Are you concerned about the security of your domain names? Is the domain registrar that you have chosen a reputable one? Can this registrar meet your other online needs like website hosting, website design, e-mail and online marketing? And most important of all, will it ensure that your domain name is under your control, and not theirs?

Picking the right domain registrar is critical and can be the key to conducting a profitable business online.

Here are some pointers to help you answer the above questions, and avoid making choices that could be fatal to your business.

Domain Security:  Hijackers and slammers effectively use phishing techniques to steal domain names all the time. Domain names can be swapped or transferred without the owner’s consent. Losing your domain name can ruin your business. Ensure that you choose a registrar that has features to protect your domain from unauthorized transfers.  You should be able to annul and assign passwords, set your registration services to auto renew and resolve cyber-squatting disputes online.

Company’s Stability: If you are running mission critical, then beware of fly-by-night registrars offering services at unbelievably low rates. Remember you get only what you pay for.  Do some research, ask around and choose reputable providers who have been in service for long. Reputability does not necessarily mean popularity. A popular company could turn out to be notorious for poor customer services.

Easy-to-Use Interface: You may find the interface of some registrars easy to use, some take a little getting used to, while others are rather complicated. If you can navigate easily through a registrar’s website, chances are that the interface you use to manage your domain name will be just as good.

Full Control & Management of Domains: You must be able to manage your name servers and DNS records in one place at your convenience. An online account manager that gives you the tools to manage your account, renew your services easily, and edit your account contacts is a must. Ensure that you have full control of your domains and are able to manage them from a single control panel. Also, full rights for domains, until expiration, should be yours.

Other Services: Almost every domain registrar provides a host of free services with registration. These could range from free sub-domains to 24/7 toll-free customer support. Some companies offer free domain names and website design tools with the purchase of their hosting services. Purchasing a domain name could be a lot cheaper especially when you avail of everything as a package.

Customer Service: If you encounter a problem with a domain name, you should be able to access your service provider immediately. A quick help from a courteous support team ideally providing 24/7 toll-free customer support and online assistance is most critical for your business. So try narrowing your search with this factor in mind.

Value or Price?: Inexpensive domain registrars won’t necessarily provide you the best of services. A cheap registrar can give you a domain name and a few extra services, that’s about it. The quality of these services can only be speculated about.  Good services don’t come cheap. If the success of your business is your priority, it’s wise to consider registrars who can give you value for your money. This will save not only your time and effort, but spare you from a good deal of quality-related issues that may arise later.

Read the Fine Prints: Something that we always tend to ignore! The small prints are the provider’s Terms of Service, which you click “Yes” without reading. We place our trust on our service provider to respect the unwritten quotes of etiquette, only to be victimized by them later. So, that “inexpensive” provider that you have chosen may not be all that inexpensive after all.  Read the fine print carefully. If you are in doubt, get in touch with the provider right away and get answers to all your questions.

Tags: Choose Domain Registrar, Customer Service, Domain Name Registration, Domain Security, Protect Domain, Register a Domain

This entry was posted on Thursday, June 11th, 2009 at 12:15 am and is filed under Domain Names. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.