When you want to publish a website or blog pages on internet, you need domain name. However, there are many social media and content publishing platforms like Facebook, WordPress which allow you to publish web pages without purchasing you own domain name. Is it a good idea to use such platforms or should you go and buy your own domain name? Let us address these questions about acquiring domain name and domain registration.
Domain registration is must because domain name is your brand
Are you OK to have any name to your business/company without much thinking? No. The name is an identity for your products and services. Your name coupled with logo( colours also make a lot of difference) help your consumer fans to distinguish you from others in the crowded market. We humans are very attached to words and its associations. We refer a photocopying machine as Xerox machine, an insurance as LIC or packaged drinking water as Bisleri. So name wins!
Hence, owning your unique domain name is an excellent decision. What are the advantages of doing the domain registration?
Evidence of Authenticity and Legitimacy due to domain registration
Publishing your contents about business on social media or blogging platform without having your own domain name (resonating with your brand) may look little unprofessional. These platforms host contents which are on varied subjects and kind of informal in nature. A business which do not want to purchase its authentic domain name would be seen with doubt.
When you own a domain name which is similar to your brand name/business name, it looks more professional, authentic so that old and new customers can easily trust the website and pages.
Unique, easy to remember domain name
When you publish the contents on third party platforms, the website address or URL would be lengthy and difficult to remember. This can prove to be an issue for users to remember and come back to your website. Easy to remember name with strong association with your brand is must.
Do domain registration and you control the brand online
When you use the free domain name and host your contents on some third party platforms, it is a risky proposition. If this web platform decides to shutdown tomorrow, all your efforts will go down the drain. Secondly, you have to be careful in checking the policy for content ownership. If these third party websites claim ownership of the contents hosted/publish on their website, you have no way to move it to some other place.
Buying and selling domain names is million dollar business
There were many cases in the past where a domain name purchased at some tens of dollars was auctioned for thousands of dollars at the later date. When you buy a domain name you get rights of using it exclusively till you hold the rights. For this, you do the domain registration, buy the domain for some specific duration and then keep renewing it.
People not only buy unique names resonating with their businesses, but kind of block similar names by buying them too. They perform domain registration for similar domain keywords so that competitors do not get their hands on them.
Transferring domain name
If you already have hosted some contents on public platforms without doing your own domain registration, do not worry. All good hosting providers will facilitate the transfer of contents from old domain to newer when you buy one.
Keep tab on Domain Registration and Renew
Cost of domain registration is peanuts as compared to the benefits you get. Having your own domain name for your current business is always good. Keep a tab on the expiry of your domain name and renew it in time. Otherwise, someone else may own it and you would be in trouble.
Beyond this, if you are thinking on some great ideas for future business, you may think of acquiring those names too. Who knows this may turn out to be a goldmine in future!
