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If you're interested in starting a website for your company or even just for your own personal use, there are a few things you'll have to do first. One of the first steps you'll have to take is to register a domain name. Domain names, also referred to as Internet or web addresses, are the lines you type into your browser to let it know where to go. These usually start with www, and end in .com, .org, .uk, or any number of other extensions. When you're starting a new website, you'll have to make sure the web address you want is not already taken by another website. First check on your own – type in the address you'd like to have, and see if anything comes up. Keep doing this until you find one that's not taken. When you have an address that works, it's time to go to a domain provider.
Different domain providers offer varying levels of service. Some offer only the bare service of registering the domain name, and require you to perform all requisite design and hosting operations on your own. Many offer web storage as well, allowing you to use their servers to store your website. Unless you have the kind of 24 / 7 Internet access and server technology it takes to host a website yourself, you're going to have to use a web hosting company to keep your website online. Some web hosting companies even offer web design services for an extra fee, allowing you to focus on nothing but the actual content of your site, while others may register you for access by popular web search engines.
When you're looking for a web hosting service, it's a good idea to find one that offers telephone support. If something goes wrong with your website, you don't want to spend hours trying to figure it out online yourself – instead, you want to be able to call the service directly and talk with a real person who can help you solve your problems.
You may also want to consider using a local UK based service rather than overseas companies such as those found in the US or India. Local web hosting services are more likely to understand your specific needs and the unique aspects of web hosting in the UK. ICANN accreditation is especially good to look for, as are local TLD accreditations such as that held by the massive UK Company Nominet. Nominet is responsible for the .uk web suffix, and is the fourth largest registration company in the world.
Prices vary widely depending on how much and how good the service is that you expect to get. For a simple registration – keep in mind that this requires you to have your own server and design technology – companies like Nominet may charge as little as two or three pounds a year. If you're looking for the more standard options, though, including web hosting and search engine registration, expect to pay around ten pounds a year. Considering cable and broadband bills these days, ten pounds is pocket change. So register your website today and place your company on the cutting edge of the modern marketplace.
Now there are hundreds of domain name registrars to choose from, and they offer registration for as little as about $10 a year, along with free parking, domain monetization, free email, domain locking , domain protection and other services.
But how do you know which registrars are reliable and give you the best deal? With the example of registerfly.com fresh in their minds, many people who want to register a domain name need to be sure that any name they do register will not be lost, or will not become impossible to transfer if the registrar has problems.
While all registrars must be approved by ICANN, that approval does not guarantee you will get a reasonably priced service with good support.
So, how can you choose a good one? Here are some tips on selecting a reliable registrar. They may help you to avoid problems in the future.
First, don't use the same company to register your domain and host your site. This happens when you sign up with a host which offers 'a free domain of your choice', and they register it for you. Web hosting services are notoriously unstable, and if a hosting service goes down it may be difficult or impossible to retrieve your domain. This has happened to me twice, and though I eventually got my domains back, it is an experience I don't recommend.
Second, remember that domain registrars can be cautious, and even supine in the face of complaints. If your site is to be controversial, contentious, political or sexual in nature, or will contain 'whistleblowing' material, ask a potential registrar if they believe in the principles of free speech, and discuss the nature of your site with them. Registrars can, and do, take sites down, often without hearing the owner's side of the story.
Third, check the prices. Look at all the available registrars, see what their prices are for a year, or for extended registration over a period of years. See what extra services are on offer, and what they cost. Private registrations particularly should not be costing you an inflated price. If you are going to register multiple domains, do you get a discount? Conversely, note that prices for domains have settled at about $9 or $10 a year. If a registrar is offering domains at a lot less that this, and is very new on the scene, be extra careful.
Fourth, check the domain name forums. Many people make a living trading domains, and it is in their interest to know what is going on. If there are rumors of a registrar being about to go under or having financial problems, you will soon see the relevant threads. On the other hand, you can often find registrar recommendations too, written by customers who are happy. If a registrar has a dedicated forum, have a look at it. Any problems will be apparent there.
Fifth, send a message to the Technical Support section of the potential registrar, as if you are a newbie. While the Sales section of any business will always reply to queries, it's the amount of resources given to their support that is of interest to you. If you get a reply from Technical Support in minutes, you may have a winner.
As for the last tip – make sure a registrar has a clearly stated process for transferring a domain away to another registrar if you ever want to do it. After all, it's your domain, not theirs.