Protect Your Domain Name

If you have a registered domain name for your site, take care that you do not lose that name. How can you lose it? By not renewing the name before it expires! Losing your domain name can be easier than you might think.

Here's how to protect your name:

• Make sure that your contact information and email address is up to date with your domain name registrar.
• If you have had your domain name registered by someone else, ask that you be set as both the Administrator and Billing Contact. It's your name and you should be responsible for it.
• Beware of anyone who registers your domain name with their name and contact information. You could find out that they own your site name and not you.
• When you receive the renewal notice from your registrar, promptly renew your name. If you put it aside thinking to get to it in a week or two, you may forget!
• If you are on an automated renewal schedule, check that the credit card information is still correct - especially the expiration date of your card.

Unfortunately there are plenty of domain "brokers" who are just waiting for you to make a mistake so they can pick up your domain name if it expires. Of course, these folks will be more than happy to sell your name back to you but for a much higher price.