Which registar will you "click" with?
The question of "what's the best way to register domain names?" is one which is always always going to have an answer which is in flux. There are a few sub-questions that immediately come to mind, and we'll take you through these options as we try to answer the question more succinctly. Registering domain names should always be a simple process, and should consist of only a few moves on your part, once you've decided on your reasons for registering the domain name. For most people there will be an instant question of how the domain name is going to pay for itself once you've registered it - and that will drive a great deal of the quest to find the best place for registration.
What is involved in the process of registering a domain name? Is the process universal?
Generally speaking the process of registering a domain name is certainly very similar across the many different registrars out there. Until 1999 Network Solutions were solely responsible with the sale of .com, .net and .org domains. Since then many other companies (known as registrars) have becomes responsible for the sale of domain names. Nearly all (except for some specialised registrars) will allow you to purchase domains in those three main gTLDs (generic Top Level Domain) and many will also encourage purchasing the same or similar domain names in the ccTLDs (country-code Top Level Domain) which are granted licence from different countries, eg. .co.uk (United Kingdom), .de (Germany) , .ly (Libya), etc.
When we speak of buying or registering a domain name, what we're effectively talking about is a loan. Your purchase agreement with the registrar is undertaken for a set period of time, though predominantly done so in annual contracts. For example, if you wanted to buy "helpmechooseagooddomainname.com", you would buy it for a set number of years, and your rental of that domain name would expire after that time, allowing others to buy it if you no longer wish to keep it.
The difference with a generic rental agreement is that domain purchasers retain the right to renew their purchase at any time during their ownership and can pay an agreed amount up-front for any number of years. Although it is possible to lose a domain name by not re-registering/renewing in time, it is usually possible to enter into arbitration to reclaim your domain - on the understanding that the amount of time since the domain lapsed is not too great.
Why are you registering your domain name?
As silly as it may sound, it's important to know why you're registering your domain name before deciding on the best option for your registrar. If you are purchasing a limited number of domains then your main focus may be on after-sales service; on the other hand, if you are purchasing a bulk order from across a whole range of TLDs, then you may be looking for the registrar that gives you the best "bang for your buck".
What services do you require from your registrar?
Most people will require very little from their registrar other than to be cheap and reliable. However, there are clearly a number of sub-services which will be of more or less important to yourself depending on your needs. A short list of some of those requirements are:
- Simple DNS services - allowing editing of Zone records, updating IP addresses for different sub-domains
- Advanced DNS services - creating new sub-domains at will, allowing update of TXT and CNAME records.
- Solid expiry reminder systems and ease of use
- Good customer service in the event of something going wrong
- Reliable DNS (Name) Servers since you are likely to use the registrars own DNS server as authority for your domain name.
- Email or other bundled facilities such as free hosting/parking
Often your requirements for any of the above are changeable depending on your primary needs. If you are, for instance, looking for a cheap way to start-up a website with little experience, heading straight to a hosting company which will provide you with "a year's worth of hosting with .NET/PHP provided; a free domain registration; free email" (which is a standard offer) will probably end up suiting you quite well. However, be warned - if you later want to remove yourself from the hosting part of the contract, also extracting the domain name renewal and shipping off to another registrar can sometimes be painful and/or expensive. Beware!
On the other hand, if you're buying a dozen or so domain names because "they sound good" or are perhaps non mission-critical domains that are adjuncts to your core business domain names, your requirements for advanced services (such as free email accounts or tonnes of reliability) may change dramatically.
Are you going to be lumped with extra costs at the time of purchase? Or perhaps even upon renewal?
This is actually a really important question to answer and one which we've seen many registrars and providers cripple customers with in the long run. Some do it accidentally, yet others seem to reinforce their businesses with it.
Everyone who works in the domain business has heard horror stories of specific domain registrars that seemed to have run foul of "fair play" and be deemed to have "screwed someone over". The truth, however, is that for every horror story there are thousands of stories that present the opposite side of the coin. The most apt phrase is, as always: let the buyer beware. Here are a couple of ideas to keep in mind, however:
- If it looks too good to be true, it may well be.
- Purchasing a domain name along with a hosting contract can sometimes cause problems of ownership. Some hosting companies will register the domain name with their name all over it, and not yours - causing issues with ownership and about who will get the renewal notices.
- If you're purchasing a domain in a ccTLD that is not your own, your rights to that domain name may be changed at any time. Libya, for instance, has recently recalled a number of .ly domains that were purchased outside of their country and were deemed offensive.
- Do you really need that extra domain? It may seem funny at the time but renewing domains that you don't really have reason to be buying in the first place is an expensive hobby.
- Purchasing "privacy" with your domain name can also become expensive. The concept is fantastic for those who don't want their details posted along with their registration, but if you don't really need it - don't bother. Some registrars offer free privacy for the first year of registration and it's not always so straighforward to cancel that contract afterwards.
What are your recommendations for choosing a domain registrar and buying domain names?
Depending on your needs there are lots of great domain name registrars out there. Our recommendation for buying domain names has to be GoDaddy. Yes, we are an affiliate with them - but that's because we genuinely believe that they are the best domain name registrar out there. Here are a list of the top ten domain registrars.
