In order for people to access a website, they must first enter in its associated domain name. This is a word or phrase that denotes the name of the site and/or summarizes what it is about. Even free web hosting companies offer domain names, but there's an essential difference. With free web hosting companies, the domain names offered are in the form of third level domain names.
This means their domain name must be included when a person is trying to access the third level domain. The only problem with this is that it makes a domain name long and hard to remember. For this reason it's best if a person considers just buying their own domain name. And with the availability of cheap domain names, it is possible to get one that is very affordable.
Cheap domain names can range from being completely free to around $6.95. Usually free domain names that are worth anything are included with a web hosting package. So, a customer is technically still paying a fee. The other types of domain names that require a fee can be purchased separately without a web hosting package. The prices for these start at $1.00 and go up from there.
When a person purchases a cheap domain name, the overall registration process is the same as it would be for regularly-priced domains. This means that first they would have to see if their domain name is available. To do this they must enter in their desired domain name in a special text box, then select the extension they want. If the domain name is available, they are free to purchase it. If it is not available, they will have to choose another domain name. Cheap domain name companies will offer suggestions on alternative domain names when this scenario occurs.
Are there any downsides to using cheap domain names? Unfortunately, yes. If a cheap domain name company is unscrupulous, a person may never receive a domain name at all. What happens is the company tells the customer to wait a few days for the domain name to become active. However, at the end of the timeframe, the domain name still doesn't work. And since the company is unscrupulous anyway, emailing customer service won't do anything.
How can a person ensure they don't encounter a fraudulent cheap domain name company? First and foremost they need to check to see if it is registered with the Better Business Bureau. This is an organization that ensures businesses are operating in a legitimate manner. Secondly, they need to see if the company has normal contact information, such as an address and a telephone number. Thirdly, they should see if the company has a bad reputation on message board dedicated to webmasters. Of course, one may not always get an opinion on a particular company but if they do they will know to stay clear of it.
Yet, if a cheap domain name company is legitimate, there is no other disadvantage to getting a discounted domain name. They work just like regularly priced domain names, so if a person has one available to them they definitely need to take advantage of it.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Bulk Domain Name Registration
Most Internet marketing gurus know the importance of using a domain name. However, only the experts use bulk domain names when marketing their website. How do things work if one is using bulk domain names? Basically, with the bulk domain name tactic, dozens maybe even hundreds of domain names point to one site. The practice is completely legal, (since ICANN places no limitations on how many domain names a person can register), and could even boost search engine listings. This is because search engine bots have more URLs they can find that relate to a particular website.
So, how can a person get started with bulk domain name registration? Well, if they have money, it's best if they go to a bulk domain name company. These are better than traditional domain name companies, because they are specially designed to help webmaster better manage their bulk domain name campaigns. With a bulk domain name company, webmasters can manage up to 10,000 domain names in just one account. This includes placing them in related groups, alphabetizing them or viewing which ones are going to expire first. An example of an excellent service offering these features is DomainNext.com.
If a person doesn't have money, they will need to consider other means of bulk domain name registration. For example, they could try to get maybe 100 or so domain names from domain name registrars charging just a dollar. This would mean the initial fees would be $100, which is an affordable amount for most people. They could also consider getting a series of free domain names. However, they must be aware that many free domain name providers will places ads on a site as well as contain an extension that is not traditional.
There may also be a limit to how many free domain names a person can register. Either way, webmasters may want to consider pointing free domain names to a second site that relates to whatever they are promoting. They can advertise the domain name to their main site. With this method they can take advantage of free bulk domain names without having to worry about bombarding their original site with advertisements.
It should be noted that if a person does not get free bulk domain names, they will have to pay renewal fees once their domain names expire. If a person got a number of bulk domain names they can handle, this may not be an issue. However, if it is, they can consider selling their domain names on domain name auction sites. They will lose the marketing advantage, but at least they will get an opportunity to save money.
In conclusion, bulk domain name registration can be a way for webmasters to help corner the Internet market. They can go about registering several paid domains and/or free domains. Regardless, they should also make sure that their site contains other elements that make for good Internet marketing. This includes being keyword-optimized and containing several inbound links. Without doing these things, bulk domain name registration in and of itself will only bring limited results.
So, how can a person get started with bulk domain name registration? Well, if they have money, it's best if they go to a bulk domain name company. These are better than traditional domain name companies, because they are specially designed to help webmaster better manage their bulk domain name campaigns. With a bulk domain name company, webmasters can manage up to 10,000 domain names in just one account. This includes placing them in related groups, alphabetizing them or viewing which ones are going to expire first. An example of an excellent service offering these features is DomainNext.com.
If a person doesn't have money, they will need to consider other means of bulk domain name registration. For example, they could try to get maybe 100 or so domain names from domain name registrars charging just a dollar. This would mean the initial fees would be $100, which is an affordable amount for most people. They could also consider getting a series of free domain names. However, they must be aware that many free domain name providers will places ads on a site as well as contain an extension that is not traditional.
There may also be a limit to how many free domain names a person can register. Either way, webmasters may want to consider pointing free domain names to a second site that relates to whatever they are promoting. They can advertise the domain name to their main site. With this method they can take advantage of free bulk domain names without having to worry about bombarding their original site with advertisements.
It should be noted that if a person does not get free bulk domain names, they will have to pay renewal fees once their domain names expire. If a person got a number of bulk domain names they can handle, this may not be an issue. However, if it is, they can consider selling their domain names on domain name auction sites. They will lose the marketing advantage, but at least they will get an opportunity to save money.
In conclusion, bulk domain name registration can be a way for webmasters to help corner the Internet market. They can go about registering several paid domains and/or free domains. Regardless, they should also make sure that their site contains other elements that make for good Internet marketing. This includes being keyword-optimized and containing several inbound links. Without doing these things, bulk domain name registration in and of itself will only bring limited results.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Avoiding Trademark Infringement When Choosing a Domain Name
Many webmasters erroneously believe that just because their domain name registrar says a particular domain name is 'available' that it truly is. This is not necessarily so. Even if a domain name is physically available, it may not legally be open for use. Why? It's because there might already be a company that has the rights to the keywords used within the domain name.
If this happens yet the webmaster claims the domain name anyway, they are at risk of losing it through a domain name arbitration proceeding. They could even be charged with trademark/copyright infringement if things get really ugly. For this reason it's best to make sure the keywords used in a domain name aren't protected for someone else. This article will explain how webmasters can make such a determination.
First, webmasters need to check and see if their chosen domain name resembles any existing trademark that is on the books. They will want to do this before actually investing any money in the domain name. To search existing trademarks, webmasters can visit the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which is USPTO.gov. From here they can search a database that contains current trademarks as well as those that are pending.
If a domain name is similar to a registered or pending trademark, webmasters need to evaluate whether the domain name is still worth taking. Usually, if a site is not selling the same types of merchandise or services that the other business is selling and the trademark is not popular, a webmaster probably won't get into legal trouble if they decide to go on and register the domain name. To be completely sure, webmasters can run the domain name by a trademark attorney. It shouldn't cost too much for an hour consultation.
Of course, if a webmaster would prefer zero percent risk, they can simply try to think of another domain name. When they go about doing this, they need to be more generic and less creative in what they come up with. Using search engine keywords for a domain name is one such strategy. Webmasters can also look into using dictionary terms. If all else fails they can take a generic term and combine it with a term that is less likely to be taken, such as their first and last name.
Either way, once a suitable domain name has been chosen, webmasters should consider getting it trademarked themselves, especially if they are using it to help brand their business. With an official trademark, a webmaster has more legal power should another company try to take them to court. And since there's no shortage of domain name bullies, (companies that try to steal profitable domain names from smaller enterprises), a webmaster should use all legal avenues available to protect the rights of their business.
In conclusion, by checking whether or not a domain name has keywords that are part of a trademark, webmasters lessen the risk that they will have legal problems in the future. If there are problems, and a domain name arbitration proceeding does not rule in a webmaster's favor, they can turn to The Domain Name Rights Coalition.
If this happens yet the webmaster claims the domain name anyway, they are at risk of losing it through a domain name arbitration proceeding. They could even be charged with trademark/copyright infringement if things get really ugly. For this reason it's best to make sure the keywords used in a domain name aren't protected for someone else. This article will explain how webmasters can make such a determination.
First, webmasters need to check and see if their chosen domain name resembles any existing trademark that is on the books. They will want to do this before actually investing any money in the domain name. To search existing trademarks, webmasters can visit the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which is USPTO.gov. From here they can search a database that contains current trademarks as well as those that are pending.
If a domain name is similar to a registered or pending trademark, webmasters need to evaluate whether the domain name is still worth taking. Usually, if a site is not selling the same types of merchandise or services that the other business is selling and the trademark is not popular, a webmaster probably won't get into legal trouble if they decide to go on and register the domain name. To be completely sure, webmasters can run the domain name by a trademark attorney. It shouldn't cost too much for an hour consultation.
Of course, if a webmaster would prefer zero percent risk, they can simply try to think of another domain name. When they go about doing this, they need to be more generic and less creative in what they come up with. Using search engine keywords for a domain name is one such strategy. Webmasters can also look into using dictionary terms. If all else fails they can take a generic term and combine it with a term that is less likely to be taken, such as their first and last name.
Either way, once a suitable domain name has been chosen, webmasters should consider getting it trademarked themselves, especially if they are using it to help brand their business. With an official trademark, a webmaster has more legal power should another company try to take them to court. And since there's no shortage of domain name bullies, (companies that try to steal profitable domain names from smaller enterprises), a webmaster should use all legal avenues available to protect the rights of their business.
In conclusion, by checking whether or not a domain name has keywords that are part of a trademark, webmasters lessen the risk that they will have legal problems in the future. If there are problems, and a domain name arbitration proceeding does not rule in a webmaster's favor, they can turn to The Domain Name Rights Coalition.
Domain Name Servers: The Basics
Technically, domain names aren't necessary to access a website. This is because with or without them, all websites can be accessed by their corresponding IP address. What is an IP address? It is a 32-bit numerical identifier that indicates what machine a website is on. The only problem is that for a human these numbers, (which come in a series of 4 octets), can be extremely hard to remember. This is why domain names were created. With a domain name a person can access a website through a word or phrase, which offers much more convenience than decimated octets.
In order for domain names to work, they must use domain name servers, (also known as DNS). These are special computers that store data pertaining to domain names and the IP addresses they point to. It does this through a process known as reverse mapping. What happens is after a domain name is entered, the domain name server will look up its corresponding IP address in a directory service. It will also correspond with other domain name services to see if they have 'knowledge' of the IP address. This process is known as a distributed database, since no 'official' entity is responsible for updating information on other domain name servers.
How can a computer be turned into a domain name server? It has to run DNS software. The most common DNS software is BIND, (which stands for Berkeley Internet Name Domain). This, (along with other types of DNS software), works in a hierarchal fashion. The beginning of the hierarchy contains the character ''. It is called the system's root. Underneath the root there are the domain extension such as .com, .org, .net or .biz.
A domain name server must also have client computers to help conduct its operation. These client computers are called nameservers and resolvers. Nameservers are responsible for locating a domain name's IP address. The resolvers, on the other hand, stores a list of all other nameservers on the Internet. This list is used to help contact these nameservers should a domain name's IP address not be stored in the initial domain name server.
Should a web hosting company bother in investing in a domain name server? It depends on how large their operation is. Smaller-scale web hosting companies probably won't get much from such an investment. However, if a company wants to attain the type of status that sites like Godaddy.com have attained, it may want to consider spending the money. Companies can get domain name servers from enterprises that sell regular servers.
In conclusion, the domain name server can be considered the heart of domain name functioning. Without them there would be no way a domain name would be associated with an IP address, which is what is really responsible for identifying computers on a network. This does not mean it's essential for a web hosting company to invest in one, especially since there are so many cheap domain name services they could use instead. Yet, if they do get a domain name server, they would have the ability to sell web hosting as well as domain names to their customers.
In order for domain names to work, they must use domain name servers, (also known as DNS). These are special computers that store data pertaining to domain names and the IP addresses they point to. It does this through a process known as reverse mapping. What happens is after a domain name is entered, the domain name server will look up its corresponding IP address in a directory service. It will also correspond with other domain name services to see if they have 'knowledge' of the IP address. This process is known as a distributed database, since no 'official' entity is responsible for updating information on other domain name servers.
How can a computer be turned into a domain name server? It has to run DNS software. The most common DNS software is BIND, (which stands for Berkeley Internet Name Domain). This, (along with other types of DNS software), works in a hierarchal fashion. The beginning of the hierarchy contains the character ''. It is called the system's root. Underneath the root there are the domain extension such as .com, .org, .net or .biz.
A domain name server must also have client computers to help conduct its operation. These client computers are called nameservers and resolvers. Nameservers are responsible for locating a domain name's IP address. The resolvers, on the other hand, stores a list of all other nameservers on the Internet. This list is used to help contact these nameservers should a domain name's IP address not be stored in the initial domain name server.
Should a web hosting company bother in investing in a domain name server? It depends on how large their operation is. Smaller-scale web hosting companies probably won't get much from such an investment. However, if a company wants to attain the type of status that sites like Godaddy.com have attained, it may want to consider spending the money. Companies can get domain name servers from enterprises that sell regular servers.
In conclusion, the domain name server can be considered the heart of domain name functioning. Without them there would be no way a domain name would be associated with an IP address, which is what is really responsible for identifying computers on a network. This does not mean it's essential for a web hosting company to invest in one, especially since there are so many cheap domain name services they could use instead. Yet, if they do get a domain name server, they would have the ability to sell web hosting as well as domain names to their customers.
All About Mobile Domain Names
When the Internet first came out it was restricted to a wired connection to a computer. Eventually technology improved, creating wireless Internet. At that point the Internet could be accessible through desktops, laptops and mobile devices without wiring. This means that the Internet was now portable. And as more mobile devices are getting created, consumers are exploring how to increase this portability. In fact, wireless Internet has gotten so popular with mobile devices, domain name companies have created a new extension. It's called .mobi.
.Mobi is the extension of choice for websites that are being formatted for cell phones, pdas and other mobile devices. It can be bought from most major domain name companies such as Godaddy or Network Solutions. As far as registering a .mobi domain name, one would go through the same type of procedure that is associated with traditional domain names. This involves first choosing a .mobi domain name and seeing if it is available.
If it is not available, the domain name company will offer suggestions on what a person can use. Either way, the customer will be given another chance to select another .mobi domain name. Once they get one that is not taken, they can proceed to purchase it. The contract will last one to two years, depending on what they agreed upon with the domain name company. When the contract is up, a person will have to renew their .mobi domain name if they want to continue to keep it.
So, why would a webmaster decide to invest in a domain name that is restricted to mobile devices? Well, it's mainly because they get an opportunity to center in on a market that is relatively new. Since most webmasters or companies are trying to take advantage of the .coms or the .nets, the .mobi has become somewhat forgotten. This means that it is prime for search engine keywords that would normally not be available for traditional domain names. It can also allow a webmaster a branding opportunity for their company.
However, since a .mobi domain name means a webmaster is creating a website specially designed for a mobile phone, it cannot have the types of frills that it could have if it was being promoted on a computer. Good mobile websites need to be mostly textual with very limited number of pics, (if any). Granted, plain text is not fancy, but it doesn't require much loading time. Mobile phone sites should also not be very large nor should they be created with frames or other more complicated layouts.
A webmaster may also want to consider trying to divert the mobile website visitor to a regular website. One way this can be done is by advertising the domain name that is associated with a traditional website. But it must be made clear that the site will only display appropriately on regular computers. Another option is trying to capture the person's email address by offering them something free, such as an e-book or low-cost merchandise.
When they sign up to the email subscription, their first newsletter could advertise the traditional website a webmaster wants promoted. By doing either of these options, webmasters can still take advantage of pay-per-clicks or affiliate programs, revenue generators which may not be promoted on .mobi websites due to viewing limitations with banner or text ads.
.Mobi is the extension of choice for websites that are being formatted for cell phones, pdas and other mobile devices. It can be bought from most major domain name companies such as Godaddy or Network Solutions. As far as registering a .mobi domain name, one would go through the same type of procedure that is associated with traditional domain names. This involves first choosing a .mobi domain name and seeing if it is available.
If it is not available, the domain name company will offer suggestions on what a person can use. Either way, the customer will be given another chance to select another .mobi domain name. Once they get one that is not taken, they can proceed to purchase it. The contract will last one to two years, depending on what they agreed upon with the domain name company. When the contract is up, a person will have to renew their .mobi domain name if they want to continue to keep it.
So, why would a webmaster decide to invest in a domain name that is restricted to mobile devices? Well, it's mainly because they get an opportunity to center in on a market that is relatively new. Since most webmasters or companies are trying to take advantage of the .coms or the .nets, the .mobi has become somewhat forgotten. This means that it is prime for search engine keywords that would normally not be available for traditional domain names. It can also allow a webmaster a branding opportunity for their company.
However, since a .mobi domain name means a webmaster is creating a website specially designed for a mobile phone, it cannot have the types of frills that it could have if it was being promoted on a computer. Good mobile websites need to be mostly textual with very limited number of pics, (if any). Granted, plain text is not fancy, but it doesn't require much loading time. Mobile phone sites should also not be very large nor should they be created with frames or other more complicated layouts.
A webmaster may also want to consider trying to divert the mobile website visitor to a regular website. One way this can be done is by advertising the domain name that is associated with a traditional website. But it must be made clear that the site will only display appropriately on regular computers. Another option is trying to capture the person's email address by offering them something free, such as an e-book or low-cost merchandise.
When they sign up to the email subscription, their first newsletter could advertise the traditional website a webmaster wants promoted. By doing either of these options, webmasters can still take advantage of pay-per-clicks or affiliate programs, revenue generators which may not be promoted on .mobi websites due to viewing limitations with banner or text ads.
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