Domain Registration & SEO

[dallyman]

Ok, so you want to register a new domain and you have the most slam dunk business that will make Google look like child's play. So you go to your webhosting provider and tell them that you want imgonnamakeatonofmoney.com and viola, its available! (some more on the domain name length later). So you pay the $7.95 (approx) fee and you are well on your way. But hold on. If I am opening a brick and mortar business and I sign a lease for one year as opposed to 10 years, what are my chances of getting a cheaper lease for 1 year as opposed to 10 years? Similarly, if you register your domain for 5 or more years, the search engines give your domain added credibility (shall I say some miniscule preference?) simply because they know that your business will at least be in existence for 5 or more years. Compared to the cost, ($50.00 for 5 years), this is a wise investment. Although the edge may not be great in registering the domain name for multiple years but in this competitive market of keyword and key phrase positioning, any little edge may help.

Back to domain name length. If I am in a noisy bar, or a seminar in front of thousands of people and I must repetitively and verbally give someone my website address/domain name, I want it to be easy to remember. Similarly, if my website comes up in search and my website SOOO great that people generate a verbal buzz about my website, I would like an easy to remember domain name. If my domain name is: imgonnamakeatonofmoneyandputgoogleinthepoorhouse.c om, NO ONE will remember this -- its too long. Of course, the previous fictitious domain name is exaggerated but how about : Lowest-Travel-Fares-On-The-Internet.COM (I have absolutely no affiliation with this website) This domain name will be easily forgotten if it is found either in a returned search result or by word of mouth. If my domain name is: pbkg.com, (again, no affiliation), it will be remembered. A large part of SEO is practical marketing techniques, knowing your customer and just plain common sense.

[GAVIN]

:confused:Hi guys,

Could do with some adivce....

My domain names are coming to an end and I need re-new them. I do not want to re-register with the same company as they are really expensive.
Am I right in thinking that I can just re-direct the domain name to a new company then re-buy???

Can anyone please help...

Cheers
Gavin

[NewKidOnTheBlock]

Interesting question (at least to me). I've often pondered the possibility of using different registrars for my sites to lower the risk of something major happening to me (that way the chance of something major happening to one of your sites..if a registrar goes bust or something...is bigger, but the risk of something major happening to all of your sites is virtually zero).

However, I didnt do anything like that from the get-go because I thought itd just cause me to overthink (which I tend to do) and people always told me it'd be no problem whatsoever to move the domain from one registrar to another. So I assume it works without any real trouble? Or is there any reason for concern if one wants to do something like that?

Another question about safety of domains/sites that I need to ask..that Ive asked before...but never got a good enough explanation to understand it is this:

Ive been told that using third party DNS (additionally to using a seperate host and seperate registrar) was a good idea for site safety. I first heard about it from somebody whos biiiig on safety over at wmw (who would mention it again after that one major registrar really did go bust a couple months ago).

However, I've never really gotten a straightforward yes or no to this question:

Say youre using a diff. company for your domain registration and a diff. company for your DNS (third party DNS)....would you lower your risk of losing the domain, because if the registrar goes bust you still have the DNS...and if the DNS provider goes bust you still own the domain name? And as long as you still have either the domain name or the DNS youre in control of your domain and could get either a new DNS or a new registrar without any problem?

Does anybody have an answer to this one?

(after my exams are over I promise I'll do some homework on learning about the domain name system!lol)

[beu]

Depending on your registrar you have a 30-60 grace period after the expiration date to renew in some cases. IMPORTANT TO CHECK EITHER WAY! Be sure your name is listed as the "Registrant" otherwise you are simply renting a domain name from someone else who is actually the owner. I you aren't the registrant you don't own your domain name. Read your terms and conditions, transfer details can be different based on your contract. If you've got a little extra $, might not be a bad idea to renew for 9 years. Then every year or so renew for an extra year. If you are really paranoid, back order your own domain name. If your domain name is unique you might even consider trademarking the "word" before the ".com" as you "can't" trademark domain names.

Hope that helps! ;)

[GAVIN]

Hi guys,
this is all great news!

Thanks for all your help and input.

gareth