If you're in the United Kingdom
Choosing a UK-based company to register your domain name is a wise decision. It is important to ensure that your domain name is not registered with a company located outside the EU, UK, or USA, as it may lead to loss of control over your domain name, and it may not even be registered in your name. Not all countries regulate businesses as strictly as in the UK, and unscrupulous companies may make it challenging or impossible to retrieve your domain name and redirect it to your website. Thus, it is recommended to invest a few extra pounds to safeguard your brand.
Ownership
When you or someone else registers your domain name on your behalf, ensure that it is registered under your name. Each domain name should be associated with a personal name, email address, and postal address. In case someone else has registered your domain name and their name and contact details are associated with it, you may lose control over it if anything happens to them, such as going out of business or facing the worst-case scenario. The email address associated with your domain name is crucial as it is used for verification when transferring domain names between providers and owners. Ensure that your domain name is registered under your email address, and have a backup plan in case something happens to you.
Trademarking
If you have trademarked your business name, it provides an advantage against domain squatters who registered your name as a domain name. Nominet governs .co.uk and .org.uk domain names, whereas ICANN governs .com domain names. For any domain name disputes, you must go through the respective governing registrar.
Keep it Short
We recommend you keep your domain name short and memorable, just like your business name. Using one unbroken word looks best, and you can use capital letters on printed materials to break it up and make it easier to read. Although you can use hyphens, it is best to avoid them if you can. Register as many variations of your domain name as possible to prevent domain name squatters, but don't overdo it. Keep it sensible by registering only the most common suffixes like .com and .co.uk.
Setting up Your Email and Website
The main domain providers offer email hosting. Choose carefully to avoid being inundated with spam, as info and sales@ are often targets for spam. Most domain name hosting companies also host websites, and it is usually straightforward to log in to your domain name account and create a WordPress website. However, be cautious about using website builders as it may be difficult to move your website from this website provider in the future if it is integrated into their system. You can host your website where your domain name resides or point it elsewhere.
If you require domain name hosting and website security, we can help
