Category Archives: Domain Registration

How to do a Domain Name Search

May 08, 2012   admin   No comments

How do you do a basic domain name search? Before we can answer that, we have to ask “what information are you searching for?”  Are you searching to see if the domain is available to register? or are you searching to find who the current owner is?

There are many types of domain name searches and we’ll try to answer the question of “how to do a domain name search” depending on what information you are looking for.

1) You want to register the domain name – This is a simple search done at a domain name registar such as Godaddy.com. Every registrar has a search box where you key in the domain name you are searching for along with your desired extension. The extension can be .com which is most preferable for businesses. The .com means “commercial”. Dot org is preferable for non profit organizations, for example. Or you may choose your local country code extension – such as .ca for Canada or .us for United States.

The search result will show if the domain is available to be registered or not. If available, you can immediately register it! If it is already registered it may be listed for sale by the current owner, or you can contact the owner directly to enquire. Do a little digging to find out the current status of who owns the domain and what they are doing with it. You may even find that the domain registration has expired and you can “backorder” it.

2) You want to find out who the current owner is  – If a domain is already registered by someone else, you may want to do a search to find the current owner. This is called a simple “WHOIS” search. Some owners purchase “privacy protection” on their registration details which sheilds their registration from the public. But, if there is no privacy protection on the domain, doing a WHOIS search will show the name and contact details (such as email and phone and address) of the domain registrant. You can do  a WHOIS search at domain name registrars – just look for the WHOIS link or button.

3) You want to search for other domain information. – There is alot of other information you can search for on a domain name. This includes:

- domain history and archived pages

- domain age and number of previous “drops”

- similar domains

- trademarks or disputes involving the domain

- backlinks and old indexed pages on search engines

- appraisals and rankings of previous sites on the domain

There are many excellent sites on the web that can provide you free or more in-depth domain research for small fees. In many cases, just type in the domain you want to research and get instant info! A couple sites you may want to try are DomainTools.com and DOFO.com

Whether you want to do a domain name search to register a new domain or find the owner of an existing domain there are many great tools available.  Do a little digging - you can find information to help you make good decisions with your domains and your business!

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New Godaddy Deals of the Week Include Cheap Domain Registration

May 02, 2012   admin   1 Comment

Here is info on some new Godaddy deals for cheap domain registration, web sites and hosting services. They also posted their new Deal of The Week that extends into Mother’s Day.

  • Last week Godaddy was offering cheap domain registration for just $2.49  using the promo code “MAPLELEAF”.  This offer was limited to one per customer and expired after 10,000 redemptions. It may still be available where you live – give it a try!
  • Godaddy is offering a new deal that extends to Mother’s Day. As posted on their site > SPECIAL OFFER! Save an 50% off 12-, 24-, and 36-month WebSite Tonight® plans, plus get a domain for $1.99!   Offer valid for new Website Tonight® plans of 12 months or greater. In the same transaction with the purchase of a WebSite Tonight plan, you may also register one 1-year .com, .us, .mobi (new only), .biz, .net, .me, or .org domain name for $1.99, plus ICANN fee of $0.18 per domain name per year for .com, .mobi, .biz, .net, .me and .org. Any subsequent refund of the purchased WebSite Tonight plan will be reduced by the difference between the then-current retail price of the discounted domain name and $1.99.
  • I also saw posted on their domain registration page an offer for a Free .INFO when you buy a .com> Here’s what was posted > Buy a new .COM, get one new .INFO for FREE for 1st year only. Not valid on renewals or transfers. Plus ICANN fee of C$0.18 per domain per year.

Take advantage of the opportunity to get great deals on cheap Godaddy domains or hosting before Mother’s Day ( for you or your mom!).

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Why Godaddy.com Promo Codes Won’t Always Work

April 23, 2012   admin   No comments

Have you tried using one of Godaddy.com’s discount promo codes only to be met with the message “The promotional code you have entered is invalid or ineligible”?

It’s happens to me all the time - sometimes the codes work and sometimes they don’t. Here’s more on why.

First, a bit of background – Godaddy.com periodically offers up discounts on registering new domain names by sending out discount Promo Codes. These codes are entered near the end of the “checkout” process and can save you alot of money. Each offer is different, but you can register a new domain, renew or transfer a domain to Godaddy from another registrar for as little as $4.95 or $2.95 or less.

The key is each offer has limitations. For example, some Godaddy.com offers are only good for the first 10,000 redemptions, or have an expiry date, or are only good for .com’s, etc.  Usually the domain discount promo codes are only good for between 1-3 redemptions per customer.  Recently, I tried using a discount promo code for a domain registration that I felt was still valid – but it still didn’t work.  I phoned my godaddy Support and discovered that some discount promo codes have geographic limitations and other limits attached to them.  So, the domain promo code I was trying to use wasn’t valid for customers in my country, so it wouldn’t work.

I don’t begrudge Godaddy for this at all, as they are in business and are constantly offering up deals to attract customers from different markets. And Godaddy is not the only domain registrar doing this. Do a search for “domain registration” on Google and you will see many different registrars offering deals.

So, if Godaddy’s domain promo codes have limitations and some will work and some won’t, what can we do about it?  

Be quick and try them!  If a Godaddy.com promo code will expire after a limited number of redemptions, then we should be quick and register our domain soon before it runs out. It would help you if you have a “ready” list of unregistered domains that you would like to register – then, when a new code comes out, you can jump on it and be one of the first to get the discount by registering one from your “pool”.  Also, use the maximum offered to get the most out of each offer, whether it’s 1 or 3. Some offers are good for domain transfers or renewals, so you can renew or transfer your existing domains cheaper.

If you’ve tried and the domain promo code won’t work for you, then don’t worry, there is sure to be another one on the way shortly.  (Here’s my affiliate link to www.GoDaddy.com )

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New Godaddy Offer – $2 Domain Registration

April 11, 2012   admin   No comments

Godaddy has a new offer – register a new domain name for only $2. These offers don’t last long, so be quick. This one expires after 10,000 redemptions.

For this deal use the coupon code “gooddeal”.

Here’s details of the offer posted on their site -

Register any new domain (.com, .us, .mobi, .biz, .net, .org, .ca, .co.uk and .in) for just $2.00!*
Register any new domain (.com, .us, .mobi, .biz, .net, .org, .ca, .co.uk and .in) for just $2.00!* Applies to the first year only of new registrations. This offer may not be used for renewals, transfers, bulk registrations, premium domains or Sunrise/Landrush domain registrations. Limited to one order per customer, expiring after 10,000 redemptions or at 11:59 PM on May 15, 2012 (whichever comes first). Cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer or promotion. Customers may not use gift cards, PayPal® or AliPay to redeem this offer. ICANN fee of 18 cents per domain year when applicable.

Remember to enter the coupon code “gooddeal” to get the discount when it prompts you.

If you want, you can go to Godaddy through my affiliate link here:  Godaddy

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Where to Register .ca Canadian Domain Names

February 18, 2012   admin   2 Comments

Where is the best place to register .ca (Canadian) domain names?  Depends on what is most important to you – price, support, added services, etc.

I’ve been registering domains for quite a few years and I’ll give you a couple suggestions based on registrars I currently use.  I choose domain registrars for different reasons, depending on what I am doing with the domain such as reselling it or managing it for clients or developing it to a full website. 

LOW PRICE - some people already know the technical aspects of registering and managing domain names. All they want is a good price.  This is understandable, especially if you start to get into larger quantities of domains, or working with clients that have larger #’s of domains they own.  From my own experience, I’ve seen .ca domain prices range from about $10 to $45. Within this range comes all different kinds of services and support. If price is most important to you, my suggestion is CLICK HERE > www.GoDaddy.com  

PERSONAL SUPPORT - when you are stuck and need some help NOW, nothing beats picking up the phone or emailing a company and getting a quick reply with the help you need.   I don’t like submitting a “ticket” and then having to wait 24-48 hours or longer, not knowing when I’ll get a response.  If you don’t know the technical details of registering and transfering domains, along with forwarding, changing dns, setting up email, etc. etc. then I’d suggest you go with a registrar that offers good technical support. It’s worth spending an extra buck or two rather than wasting hours of your valuable time trying to figure why things won’t work for you. My suggestion for good support is CLICK HERE > Namespro.

ADDITIONAL WEB SERVICES - domain names are just the start of your presence on the internet.  It make it easier if your registrar can help you with the many other services you may want building your internet presence. This could include website hosting, website design tools, search engine optimization tools, ecommerce tools such as shopping carts, add-ons such as blogs, etc. CLICK HERE > www.GoDaddy.com

There are plenty of good domain name registrars out there. Where you choose to register your .ca domain really depends on what is most important to you; price, support, or added services. 

 

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5 Tips for Picking a Good Domain for your New Business

January 03, 2012   admin   No comments

Are you starting a new business this year?  Great!   The New Year is a great time to reflect, make plans and get started with some new energy.  If you’ve decided to start that new business you’ve always thought about, congratulations. Here’s a few quick “domain 101″ tips to help you “get it right” when picking a good domain name for your new business.

1) Keep it Simple – that’s right, keep it short (less than 20 letters if possible). Don’t use hyphens, numbers or confusing abbreviations. You want people to be able to remember your domain name, and be able to spell it if they hear it on the radio. And ty to use keywords if possible.  For example, use a good domain like ”DesignHomes.ca”, not “DzineHomesco.ca” or  “Design-homes.ca”

2) Use .com – there is a reason people in the industry say “dot com is king”.  “com” stands for commercial and that is the extension I recommend you use because everyone thinks of it first. The only other possible domain extension I suggest you use for your business is your local country extension. For example, if you live in Canada, using the “.ca” is good. If possible, register both.

3) Get the Brand Right – remember, this is the name of your business. Your domain name is the huge billboard positioning the brand of your business. Don’t use a crappy name! Your domain name is the foundation of where you will build your online web presence and meet your customers. It’s your storefront – your identity. Think about how you want people to think of your business when they read your domain name. Do it right.

4) Don’t be Cheap -  The name/domain of your business is important. Don’t be cheap! Be smart.  If you spend $1,000 for a small one-time newspaper ad or $2500 for software or $500 for a desk for your office dont’ you think the name and “storefront” of your entire business is more important than any of those.  Find out what names are available, but don’t register a crappy name for your business just because it is available. If you have a specific name in mind and someone already owns it, contact the owner and make an offer. Like anything, there are domains for sale at all prices depending on quality. Some can be had for a few hundred $, others will cost $thousands. If you can’t get what you want, either raise your offer or pick another name (but, stick with the rules above).

5) Where do you get your domain name? Domain registrars sell domain names and may of the other services you need. Domain names are either already registered or available now. For example can register a new domain for under $10 at Godaddy. Just do a search and it will tell you if its available to register now. Use the free tools to get suggestions on available names. Godaddy will also tell you if the name is already registered and for sale. And they offer all the other services you will need for your small business such as hosting, email, etc.

There are plenty of domain registrars, pick one you like and get searching for the best name for your business. And get started on that new business!

 

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December Promotion on .ca Domain Renewals or Transfers

December 08, 2011   admin   No comments

Sibername.com and DNC.ca have teamed up to offer a sale on .ca domain transfers and renewals for the month of December.

Sibername is offering 12% off for visitors to DNC.ca – visit this page at DNC.ca to get the promotion code.  With the code, domain renewals  or transfers can be done for under $10.

So, if you’re looking to renew your domains this is a great time to save and transfer during this holiday season!

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