Renewing Your Domain Name

Every day, new domain names are being created. And the task of finding the perfect name becomes more and more difficult. Not only that, domain names also increase in value as more people visit the website and as its popularity increases. This is why it is imperative that you do not risk losing the domain name that you have worked so hard for.

Having registered your domain name doesn’t mean that your work is done. You still need to renew your domain name regularly. Renewing your domain name is a very simple process. You just need to log on into your account and look for the control panel wherein you will find an option to renew your domain. Many registrars offer an option of auto-renewal. This process automatically renews your domain name every year or every time it’s about to expire. The system adds the charges to your bill, which can either be charged to your credit card or a registered online payment system.

It is quite advisable for you to use the Auto-Renew system so that you won’t miss out on any of your payments and risk losing your domain name. Costs related to renewing your domain name differ with each registration term length and with the type of top-level domain (TLD) that you have chosen. Generic top-level domains like .com, .net and .org cost less than those from other categories like .us or .uk. It may also be beneficial to renew your domain for more than a year. That way, you could save more in your payments.

However, you should also be aware of domain renewal scams. Sometimes, letters or emails will be sent to you, asking you to renew your domain name and asking for payment. Do not be fooled. Be aware of the expiry dates of your domain name. Usually, before the expiry date, the registrar will send you an email notice reminding you to pay your renewal fees. You can also check the exact expiration date in your account. After the expiry date and you still have not paid up, a grace period will be given for you, which will give you a chance to still renew your account at a normal price.

After the grace period, you will go through the Redemption Period. Here, you can still renew your domain name by filling out a redemption form request. However, you’ve got additional fees to pay. Once the redemption period is over, your domain name will be deleted and it will become available for anyone else in the World Wide Web to claim on a first come, first served basis. And if your domain has good page ranking, structured links, and a steady stream of visitors, it wouldn’t be long before your domain name is immediately snapped up by anybody else interested - in fact if your domain name is popular people will use automatic tools like Godaddy's Domain Backordering System to snap up your domain the very second it properly expires, so beware!

Many professional 'domainers' have hundreds of websites on their backorders list, waiting like sharks to feed on tasty morsels in the form of lucrative domain names whose owners neglected to renew.

Every webmaster should consider thoughtfully whether they should let go of their registered domain or not. Discretion is advised, regardless if the domain has brought you online profits or not. It always pay to renew domain name, if only to keep it, build it, and sell it for a much higher price later on.