Afternoon Web Wisers!
We've just been discussing domain registrars in our
domain registrar review forum. There are so many out there that it's incredibly difficult to find one that suits your needs. Which one should you go with? What experiences do you have with certain registrars. Is there one best domain registrar, or do different registrars have different areas of expertise?
I always say it depends what your needs are. Some registrars will be great for some people, whereas another person may find them awful. Where you are located might even make a difference, maybe you would rather go with someone 'local' so to speak. Domain registrars are a global business so most registrars will let you sign up wherever you are. Don't worry if the domain registrar that someone recommends to you is in Timbuktu ... Chances are you can still use them!
I've come up with 4 important points to consider before you choose a domain registrar:
- Price - Hate to be a bore but this is an important factor in any purchasing decision. Think about the domains you need and compare prices between a few different registrars. If you only need one domain name then just compare the price of that one TLD. However, lots of us will register a variety of top level domains to protect our brand and give us more geographic reach. This means you'll have to compare a basket of goods to see which domain name registrar provides you with the best value.
- Support - For me this may be the most important. If something goes wrong with your domain name or you're not sure how to add a DNS record or setup your email, at least you have someone on hand to help! There's a few registrars which I've used in the past where the support team is non existent. I'm talking 14 days to reply to an email. That's just silly and reflects extremely badly on the company. I like to call them up, ask them a few questions and get a feel for the support office before I purchase anything.
- Other Services - Once you've got your domain name you might need other stuff to. Email is always the first, then web hosting, possibly SSL Certificates plus any other miscellaneous services you need. Personally I like to have as much as I can in one control panel. Others will say don't put all your eggs in one basket. but if one company holds all these things, interconnected issues are so much easier to solve. Again think about value here, are they cheap in one area and astronomical in another?
- User Interface - Most domain registrars will let you have a look at the user interface you'll be dealing with after your domain registration. I won't name any names but some of them are shocking. I mean terrible. Make sure you've had a quick look round and you can see all the available options without too much trouble.
Your domain name is incredibly important to you. It's your online first impression and your best branding tool. Don't let a bad domain name registrar ruin your experience!
