In this digital age, the internet has become an integral part of most people’s lives. For businesses and individuals alike, owning a domain is a crucial step towards establishing an online presence. However, owning a domain comes with responsibilities, one of which is domain renewal.
For this article, we shall explore the importance of domain renewal and the process involved in renewing the domain.
Domain renewal is the process of renewing a domain name with a domain registrar. This mostly involves paying a renewal fee and submitting updated contact information about the domain. A domain renewal extends one’s ownership of the domain name by another year or more. That means, when you register a domain, the registration typically lasts for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 5 years. It is important to renew a domain name before it expires, otherwise, it may be lost.
A domain serves as one’s online address, enabling people to find and access one’s website easily. Failing to renew your domain does have a negative impact on your online presence. Some of the disadvantages of not renewing your domain are:
- Loss of Online Identity: If you fail to renew your domain, it becomes available for others to register. Losing your domain means losing your online identity and all the efforts you put into building your website and brand.
- Loss of credibility: If your online consumers encounter an error message when trying to access the website, they might lose confidence in your site and your business in general. This can result to having a negative impact on your company’s reputation and users’ perception of your website.
- Loss of revenue: If your website is linked to an online business, not renewing the domain name on time can result in a significant loss of revenue. This is because potential customers will not be able to access your website, which could mean a loss of sales and loyal customers.
Domain renewal is usually a simple process. Here’s a step-by-step guide to renewing your domain:
- Check the expiration date: As a registrant, you can check when your domain is expiring. This can be done through your registrar or on the Who’s Who lookup. By checking the expiration date of the domain, one can be updated on when their domain is expiring and facilitate the renewal process.
- Contact your hosting company: A registrant can contact the company with which they registered or purchased the domain. This company will provide the necessary information on how to renew the domain.
- Confirm the domain details: Ensure that the details that were used to register the domain are up-to-date. This information includes an email address, a phone number, a P.O. Box address, and a name. It is virtual to have this information updated in order to receive renewal notifications.
- Select the renewal duration: The domain owner can decide on the domain renewal duration. The minimum duration period is 1 year, with a maximum of 5 years. Choosing a maximum duration period will save you from frequent renewal tasks and a potential increase in price.
- Paying the renewal fee: This process mostly involves a fee that varies with the different registrars and also the domain package that is being offered. This is done by using the provided payment method.
- Confirm if the domain has been renewed: After making the payment and receiving the payment confirmation message, check again to ensure that the domain has been renewed and is working. If not, contact your hosting company (registrar).
- Update your domain details if necessary. In case the domain details have been changed, ensure that they are up-to-date.
For one to ensure that they do have a seamless process during the domain renewal process, they can consider the following practices:
- Enable Auto-Renewal: Opt for auto-renewal if your domain registrar offers it. This way, you won’t have to worry about manually renewing your domain each year.
- Keep Contact Information Updated: Regularly check and update your contact information with the domain registrar to receive timely renewal reminders and important communications.
- Register for Multiple Years: Whenever possible, register your domain for multiple years in advance. This strategy not only reduces the hassle of annual renewals but also provides a sense.
In conclusion, it is advisable to make sure you are on top of your domain name expiration date as you don’t want to be caught off guard by your domain name expiring.