Do you own your domain name?

This is a question we ask all our clients. The answer is not always yes, or if it is yes, the client may not be sure how they own it or where it is registered. So, thinking in terms of branding and protecting a brand name or your business name when it comes to the domain, please consider where it is, who has access to it and is it under your control.

Owning and controlling your domain is an essential part of your brand identity in the first place so I would say it is important you do own it and control access. Some clients may have relied on their IT consultancy or web design company to have bought the domain name for them. Which is all well and good in the first instance but there could be some things to consider. What happens to the domain, should it not be renewed and paid for when it is due to be renewed? Who takes responsibility for that process, as it has a knock-on effect to a company and its brand? What happens if said IT company or web design company closed or did not manage the renewal process?

What could happen, well your email can stop working, your website can go down, and the impact of this through no one’s fault could be difficult for a company to handle. So, what should you do about owning and controlling your domain name? Firstly, get an account with an approved domain name registrar, and set up the access and control that by the company and inform the HR and Accounts team. Secondly speak to your supplier and ask them to transfer the domain into that registrar holding account. There may be some costs to this as your supplier may have to change DNS settings and check emails, website contact forms and such like will still work well.

In the long run it is better you own and control your domain, work with your IT supplier and web design/marketing agency and collaborate to achieve the goal, but the domain ownership and control should stay with the company owners and their brand at all times.