Domain Registration Add-Ons: Which Are Necessary?

One of the initial steps to setting up and developing a website—domain name registration—would seem to be one of the simplest. But when you get down to actually buy your domain name, don’t be surprised if you’re inundated with a dozen or so different offers, add-ons, products, protections, and services from the registration company.

These various offerings can turn a simple, cheap domain name registration transaction into a complicated, confusing, and costly one. It would not be unheard of to log on with the intention of registering a site for $5 or $10, then finding yourself overwhelmed with products and services at prices two, three, and four times what you thought you would spend.

Especially if this is the first time you’ve purchased domain names, this is an understandably confusing experience. You’re torn: you want to do a good job and make sure your website is secure, properly equipped, and able to function well. But you’re not sure which of these services being offered are essential. Should you just buy the domain name and skip everything else? Or would that be a mistake you come to regret later?

We’re here to help. Here are some more thorough explanations of three of the most common domain name registration add-ons offered, which should help you better determine whether you need them or not:

• Multi-year long term domain registration. You will be offered the chance to reserve your domain name for 1, 2, even 5 years at a time. Registering for multiple years is a bit like buying in bulk: each year is more affordable if you buy several at once, but it’s only worth the purchase if you know you will use all those years. If there’s a chance your business will change or move on in that time, you needn’t purchase rights to a domain name you don’t plan to use down the line. (You can always renew again before the year runs out.)

• Protected domain registration (for renewal). Whether you choose short or long term domain registration, your claim on your domain name will, at some point, run out and need to be renewed. If something changes (such as your billing address or credit card information) or if you do not have automatic renewal set up, someone else can step in and buy your domain name and you may lost all rights to it. Protected domain registration prevents this, ensuring that you have the chance to renew before anyone else can take over the name.

• Private domain registration. Anyone online can look up information about domain registration at the “Whois” database. This information is publicly available, but for a fee you can keep it hidden. If you run a business that plans to contact people to pursue sales from the site, check with your lawyer; you may be legally required to keep the information public.

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