If you manage a website, there is a vendor listed in your Accounts Payable records that you likely encounter only one time a year – and even then, you may have a hard time remembering who they are and what they do.
What’s important to remember is that you can’t run a website without them.
Who is a web domain registrar?
Your annual reminder that these services exist may come in the form of a renewal invoice from a source like GoDaddy, Network Solutions, Name.com, Bluehost, IONOS, and others we’ll explore in a subsequent article. These names belong to web domain registrars, and they are one of several entities you’ll encounter in the process of securing a domain for a new website. Here’s a summary of the players involved to help you keep them straight:
Web Domain Registry: A web domain registry manages top-level domain names. These organizations create domain name extensions (e.g., “.com,” “.net,” “.org,” “.io”), set the rules for their web domains, and work with web domain registrars to sell their web domains to the public.
Web Domain Registrar: The web domain registrar is an accredited organization, (e.g., GoDaddy, Network Solutions, Name.com, Bluehost, IONOS) that sells web domains to the public. Some have the ability to sell top-level domain names (TLDs) like .com, .net and .org, or country-code top-level domain names (ccTLDs) such as .us, .ca and .eu.
Web Domain Registrant: A registrant is the person (you) or company (your business) that registers a web domain with the help of a registrar. Web domain registrars then help their registrants manage their web domain settings, and if necessary, update them within a domain registry. (These are the companies who send you domain registration renewal invoices.)
DNS (Domain Name System) Provider: A DNS provider translates the domain name for a website, such as CultureFoundry.com, into an internet protocol (IP) address, which is a string of numbers assigned to unique web domains. Your domain’s IP address is like a unique street address or phone number for your website. It’s what computers “dial up” when looking for your site, and computer servers use IP addresses to communicate with one another.
Imagine having to remember the individual phone numbers of every person stored in your smartphone’s Contacts application. Sounds daunting, right? DNS providers perform the same function that your Contacts app does. You remember the name to call, and your Contacts app does the dialing for you, via your smartphone. In the same fashion, DNS providers create a crucial communications link for individuals using the internet to easily find and connect with websites
ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): This nonprofit organization oversees the entire domain name system (DNS) and coordinates domain names and IP addresses. ICANN also accredits domain registrars, thereby allowing them to sell domains on behalf of domain registries.
-Source: GoDaddy
What does a web domain registrar do?
A web domain registrar serves as the middleman between you and a web domain registry. A registrar helps you purchase and register the alphanumeric alias or “name” you want to associate with your website – so what goes between the “www.” and “.com.”
After a web domain is purchased, a domain registrar connects it to websites, email providers, and other web services through the domain name system (DNS) overseen by ICANN. Like hooking up a phone line, domain registrars work with these related service providers to connect your website to the world and prevent others from claiming the same domain for a different purpose.
Set it, but don’t forget it
If your head is spinning after reading the breakdown above, you’ll understand why many website managers give little thought to their web domain registrar after their website is live. What’s important to understand is that this is not a service relationship that you can “set and forget.”
A web domain is something you can rent for a period of time but never buy outright. That means it’s vital to stay current with your domain registration renewal fees and to keep good records about when your domain is up for renewal and to whom you owe renewal fees. Otherwise you risk losing your web domain and all of the brand value associated with it. Not being familiar with your current domain registrar also means you risk falling prey to any number of domain registrar scams, which we’ve called attention to in the past.
Choosing a web domain registrar
Keep in mind that there’s nothing locking you into a permanent relationship with a web domain registrar, and how easy it is to transfer your web domain to another registrar who can also manage it for you is something you should consider when choosing a provider at the outset. As such, you may be asking what criteria should factor into your initial selection.
Our crew has assembled these 10 tips for choosing a web domain registrar to help you work through this important decision:
TIP 1: Confirm the registrar offers your desired web domain
When evaluating domain registrars, make sure the service provider you’re considering can actually sell you the web domain you seek. Not all registrars have access to the same top-level domains (e.g., “.com,” “.biz,” “.us,” etc.). A good registrar should have a user-friendly web domain search tool you can use to confirm they can register your chosen domain (if it’s still available).
Example of a web domain look-up search tool on the Bluehost website.
TIP 2: Investigate pricing and renewal costs
If a web domain registrar tempts you with an attractive initial registration fee, make sure that price (or discount) is something available to you at the time you renew. Also be sure to check for hidden costs tacked on to your overall bill, including extra fees for WHOIS privacy – meaning your registrar won’t identify you in association with your web domain record when someone looks up that information – or domain locking, which is a feature that prevents unauthorized changes to a web domain.
TIP 3: Look into bundled features
Even if your domain registration fee will go up in year No. 2, there are still ways to shop for value while evaluating web domain registrars. Many bundle additional features in their registration packages, including DNS services and access to website builders, website back-up services, email hosting, and SSL certificates. While purchasing a bundle of services can ultimately save you money, stick to the things you really need for your website and its security and avoid upsells.
NOTE: While some companies provide both web domain registration and DNS services, whether you purchase them from the same vendor is up to you. You may realize cost savings and convenience when bundling these services, but it’s not mandatory, and some DNS providers like Cloudflare offer free plans you can use.
TIP 4: Understand domain expiration/grace period policies
As previously stated, you’ll want to keep good records of all your registered web domains and when they come up for renewal, so you don’t miss a payment and risk losing an established domain. That said, it doesn’t hurt to ask about a domain registrar’s policies around domain expiration and whether grace periods are available after a missed payment and/or stated expiration date. Many registrars allow you to renew late without losing your domain(s), although you may have to pay a penalty. Make sure you understand those policies upfront.
TIP 5: Check out security features
If features like WHOIS privacy, domain lock, and other security measures, such as two-factor authentication measures, are important to you, be sure to check out the security features included in your domain registrar service package.
TIP 6: Establish customer support availability
If you have problems with your account, or just want to confirm your next renewal date, you don’t want to ring your domain registrar only to be placed on terminal hold. Look for a domain registrar that offers round-the-clock customer support with multiple ways to connect to a customer service representative (e.g., email, chat, phone).
TIP 7: Demo domain management tools
If you or a member of your information technology team will be managing your domain and DNS records, assess the quality and ease of use of the domain management interface provided with your account. Need a user-friendly dashboard with tools to manage DNS settings, renewals, and transfers? Be sure to inquire about these features and ask for a demo before signing up.
TIP 8: Validate reputation and reliability
It’s important to do your homework and research web domain registrars’ reputation and their reliability, based on users’ experiences with them. Seek out and read customer reviews and make sure you’re dealing with a valid domain registrar with a proven track record.
TIP 9: Ensure accreditation
Ensure the domain registrar you select is accredited with the aforementioned ICANN. Again, this nonprofit organization oversees the internet’s domain names and IP addresses and makes sure only legitimate entities operate in this field. If the domain registrar you’re considering isn’t recognized by ICANN, keep looking.
TIP 10: Verify ease of domain transfer
Should the time come when you need to transfer your domain to a different registrar – maybe you’re moving to a new web vendor who has a preferred provider – it’s important to review the registrar’s transfer protocol. Make sure your chosen domain registrar clearly states its policy for transferring domains to another registrar and that the terms and conditions for doing so are fair to you. Ask whether you can transfer your domain at little or no cost.
Conclusion
Remember, if you need to register multiple top-level web domains (e.g., culturefoundry.com, culturefoundry.net, culturefoundry.info, etc.) or spelling variations of your principal web domain (e.g., cu1turef0undry.com) to keep others from grabbing (or spoofing) domains that look like yours – factor additional domain registration and renewal fees into your web budget. Again, it’s important to keep good records on every web domain you register, even ones you’re not actively using.
If this is a decision you want to make and stick with, select a web domain registrar that offers you and your website long-term stability. A well-established registrar is more likely to survive variations in the business environment, including mergers, acquisitions, and ownership changes. That greatly improves the chances your web domain and registrar-provided services continue without interruption no matter what the future brings.
Need help evaluating web domain registrars?
If you’re embarking on a new website build and need help evaluating web domain registrars and the services they offer, our DevOps team would be happy to guide you. Use the form below to let us know what you’re looking for, and we’ll follow up with you.