refer to the prefix that goes before your domain name, such as "mail@sales.yourdomainname.com".
5. It protects you from domain name lack or scarcity
Thousands of domain names are being registered on a daily basis. In the first quarter of 2020 alone, a total of 366.8 million domain names were registered, and these only accounted for TLDs. Every year, domain name registrations increase by 4.2%.
By registering your domain name as early as possible, you’re minimizing the risk of being unable to find and use your desired domain name. If you haven’t registered your domain name yet, now is the best time to do so before someone else beats you to it.
Furthermore, if you’ve had your eye on a domain name that’s already been registered, don’t give up hope just yet. It’s worth checking its availability time and again, given that domain names expire after a certain amount of time. If the previous owner hasn’t renewed their registration, there’s a big possibility that it will become available to the public again.
6. You’ll have a permanent web address
Once you’ve registered your domain name, you’re effectively reserving its use. This allows you to “own” that domain for a predetermined amount of time. Renewing its registration regularly technically gives you a “forever home” on the internet. This also prevents your competitors from acquiring your domain name and using it to their advantage.
Having a permanent web address is especially useful if you’re looking to build your brand or improve search engine results.
7. It’s relatively affordable
Registering your domain name has become relatively affordable. Keeping your brand alive and enjoying other benefits of having your domain name can set you back around $10 to $20 annually. Prices will depend on the registrar you choose to work with. It’s also worth noting that some registrars offer packages, so it’s best to do some research and shop around for rates you’re comfortable with before settling for one particular registrar.
8. It helps build brand credibility
Having your domain name gives your brand more credibility. By having and registering a domain name that’s relevant to your practice or business, you’re not only building your online identity and personality, but you’re also cultivating a sense of being trustworthy and reliable to your target audience. Moreover, by having a strong domain name, you’re creating an identity that helps separate you from scam or malicious websites.
9. It can enhance your marketing or advertising campaigns
Aside from increasing brand recognition and awareness, a good domain name can boost your website’s SEO. A creative or memorable domain name can be searched for frequently. This, in turn, can give your website more authority.
Further, you can use your domain name to create sub-domains to promote a new product or service. When done properly, this can also contribute to improving your ranking on search engine results pages.
10. It protects your copyrights and trademarks
By registering your domain name, you’re eligible to apply for and get protection under trademark laws. If someone registers a domain name that uses your trademarked name, you can file a claim for trademark infringement. It’s worth noting that a name doesn’t have to be famous for it to be trademarked.
Grow and Protect Your Business
Now that you know how to register your domain name and protect your online venture, you should also consider registering your trademark in the US.
By registering your trademark, you’re further bolstering your brand recognition. It becomes your intellectual property and effectively prevents competitors from copying your brand.
It’s also a permanent asset that stays with you even when your business scales up or expands its operations. Additionally, trademarks are particularly useful if you’re eyeing to diversify your offerings or thinking of turning your company into a franchise.
Similar to how registering your domain name adds a layer of protection to your venture, registering a trademark fortifies that layer of protection, particularly from infringement. It can also be a vehicle for success when executed properly. It can help you avoid legal issues and can save you from having to reinvent your brand identity in the event of a lawsuit.
Know more about the importance of registering a trademark and how to go about the process. Let us help you find the best way to protect your business.
Sources:
https://www.icann.org/get-started
https://websitesetup.org/how-to-register-domain-name/
https://www.newmediarights.org/business_models/artist/domain_name_subject_copyright_law