Do you have a website?  If so, you will also have what is called a Domain Name. This is the web address of your site e.g. www.yoursite.com If you didn’t personally register that Domain Name, you should make sure you are the legal owner of it.

All too often small businesses discover, after investing time and money in a web site design and securing a Domain Name for their small business web address, that their web designer or web hosting company actually owns the Domain Name, not them although they are billed for it each year.

The Registrant is the owner of the domain, so you want to be sure that you (or your small business) is the Registrant.

Many business owners are often shocked to find out by accident that they don’t legally own their own Domain Name. Having  paid to have the website created in the first place, plus paying annual fees for web hosting and domain Name registration they would naturally assume to be the owner.

What unfortunately happens sometimes is that when your web design company creates your website, or your web host supplies you with a Domain Name and they register the domain name for you, but list themselves, not you, as the Registrant (legal owner).

This is fine is you have a good relationship with the Registrant but if you lose touch with them and decide to change web host or worst case have a large falling out with them, they are still the owner of your domain name and it can become a big problem.

If you’re not listed as the Registrant, talk to the web designer or hosting company that registered your Domain Name and just ask them to make you the Registrant.

Simply it’s peace of mind. Unsure if you own your Domain Name? Let us help.

The Domain name you choose for your new website is an important factor that search engines consider for your website placement.

Try and select a Domain name that includes a keyword or phrase about your product or service as this will increase the ability for search engines like Google  and Yahoo to have your website ranked for related keywords. …continue reading article

Updated 28 June - Internet regulators ICANN (Internet Corporation for assigned Names and Numbers) after a three year leadup, voted on Thursday in France for changes in net regulations to relax the strict rules on top level domain names. …continue reading article