Domain Hosting Tips: 2012

How To Select Your Domain Name

Not too long ago I used to preach and practice that you should "Never register your domain name through your web hosting company however attractive the deal might appear" Why? Because in the past it was not uncommon for web hosts to react somewhat angrily to the idea of you transferring those ooooh so delicious annual registration fees to a competitor. But times have changed, the web has matured, web hosting services have matured. Most recognize the fact that the big bucks come with providing quality service.

And what's more some very reputable web hosting companies provide some very attractive domain registration packages coupled with hosting.

So go ahead and take advantage of those cheap domain registration/web hosting packages just as long as the hosting company is well known and reputable. If you ever do find yourself in a domain transfer battle you can contact the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

Another thing to consider when registering your domain name is not to rely solely on your domain name register to ensure that the domain name you have in mind is available and does not infringe on someone else's trademark rights (unless you enjoy being sued). To be doubly sure your domain name has no trademark infringement issues, after conducting a search for its availability on your domain name register's website, you can also check at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) http://www.uspto.gov.

When registering your domain name it's a good idea to register it for more than one year. The reason being that, other than the usual discounts you get for multi-year registrations from most domain name registers, Google (and perhaps the other search engines) consider multi-year registered domains as less likely to be spam sites. Consequently, right off the bat your site will have a search engine advantage (at least with Google), such as a shorter evaluation period in the Google Sandbox.

A final note about domain name registration; there are plenty of domain name registration companies out there, all eager and equally willing to register your new name. Domain name registration prices range from as little as $10 a year up to $35 per year and beyond. Generally there is little point in opting for the more expensive registers because you more or less get the same service. In fact some of the cheaper domain name registration companies provide better quality service.

However whatever service you use, make sure that your domain name is registered in your name. Some less scrupulous domain registration services have been known to register new domains with their own information. You can verify that your domain is registered with your particulars at: http://www.internic.net/whois.html.

THE DOMAIN NAME GAME

So what kind of domain name do you want? Do you want to pick a domain name incorporated with a targeted keyword, or do you want to take the memorable-brand route that the likes of Google, Yahoo and Amazon (to name but a few) have done with astounding success. Well, if your website is going to be business related or involved in some form of commerce it makes sense to have a well-searched-for-keyword incorporated within the domain name. The majority of online businesses are still found through search engine queries. By and large though, a good rule of thumb is to incorporate the most searched for term (for your market) in your domain name.

The shorter your domain name the more memorable it's going to be. However you'll discover that most one-word/two-word domain names have been snatched up already. One alternative you've got is to hyphenate your targeted keyword with another word. The jury is still out about hyphens though, but most seo experts concur that hyphenating a string of words makes a long domain name more search engine friendly. The downside is that when it comes to word-of-mouth dissemination most folks won't bother including those pesky hyphens, with the resulting consequence that intended referrals to your domain could end up on your competitor's doorstep. So as you can see, the whole process of naming your domain is a fine balancing act.

CUTESY ARTSY DOMAIN NAMES

There's a budding artist in all of us waiting for just the right moment and place to show the world we are the new Leonardo da Vinci. Be that as it may, but naming your domain is not the place to express that inner artist. Avoid cutesy names interspersed with numbers in place of words (e.g., 4 instead of for), they'll only confuse potential customers and torment you with heaps of regret somewhere down the road. In fact the best rule of thumb is to avoid numbers in your domain name altogether. However, if on the other hand your domain functions merely as a cyber-platform to let an uncaring world know you exist, then by all means let loose!

Bottom line, your domain name is your online identity, so try to choose something that is memorable, fares well with the search engines, and also inspires confidence and respect.

These days there're more and more choices for domain name extensions. This is great news because it is getting increasingly difficult to find a good domain name ending in .com that runs under twenty letters (okay that might be a wee bit of an exaggeration but you get the point). However the drawback with using anything other than a .com extension is human nature. You see people are creatures of conditioning and habit, and given a choice of precisely similar domain names, (other than the extension) you can bet most of us will instinctively beeline for the domain name with the .com extension--Without question the .com extension is the most recognizable.

Also think twice before settling for a top level country code domain such as co.uk. Unless you are located in that region and ship primarily within the area, such a domain name could have a negative impact on your business. Think about it...a potential customer based in the U.S. or another part of the world is not going to relish the prospect of forking out a mini fortune for shipping and handling fees when they can easily find a more local competitor. In the same vein try not to regionalize your domain name (unless your business caters to a market found only within that region) because you'll probably lose potential customers who reside elsewhere.

Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/19108/tips-on-how-to-select-your-domain-name.htm By Ba Kiwanuka

Domain Parking Vs Domain Development

The "Should I park my domain name and monetize it that way or should I develop a website?" is a pretty old debate among domainers. And I believe it's proof that laziness will always win over sensibility.

There are a variety of ways to monetize a domain name. Most domainers who deal with a lot of domain names like to park their domains at Sedo, GoDaddy, or other services that help them monetize the name.

Others build made-for-adsense websites that have little real value, intending to get visitors to click the adsense ads. This is not much different from parking the domain names.

Very few domain name sellers or speculators develop real websites or blogs on their domain names. Why?

Even though they intend to sell their domain names, they know that this usually takes a lot of time. Finding a buyer isn't an overnight process in most cases. Most domains that are finally sold have been owned by the speculator for years.

Parking those domain names is the way they try to cover their costs of registering the names year after year. Most of their domain names will never sell because they want way more than they are worth. Most domain speculators are hoping for that one big sale, kind of like playing the lottery.

During all that time they are holding onto their domain names, they could be building websites, doing affiliate marketing, blogging, and more. The problem is that those things require work. And we all know how much people like work.

Most people who join MLM programs, get involved in domain speculation, or fall for get rich quick schemes do not want to work. They are hoping to fall into thousands of dollars without having to do any real work.

This article won't win me any popularity contests among domainers. But if the truth hurts, too bad. It is not ALL domainers who are lazy. There are many who work very hard at their profession. They learn to master the traffic their domain name brings in and make a business out of it.

This article is more about those who just go out and register a bunch of domain names they believe are creative, hoping that someone is going to come along someday and give them a bunch of money for what they consider to be creativity.

For some it is their second job or hobby. For others it is a habit. I've known domainers who mortgaged their house to buy a lot of domain names they will likely never sell for enough to cover the loan.

In my opinion, the smart move is to develop those domain names into real online businesses. If you own one-word generic domain names that have type-in traffic, this doesn't apply to you. But if you are like most domainers and you own a bunch of made up domain names, two and three word domain names, etc., then you should think about developing those domain names into a business.

A domain name's real value is in the traffic it generates and what that traffic may or may not buy based on the keywords that helped them find that domain or website in the first place.

Let me rephrase it again. Your domain name is not worth anything more than you registered it for when you first register the name. Once you analyze the traffic that domain gets, it may or may not increase in value.

If just parking the domain name gets very few clickthrus for the ads placed on it, then your domain name is not worth but a few pennies over the price of registration.

All it proves is that a few people who end up on that domain name will click an adsense ad. To a business, that means nothing. It doesn't even prove that any of the traffic generated by that domain name will actually buy something.

However, if you create a business plan that matches the domain name, and you develop a website based on that business plan, and people do actually buy products, services, subscribe, join, or click through to your affiliates, you show that the domain name you own has business potential.

A business owner is much more likely to buy your domain name if it has a proven profit potential than if they just think you have a cute catchy short domain name.

It can be as easy as installing free wordpress software and picking a free theme for your blog and writing to it daily with original content.

The bonus is that it may also rank well for your keywords if you do it right and know a little about seo and social bookmarking.

If you develop a business model that is just moderately successful and you add that it has a good ranking for some key phrases, the value of your domain name is quantifiable and much more appealing to anyone that may consider buying it from you.

My opinion is based on having developed hundreds of websites and blogs and having bought and sold over 500 domain names.

There are a few people around who have bought and sold more than I have.

There are domainers who have made a lot more money than I have by monetizing their domain names or by directing the traffic from their domain names directly to websites that are owned by businesses.

But, again, they have the right domains and tools to do that with. Making up domain names or owning a bunch of 2-3 word domain names does not mean you will be one of these. You won't be. Those I referred to in this article should begin thinking about developing their domain names if they want them to have any actual value.

Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/195306/domain-parking-vs-domain-development.htm By Chris McElroy

Website Hosting and Domain Registration Process

It is a common misconception that website hosting and registration of a domain is one and the same thing. Whereas domain name registration allows the buyer to use a particular domain, website hosting provides the services related to the services. The services that are encompassed in website hosting usually includes the handling of the emails and queries, and the compilation of traffic data for the website. The lack of understanding of the difference between the two can often be detrimental to your business if you are a website owner.

When you buy a domain, you do not gain exclusive rights to the domain forever. In order to continue using the domain, a certain fee has to be paid on a regular basis. Once registered for a domain, the owner can publish his website himself or hire a web designer to do the task for him. Thus, the costs associated with websites can be pretty huge at times.The maintenance of a website involves another aspect of the virtual world known as website hosting.This involves all the aspect associated with a website that is integral to its efficient functioning.Services which specialize in website hosting provide a multitude of services such as the filtering of external threats, while efficiently handling traffic. Other aspects involved with hosting are the maintenance of servers and soft wares that automate the entire procedure of maintaining a website. While it may sound simple, website hosting is a complex process that is intricately connected to the complex virtual world. An excessive inflow of traffic often leads to the website crashing. This occurs due to the inability of the servers to handle such a large amount of traffic.

Domain registration is another complex process that involves the assignment of a specific IP address and name to a website. This naming has to often comply with the set protocols that are associated with website names. Also, due to the limited availability of certain names, services that offer domain registration often charge a higher rate for certain rates.

While in most cases it is usual to be registered under the same service for domain registration and web hosting, it is often not advisable. The virtual world is a very intricately woven web of complex entities. A failure of one will often lead to a domino effect. As such if a domain registration website fails, you are bound to feel the ripple effects of the fall. This often presents itself through a website's downtime. And since the web hosting service is also undertaken by the service provider, this results in the total downfall of the website. If this is the main source of revenue for the website owner, it often leads to a complete loss of capital investment.

While web hosting and domain registration are two services that are necessary for the efficient set up and execution of an internet business, it is often necessary to scout out the best service providers. This not only protects you from the losses that are associated with server crashes, it is also inherent to the profitability and revenues of the internet business.

Article Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/1504844/website-hosting-and-the-domain-registration-process.htm By will smithbwit

Tips for Domain Names Search

Every successful online business venture today starts with a thorough domain names search. A domain name helps represents a company, small business or freelance professional. A domain name also helps bring more traffic to your site and represents your brand. The domain name also serves as a signpost on a busy alley and the name that you want your customers to remember for them to come back to your business. Choosing a business name is one of the most important business decisions that will affect your company for a long time. Here are three easy tips to help you find the right domain name for your business.

Domain Names Search Tip #1: Draft a short and simple domain name.

A domain name that is filled with too many words or one with overly creative word spellings will do little for your business since potential clients will not be able to remember your website address. The shorter your chosen domain name, the easier it will be for your clients to recall and remember. In this highly technological and internet savvy world, it is crucial that you make it easy for people to refer your company site. Get a domain name that sticks to people's heads and very easy to remember.

Domain Names Search Tip #2: Incorporate keywords in your domain name.

A keyword rich domain name makes your site more search engine-friendly. Search engines like Yahoo!, Bing and Google are awesome place to advertise your business. An online marketing plan begins with a keyword search. Try to incorporate 3 keywords into your domain name. There are free online tools today to help you with the search such as Google Adwords Tool. Many experts recommend that you don't go beyond the 4 word phrase. You don't want your domain name to be too long nor too short.

Domain Names Search Tip #3: Get a relevant domain name.

Draft a domain name that is relevant to your industry or the services/product you are selling. At this time, you need to think what people may need from your store. For instance, if you are planning to be a distributor for mobile phone accessories, you can have a domain name that is spelled as mobilephoneaccessories.com. Make sure you check the competition as well. You don't want to compete with big businesses that are using the keywords that you intend to us, especially the ones with thousands of back-links anymore.

Shop around for the best domain registrars with great deals. Make sure you check and review the company before signing up for a deal. Selecting a domain name is a crucial part in your marketing strategy and is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. Always remember the 3 S in getting a domain name- short, SEO friendly and significant. Choose a domain name that represents your business, brand and image. This is a good foundation for future sales. The future success of your online marketing strategy will depend on a good domain names search.

Article Source: http://www.artipot.com/articles/1033650/3-easy-tips-for-a-domain-names-search.htm

Choosing a Domain Name

Domain names are the first step in implementing your Internet marketing business plan. Domain name represents your brand. Many people know very well the importance of brand in the “offline” but even those can make mistakes in their Internet brand management. Domain name is the first step in successful Internet brand management.

It is not easy to register a good domain name (especially dot com), these days. According to domain name statistics on the most popular web site for whois searches Whois Source there are more than 57 million active generic top level domains registered as of September, 2005. Majority of these domain names are .com names. You can view this statistics if you visit http://www.whois.sc/internet-statistics/

It is sure that you can’t register a classy one-word domain name but with a little knowledge and appropriate services you can find a decent one, especially if you are not interested only in .com names. Useful site for finding decent domains is above mentioned Whois Source - http://www.whois.sc There you will find a free service that will give you 20 domain suggestions based on your keyword. Also, on the Internet you can find software that focus on domain names. Using free software Domain Name Analyzer you can make a list of domain names and this software will check availability of all included domains so you won’t have to check one-by-one which is time-consuming. Also this program will give you useful suggestions.

Another useful thing in find decent domain names is using expired domain name or back-ordering services. Using the first service you will get the list of expired domain names where you can find some really nice names with a little luck. However, it is not easy because many people use those services and some companies have special infrastructure that check availability of certain domain names every second and register them. You will have better chance to get your desired domain using back-ordering services. These services will monitor for domains you want to register and once they expire they will make register them on your behalf. Popular services are SnapNames.com and Pool.com.

It is recommended that your domain name be short, catchy, brandable and most important – easy to remember! You can register a domain name that has no obvious connections with your business but that is cool. Then you will have to invest more money in branding. With good domain name you will save thousand and thousand dollars in advertising, especially in TV advertising. If you are an email marketer domains are also very important because getting email subscribers without well designed web site is not recommended. It is recommended that the name of your domain be the same like your email newsletter name. You can make “teaser” articles in your email newsletter so that your readers will have to visit your web site in order to read complete articles and vice-versa. You can put “teaser” articles on your web site and require that people subscribe to your email newsletter to read complete articles.

Also, in order to find out popularity of certain keyword combinations you can use keyword suggestion services. We can recommend you these services:

Google AdWords Keyword Tool

https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordSandbox

Keyword Suggestion Tool

http://www.digitalpoint.com/tools/suggestion/

You can use Google, enter your keyword combination and see how much results you will get.

If you are in process of registering a domain name we can suggest you these two great companies:

Go Daddy – http://www.godaddy.com

Namecheap – http://www.namecheap.com

Internet brand management

We will take our company Infacta, Ltd. as an example. Infacta is Ireland-based company so it is logical that we registered http://www.infacta.ie. However, although we are Ireland-based company we focus globally. This can prove the fact that we have clients in more than 130 countries world-wide. So, it is also logical that we have a domain name in .com extension, too. Dot com domain name is considered as a global domain name for companies. Many people think that it is enough to have 2 domain names. For successful Internet brand management it is not enough. Beside, .ie and .com domains, Infacta owns domains in all major generic top level domain extensions (gtld) like .net, .org and .info. This is to prevent people or companies to use other Infacta name in other extensions that can confuse our customers and make harm to our brand. Beside that, we registered domain names for our products GroupMail and GroupMetrics in different domain extensions. Other famous companies have literally hundred and even thousand domains in their portfolio for each country where they have a presence and for their services. That is called a professional brand management.

There is also one more thing that can show how serious one company is regarding their domain names and Internet presence, in general. That is domain expiration date. Domain names expire. After that (preferably before that) date domain owners have to renew them. When you make whois inquiry about certain domain name, for example at http://www.whois.sc , beside registrant info you will see an expiration date. Imagine that you want to see an expiration date of your email marketing software company and you see that the expiration date is the next year or even this year. This doesn’t sound promising if you want a reliable business partner that will be in the business in the next 10 years, too, that you can count on. It is not only important because of whois searches and credibility, it is important because of search engines. Google gives better placement for companies that have domains registered for longer period. It is a sure indicator that it is a stable business and that they won’t go anywhere. Infacta domain name http://www.infacta.com expires in 2011.

There are some services that can help you in Internet brand management, to monitor that someone else is not using your trademarked names. One of those companies that offer brand monitoring services is NameProtect, Inc. at http://www.nameprotect.com Also, it is highly recommended that before you register your domain name to visit http://www.uspto.gov to check if your name that you want to register has been trademarked to avoid possible problem and law suits later. USPTO is official web site of the United States Government for patents and trademarks. Here you can also register your patent, trademark or service mark.

If your company’s name has a good, generic name and you want to register a domain, it is most likely that the .com domain will be taken. Sometimes, it is good choice to buy it from the actual owner. Also, you can buy domain names that are highly connected with your products and services and that will help you in Internet marketing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/85319 By Dejan Bizinger

Domain Name Registration Process

It might be your first time to grab a domain name so your are looking for domain name registration process guide. It's a good thing that you made it here because today, I'll be providing those steps on how to do that. Well, domain name registration might be a bit intimidating at first but it is actually simple and easy. The process might differ a bit from one domain name store to the other but all have the same processes in general. I personally bought my domain names from godaddy so the steps I'm showing you here is the steps being done there. I also tried buying a domain name once from name cheap and the stesp are almost the same anyway. Godaddy just have more complicated ways by offering a lot of products from them but you don't have to worry about those things if you only plan to buy a domain name.

Steps on Registering a Domain Name at Godaddy

1. Choose a Rich Keyword or Domain Name that You Can Brand

I know that I don't have to say this because I'm sure that you already have a domain name in your mind that you wanted to buy. I just want to remind it however because once you bought a domain name, you cannot undo it and choose another one again. So before going there, make up you mind and do the final decision.

2. Search for the Available Domain Name

In the godaddy home page, you can see a blank provided for you to type the desired domain name you wanted to register. Just type it in there and then click search. It will then tell you if the domain name is available or not. If the .com is not available then try .org or .net. You can even grab other domain name extensions such as .info, .biz, etc. It is however hard to rank well in google if you get those as extensions. So if the .com, .org, or .net are no longer available for the domain name you wanted, try researching for other terms of try adding a character or a word to it. In fact, godaddy is even suggesting domain names in case the one you are searching is not available anymore.

3. Add and Continue

Once you had a desired domain name already which is available, just hit add and then continue to registration. Godaddy is great but they keep on offering you stuffs but you don't have to take them all for now. They will offer you bulk registration but if you only planned to buy a single domain name then just click continue to registration again.

4. Fill Up Contact Information

The next step then is for you to fill up your contact information for you to sign up at godaddy. You will just need to do this though if it's your first time to buy a domain name from them. Feel free to spend some time for it now then and the next time you buy a domain name from them, you just have to log in to your account.

5. Length of Registration

After signing up, you then need to choose the length of registration of your domain. You can choose from 1 - 10 years. I normally just choose one year but you can go higher if you have more budget.

6. Ignore Privacy Options and Click "next"

Again, they will offer you privacy options here but just leave it as it is and click "next."

7. Skip Other Offers

They will then offer you email accounts and hosting and what not but you just have to ignore those things for now unless you wanted to host your website at godaddy (I suggest you host it at Hostgator however).

8. Buy it

Finally, here you are in the "cashier." Just double check your payment information such as credit card number (I use paypal though so that's not a concern for me). Just click the check box for "I have read and agree to the terms and condition" then click place order now. There you have it!

9. DNS Settings

There is one last thing you still have to do though. If you purchased the hosting plan at Hostgator as I suggested, they will send you an email that contains the DNS settings for your site. Once you received that, go back to godaddy and click "my account" menu. In there, you can see the domain name you just bought. Click the "manage domain name" and click the DNS settings. Enter the DNS you got from Hostgator in the 2 DNS fields.

I know that the steps look like too long and it's a bit confusing at first but don't panic. It is actually simple once you do it. I hope you now learned the steps on how to register a domain name. Wishing your website a success with the domain name you are planning to start with.

Article Source: http://www.streetarticles.com/web-hosting/domain-name-registration-process-guide By chamberlane altatis

How Can You Get Expired Domain Names

The domainer in you must have wondered at some time as to how exactly can an expiring domain name become available for re-registration by a new owner. To know the answer to this question, you must understand the Status of a domain as listed in the whois database. Here is the URL of the whois lookup provided by Domain Tools. When observing the results of a whois lookup, you will see a record similar in format to the one below:

ICANN Registrar: MARKMONITOR INC.

Created: 1997-09-15

Expires: 2011-09-14

Registrar Status: clientDeleteProhibited

Registrar Status: clientTransferProhibited

Registrar Status: clientUpdateProhibited

Name Server: NS1.GOOGLE.COM

Name Server: NS2.GOOGLE.COM

Name Server: NS3.GOOGLE.COM

Name Server: NS4.GOOGLE.COM

Whois Server: whois.markmonitor.com

There is a line item in the lookup data labeled Status. In the case of this domain, the status are listed as clientDeleteProhibited,clientTransferProhibited and clientUpdateProhibited Listed below are the various states that can appear in this field, and what they mean (There are two standard protocols, RRP and EPP - RRP is the older protocol that is being phased out in favor of EPP which is more fine grained. There is a specific mapping of statuses between the older RRP and EPP).

Below are the all RRP statuses, followed by EPP statuses.

Registry Operator Status codes: (RRP) Registry Registrar Protocol (Com/Net Registry Operator - Verisign Global Registry)

ACTIVE: The registry sets this status. The domain can be modified by the registrar. The domain can be renewed. The domain will be included in the zone if the domain has been delegated to at least one name server. A domain can only change registrars if in this state.

· REGISTRY-LOCK: The registry sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted by the registrar. The registry must remove the REGISTRY-LOCK status for the registrar to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will be included in the zone if the domain has been delegated to at least one name server.

· REGISTRAR-LOCK: The sponsoring registrar sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted. The registrar must remove REGISTRAR-LOCK status to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will be included in the zone.

· REGISTRY-HOLD: The registry sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted by the registrar. The registry must remove the REGISTRY-HOLD status for the registrar to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will not be included in the zone.

· REGISTRAR-HOLD: The sponsoring registrar sets this status. The domain can not be modified or deleted. The registrar must remove REGISTRAR-HOLD status to modify the domain. The domain can be renewed. The domain will not be included in the zone.

· REDEMPTIONPERIOD: The registry sets this status when a registrar requests that the domain name be deleted from the registry and the domain has been registered for more than 5 calendar days (if the delete request is received within 5 days of initial domain registration it will instead be deleted immediately). The domain will not be included in the zone. The domain can not be modified or purged; it can only be restored. Any other registrar requests to modify or otherwise update the domain will be rejected. The domain will be held in this status for a maximum of 30 calendar days.

· PENDINGRESTORE: The registry sets this status after a registrar requests restoration of a domain that is in REDEMPTIONPERIOD status. The domain will be included in the zone. Registrar requests to modify or otherwise update the domain will be rejected. The domain will be held in this status while the registry waits for the registrar to provide required restoration documentation. If the registrar fails to provide documentation to the registry within 7 calendar days to confirm the restoration request, the domain will revert to REDEMPTIONPERIOD status. The domain status will be set to ACTIVE only if the registrar provides documentation to the registry within 7 calendar days to confirm the restoration request.

· PENDINGDELETE: The registry sets this status after a domain has been set in REDEMPTIONPERIOD status and the domain has not been restored by the registrar. The domain will not be included in the zone. Once in this status all registrar requests to modify or otherwise update the domain will be rejected. The domain will be purged from the registry database after being in this status for 5 calendar days.

EPP Domains (The newer better protocol)

Domain Status: Normally operating domains have a status of "OK" or "Active." Other status values detail pending operations and restrictions regarding the domain. If the status is OK then the domain can be transferred.

· OK: This is the nominal status value for a domain object at all times, whether or not the domain has pending operations or prohibitions.

· New: This is the nominal status for a newly created domain object. The domain can be modified unless locked.

· Active: The domain can be modified and appears in a zone file. This is the nominal status for a domain object once it has been published in a zone.

· Locked: The domain cannot be transferred, renewed, or deleted. (Though the status value can be changed.) Hierarchical and associated objects cannot be added or removed from the domain object. Domain names involved in Sunrise and other disputes may be locked, subject to registry policies.

· Hold: The domain will not be published in a zone for DNS resolution. Names without at least two nameservers may be placed on Hold status; in this case submit nameserver data through your registrar.

· pendingTransfer: A transfer request has been received for the domain, and completion of the request is pending. The domain cannot be renewed, deleted, or updated while in this state.

· pendingDelete: A delete request has been received from the registrar for the domain. The domain has been removed from the zone, but has not yet been purged from the registry database. The domain cannot be renewed, deleted, transferred, or updated while in this state.

· clientHold: The domain will not be published in a zone for DNS resolution. This status is placed on the domain by the registrar.

· clientLock: The domain cannot be transferred, renewed, deleted, or updated. This status is placed on the domain by the registrar. An update command may be used to change the status value. Hierarchical and associated objects cannot not be added or removed from the domain object.

So, for those of you interested in registering previously registered - but now expiring domains: the domain will always go into REDEMPTIONPERIOD status before it is released to be re-registered.

It will remain in REDEMPTIONPERIOD status for 30 days at which time it will then move to PENDINGDELETE status. After 5 days in PENDINGDELETE status, the domain will be released to be re-registered.

If a domain is renewed by the original registrant during the REDEMPTIONPERIOD status, the domain will NOT go to PENDINGDELETE status. Once a domain reaches to PENDINGDELETE status, it will become available to re-register.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2421227 By Anwar Mehdi

Before You Register a Domain Name

Never register your domain name through your web hosting company however attractive the deal might appear. Why? Well one day you may wish to transfer your domain name to another web hosting provider and your current web host may not take kindly to this. It is not unusual in such cases for the web host to charge a transfer fee and even in extreme cases to unequivocally refuse the transfer of your domain name. If such a situation arises you can report the offending party to the International Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

The Domain Name Game

Cutesy Artsy Domain Names

Bottom line...your domain name is your online identity, so try to choose something that is memorable, fares well with the search engines, and also inspires confidence and respect.

To Dot.com or Not to Dot.com

On a final note, if you anticipate a lot of your traffic is going to come via word-of-mouth referral, you might consider registering similar domain names and redirecting to your main url (e.g. [http://www.africasafarizone.com] and [http://www.africansafarizone.com]) before cyber-squatters (people who register domain names in hopes of selling them for a profit) get wind of your growing success and beat you to it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/206937 by Ba Kiwanuka

Domain Name Basics You Must Know

The Domain Name System was originally developed to help us navigate through the internet. Every computer connected to the internet has it's own IP address, a string of numbers that identify it to other computers. Domain names are a way of pointing to a specific IP address to make things easier to remember - so now you shop at Amazon.com, instead of at 207.171.166.102!

The domain name is made of two parts, the name and the extension.The name is whatever you choose, it can be your personal name, your business name, a term or a saying. When choosing a domain, be careful to select something that is easy to remember and is representative of you or your business. There are numerous resources to help in choosing a great name, search Google.com for the term "choosing a domain name".

The extension is the part that comes after the name, the most familiar extension is '.com'. There are many extensions, some available only to educational institutions (.edu) or to citizens of specific countries. The most common domain extensions registered now are .com, .net, .org, .info, and .biz. It is often recommended that when you choose a domain name, you register as many of the popular extensions as you can, to protect your brand.

WHY would I want a domain name?

The main reason that people register domain names is because they are building a website, but there are other reasons, too. The registration of domain names has become relatively inexpensive, and the variety of uses for them has expanded. Some people register domain names for email only, so they can have a personalized email address. John Doe can now get email at john@johndoe.com, for example. Websites themselves have evolved in such a way that anyone can set up and maintain their own personal spot on the web - it isn't just for businesses anymore. Blogging and forums (bulletin boards) have become very popular ways for people to communicate with friends and family, post pictures, and share other information; and having your own domain name makes finding your blog easy. Web hosting companies offer personal accounts that allow you to have email, create a blog, and even build your own personal website at very low prices.

Even if you don't plan on having a website now, registering your domain name is a good idea - you never know what you may wish to do in the future, from starting a home business to wanting to post pictures of your grandchildren. As more domains are registered, it becomes more challenging to find the exact name you want. You can register a domain for from one to ten years, and registering now ensures it will be there for you when you're ready!

WHO should I buy my domain name from?

Domain name registrars are plentiful on the internet, but make sure you register with an ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) Accredited Registrar, and register in your own name and email address. There are people who may act on your behalf to register a name for you (such as a webmaster), but be sure they register it in your name, not theirs. Even if you want to distance yourself from the everyday operations of your website and domain, you will still want to be the real owner of that name. Domain registration is very easy on the internet, using the registrar's website interface to choose your name and place your order, even the least techno-savvy can get through it. Don't be afraid!

Domain registrars offer a tool to check to see if the name you want is available, or if it is already owned by someone else. If a domain is available, you will be asked to purchase or register it. You may see the option to transfer a domain listed instead. If you register a domain name with one registrar, and later decide you'd like to move, or transfer, that domain to another registrar to receive different services, you have that option. But you must actually own that domain name in order to be able to transfer it. Many people have made the mistake of thinking that if they choose transfer, the domain will be taken away from it's current owner and given to them - this is simply not possible, nor would you want it to happen to your own domain!

So then, Who owns the domain name I want? And how can I get it? are becoming questions that are heard more often. There is a tool called a WHOIS Lookup that can tell you who currently owns a domain name, and WHOIS tools can be found on the web - search for them on Google.com, and you'll see. Buying a domain that is currently owned by someone else is no longer out of the question, either. Many domain owners are willing to sell their domains, and often list the domains for sale with various domain sale and auction services. There are also services that will accept a backorder for a domain. These services allow you to list your desired domain with them, and if that domain expires and becomes available, the service will try to register it for you. These systems work like a lottery - or more precisely, like a concert ticket system. When the tickets go on sale, everyone is trying to get the front row center seat, but only one can get it. Drop or backorder services do the same thing, all competing for the same domain name. If you choose to try for an expiring domain, research several of these services and register with as many as you can. Remember there is sometimes a fee above and beyond the registration price when you use one of these services.

HOW to keep your domain name in good health (or the care and feeding of a domain name).

First and foremost, now that you've got your domain name, be sure not to lose it! The most common way for people to lose a domain name is by not renewing it before it expires. When you register the domain name, you will be asked to provide an administrative email contact. All future correspondence relating to your domain name will be sent to that address, including expiration notices. If you change email addresses and do not update your address with your domain registrar, notices will never reach you. Likewise, you should always update any change of physical address or phone number with your domain registrar, just in case. Put your registrar on your list of places you would inform if you were to move, and you will avoid this common trap.

Another common way to run into trouble is by falling victim to a competing registrar's advertising. Sometimes unscrupulous companies will send out email or physical letters informing you that your domain will expire soon, and asking you to renew it by transferring it into their domain system. These letters can be very persuasive, convincing domain owners that they must follow the instructions in the letter or they will lose the domain name. Often these cheaters charge a higher fee than your real registrar, and don't offer a refund once you've paid them for a transfer, even if you don't use it. The best way to avoid this scam is simply to know who your registrar is, and only respond to requests made by them. Keep a copy of your first registration letter in your files, so you can refer to it later if you have any doubts.

The Domain Name System has truly evolved since its inception, and now having a domain name has become a standard for individuals as well as businesses. Your domain name is your personality, your identity, your calling card in the internet world. Choose it wisely and take care of it, and you'll spend many happy years together!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/365666 By Debbi Sullivan

Know about different web hosting services

There are different types of web hosting available in the internet now a days. Choosing a suitable web hosting provider depends on what kind of website you need: blog, hobby, corporate portal or e-commerce site. Most common types of web hosting are: free, shared and dedicated hosting. In free web hosting service, for example, they host place their own ads on the user's web pages which can be annoying for any visitor of the site. The other plans offer tools, support, various features and bandwidth but charge monthly fees.

Free Web Hosting

Free hosting is the most basic web hosting service. Banners ads are very common on free website hosting services. There are a few free web hosting providers today which provide excellent options but that is the exception to the rule. Most free plans do not provide users with databases, multiple e-mail accounts, or the ability to run any scripting language. The type of domain one receives in this free form of service is typically a free sub-domain (yoursite.webhost.com) or a directory (www.webhost.com/~yoursite) which is difficult to remember and not good for branding and marketing. For professional web sites, my recommendation is to avoid free web hosting services. Put a small investment for cheap web hosting instead to run your own site, which in the long run will make you happier and more satisfied.

Shared Web Hosting

Shared hosting is the most popular basic type of web hosting. In many cases, it permits one or more than one site to be hosted on the same server. In shared hosting, web hosts provide system administration and the server maintenance. Main benefits of shared web hosting are scripting features which allow using different types of files written in different programming language and platforms such as CGI, ASP, PHP, Perl, Javascript etc. There are also database support such as MySQL, SQL server etc. Shared hosting plans also offer large bandwidth, and multiple e-mail address capability along with own top level domain name. For a hosting company, shared hosting is a very good choice to offer affordable products and services to their clients while having more users on single server and thus having less overhead costs. Therefore, cheap web hosting services offer shared type of hosting.

Dedicated Web Hosting

Dedicated web hosting is very good option for someone who wants more storage, bandwidth and control over the hosting server. The advantages of having dedicated web hosting over shared web hosting are mainly having more space, unlimited databases and email addresses as well as unlimited bandwidth. There are two types of dedicated web hosting plans: managed web hosting and unmanaged web hosting. Managed hosting is controlled by the hosting company. In the unmanaged form, the user is the server administrator, which permit the user to have maximum control and flexibility but it require the user to be an expert web server administrator. Therefore, unmanaged hosting is a bit complicated and requires more user expertise. Therefore, managed web hosting is more popular than the unmanaged dedicated hosting plans, but still dedicated web hosting is far better in terms of the features, support, reliability, and control.

Domain Hosting Tips