TranslateMyth: domain name registration is difficult. Many great domain names are still available for registration in as little as five minutes at any domain name retailer. These online stores make it easy for you to search for available domain names with name suggestion tools. They also offer other services like Web hosting and website design so you can register your domain name and set up a website all at once.
Myth: I only need a domain name if I have a website. A domain name can be used for many purposes. Many who are not ready for a website simply register their preferred domain name to ensure it doesn’t get taken by anyone else. They may use it to create a professionally branded email address, or as a Web address that can point customers to an alternate online presence, such as a social media page. The benefit of registering a domain name and using it in any of these ways is that when you are ready for a website, you know you will have the domain name you want.
Myth: domain name registrations are expensive. A domain name can be registered at a very reasonable price, sometimes for as little as $.99 per year. The relatively low cost of domain name registrations can help businesses to register multiple domain names and build a domain name portfolio for use in promotional or brand-protection strategies. The key is to align your brand and relevant keywords to maximize the value your domain name can bring to your existing and future online presence.
Myth: domain name registration is domain name ownership. Domain name registrations use a subscription-like model that allows a person or business to register a domain name for a certain period of time (usually a year). At the end of the registration period, the domain name registrant has the option to renew the registration or let it expire. It is important to renew a domain name registration, or you may find that all of your work building traffic and views to your site will benefit someone else if they register your domain name after you let it lapse, and will also potentially cost you more in rebranding.
Now that we have debunked these myths, remember a domain name can be your online address regardless of whether or when you build a website for your online presence. You can use it for branded email or redirect to another Web location of your choice. Secure or maintain your online brand today. A domain name registration is the best way to establish yourself online—with or without a website.
We would like to thank Verisign for this information. For more than 15 years, Verisign has operated the infrastructure for a portfolio of top-level domains that today includes .com, .net, .tv, .cc, .name, .jobs, .edu, and .gov, as well as two of the world’s 13 Internet root servers. To learn more visit VerisignInc.com.
