Is your Domain really ever yours?

Choosing the right domain for your business can be a game-changer. It's plain to see why - if you manage to come up with a good and catchy name that represents your brand, while also being short and concise - you’ve hit the jackpot. 

Unfortunately, this is easier said than done. Why, you might be wondering? The truth is that really good and effective domain names are true gems. From all of the 628 million domains registered currently (these stats are updated in July 2023) only a tiny percentage are domains that have a real wow factor in their names. 

Coming up with a clever domain name is really hard currently. The reason is that most of the good domains are already bought and used by someone and the rest of the available domains are in the hands of domain resellers that are ready to trade those epic domain names for a hefty price tag.

But what exactly is a domain name?

Domain name definition:

When someone wants to find your website, they enter the domain name into the address bar of their web browser. Each domain name is exclusive and cannot be used by two websites concurrently, for example, “Google.com” or “CloudCart.com” are the respective domain names of the companies behind them.

Now, that you know the definition of a domain name and how hard is to get a good one, it is time to take a look at how to “defend” your own domain name, if you have already bought one.

You have your domain name idea (and it is free), now what?

If fortune had smiled on you and you had the chance to buy a domain name that suits perfectly your brand (or you just like it and decided to use it anyway), now it's time to protect it. And if you wonder how to check if you "own" the domain name, this is the right article for you.

Yes, you might be paying for it each year, but who actually owns the domain? Can it be taken by you? What happens if you miss to pay the domain fee? Let’s shed some light on all of those topics.

To begin with, even if you pay for your domain, that’s not enough to verify your ownership (especially if you are new to this whole “domain ownership" odyssey). There are some scenarios where your domain name can be in the hands of someone else.

In the next step we will show you how to check your domain ownership, but first, let’s discuss what to do if you find yourself not owning your domain.

In the event that you discover your domain information isn't associated with you or your business, there are a few potential scenarios:

Private Registration

‍If, when you make your research, you come across details like "Domains by Proxy" listed as the registrant, it's highly likely that the domain has a private registration. This safeguard of privacy keeps your contact details from being publicly visible. You should get in touch with your registrar to unveil the contact information linked to the private registration, which often resides in a separate account with distinct login credentials. 

Also, keep in mind that there is a service that allows you to hide your domain name information from being publicly accessible. If that’s the case, you might have activated it, when you purchased the domain or someone on your team might have done it in the past. In any case, make sure that your data is accurate and is linked to the domain ownership.

Host Takeover‍

On occasion, when a domain name is provided alongside your hosting account, the hosting service may insert their information as the registrant and administrative contact. Typically, you retain the capability to modify this information by accessing your account. Don't let the hosting provider persuade you to maintain it as is. Check if this is the case with your hosting and fix your domain ownership immediately.

Designer/Developer Interference‍

There are instances when unethical individuals might alter this information to their own without informing you. This action might stem from either ignorance or a deliberate intention to exert control over your domain name if your relationship fails. If you have worked with such experts (designers or developers) that had access to your store or website - check what is going on, you might save yourself a lot of headaches down the line.

How to actually check who owns the domain?

To do that, you have to conduct a WHOIS query (link provided below) and carefully examine the data displayed.

Link to WHOIS website: www.whois.com

Remember the domain privacy service we mentioned? If it's enabled, you might see the name of a generic company masking the true ownership details. This is designed to prevent malicious entities from extracting information from WHOIS lookups.

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Pro tip:

Displaying authentic ownership information serves as a small credibility indicator for Google. It can appear slightly dubious when ownership details are concealed. While not a significant concern, think about disabling privacy.

Key points to check in your WHOIS results.

First of all, ensure the credentials you have are up to date and functional, establish a plan to safeguard and maintain the information, and guarantee that a valid credit card is linked to the registrar account to prevent domain expiration.

Check if you see a recognizable name and email.

If the domain name's "owner" is no longer relevant or associated with an inaccessible email, fix this before any issues arise. It's acceptable if the registration is linked to a role or job title rather than an individual's name.  

Take measures to make sure that your domain is automatically renewed

Allowing your domain name to expire can cause significant disruption, affecting your website, email, and various other aspects. Prevent this scenario at all costs. Furthermore, you have the option to register domain names for up to a decade and often even receive a discount, so why not opt for the maximum duration?

Now, that you know how to check if your domain is fully owned by you or your company, you might want to link it to your CloudCart store. Learn how to do it in this article.

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