Your domain name is an important (and critical) feature to your blogging success. Without a registered domain name, nobody would be able to access your web site. Additionally, to ensure your maximum exposure (search engines and the like), your domain should be:

• easy to remember
• be related to the content
• reinforce your branding
• not easy to confuse
• easy to spell

All too often someone has spent the time to thoroughly research their domain name and had someone register the name on their behalf. Another scenario is that the developers have researched and registered the domain. But what happens if the relationship breaks down or the developer’s business closes?

I’ve often encountered domain name issues , as well as mediated such disputes between clients and their former site or blog developers. Invariably the scenario involves a breakdown in communication in which the rightful owner realizes that they don’t have control over their domains. In other cases the domain name is held for ransom and in others the original developer is no longer in business, among many other scenarios.

Recently I was contacted by a client who needed more cost effective and responsive hosting. The primary issue at hand was that the original developer had passed away and there was nobody to update their site or tend to hosting related issues. Upon examination, I found that the domain was not registered directly to them and as such (from a technical perspective) they did not appear to be the rightful owners. This resulted in the inability to move to a different hosting provider. They had no usernames or passwords to access and edit the domain name records, they had no current payment receipts proving their ownership, nor did they even know who the real hosting provider or domain registrar was. The hosting service was a resold account from a third party provider. The domain name was also resold from a third party. I was able to return control of the domain back to them, but it took three weeks of phone calling and faxing to the registrar to accomplish this, additionally it did help to garner the support of the hosting company.

How did this happen? What are some of the caveats?

When you have a domain name registered on your behalf by a third party, make sure that the email address used for the “Administrative Contact” is YOUR email address. This ensures that any transfer of the domain (to someone else) needs to be approved by you (because you get the email request). Additionally, this also enables you to change other information pertaining to your domain name registration record.

In the above case, the client did not have their email registered as the Administrative Contact (or as the Registrant). In fact the developer used his name, email address and other personal credentials within the registration record. In my opinion this is a big no-no! What happens if the developer is unable to provide services? Can a blog or site owner really wait for an extended time period to gain access to their domain name so they can move to a new hosting provider?

I’m not suggesting that the world of web developers or designers is frought with unscrupulous characters intent on seizing control of your valuable domain names. Rather I’m suggesting that you ensure you’re involved in the registration process, that you ensure you protect your interests. For those not familiar with hosting systems, there will always be a learning curve. Avoiding that learning curve could in some cases be very costly!

When registering a domain name, or having someone register it on your behalf, make sure you are aware of the following:

The Registrant is the legal owner of the domain. The Registrant should always be you, your business, etc. NOT your web developer, web designer, hosting company or anyone else. Period!

The Administrative Contact has the credentials and access to change the domain record information. This should be you, your business, etc. NOT your web developer, web designer, hosting company or anyone else.

As I alluded above, the web developer had listed himself as the owner and administrator of the domain, which resulted in the client having to wait an excessive time to garner access to the domain. And I may add it was only through shear “consideration” on the part of the registrar that they obtained access to their domain prior to it’s expiry and (hopeful) re-registration.

The Technical Contact should be the individual with the technical knowledge to resolve issues with the domain (commonly the hosting provider).

Are you currently listed as the Registrant and Administrative Contact of your domain name? If not, your name could be at risk. Here is one of the tools I use to help clients view their registration records: whois.domaintools.com