Your domain name is like a postal address — but for the web. It typically contains your company name, your brand, or your own name. Your choice of hosting provider will have far more impact than simply giving visitors access to your website.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is your unique address on the internet. It is usually made up of your company or brand name, followed by an extension that indicates either a geographic location (.ie for Ireland, .co.uk for the UK, .de for Germany) or the nature of the site (.com for commercial, .org for organisations, .gov for government bodies).
Your choice of hosting provider goes far beyond simply putting your site online. Your host will also:
- Secure and keep your hosting servers up to date
- Store and protect your website data
- Influence (in part) your page loading speeds
- Handle maintenance in the event of a problem
- Play a role in your SEO rankings
- Provide ongoing support
Why it matters to own your domain name
You must be the registered owner of your domain name and make sure you renew it before it expires. If you let it lapse, it is first come, first served — and if someone else registers it before you, that domain becomes theirs.
In a worst-case scenario, the new owner could demand a significant sum for you to reclaim it. This is why, if you use an agency to build your website, you must ensure the domain name is purchased in your company’s name — not the agency’s.
Fortunately, you can renew your domain name at any time before expiry for a period of months or years, giving you peace of mind. You can also enable automatic renewal to avoid any risk of forgetting.
Your domain name is the online identity of your business or brand. The goal is to make it yours and protect it long term. Some registrars, such as OVH, offer a pre-reservation service that lets you express interest in a domain name — and any forthcoming extensions — so you are notified of upcoming availability and can maximise your chances of securing your chosen names.
Certain providers also offer a grace period after contract expiry during which your domain remains reserved for you, preventing it from being registered by someone else.
Quickly check whether you own your domain name
To avoid any problematic situation, we offer a quick verification to confirm you are the rightful owner of your domain name.
Simply leave your contact details and your request using our contact form. We will get back to you as quickly as possible.
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