Your business domain name is your website address. In the digital world we live in, this will usually be your first point of contact for many of your potential employees, customers and stakeholders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the same time, you also want your website address to reflect your business. When selecting a domain name, there are some best practices to make your website easier to search and read. Some of these include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For new businesses, this can also be a guide to picking your business name\/brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
As for the domain name registrar (i.e. where you can buy domain names) you use, there are a few options (and considerations) before you make your purchase:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A big decision in choosing your business domain name is the extension \u2013 what your domain ends with. It could be a \u201c.com\u201d, \u201c.gov\u201d, \u201c.org\u201d, \u201c.net\u201d, \u201c.edu\u201d and so on. According to GoDaddy<\/a>, the four most common extensions are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For businesses that are focused primarily on Singapore, choosing a domain name that ends with \u201c.sg\u201d can be a logical choice as well. This may also be because many domain names ending with \u201c.com\u201d or \u201c.org\u201d may already be picked. Since your business is hyperlocal, \u201c.sg\u201d works well \u2013 telling anyone who visits that you have a Singapore presence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read also:<\/em><\/strong> <\/strong>5 Digital Solutions That Every Company Should Adopt Using The Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG)<\/strong><\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n On the checkout page when buying your domain name, be sure to uncheck any unnecessary upsells\/ add-on services. In some instances, these add-ons are automatically checked. <\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAuto-Renew<\/a>\u201d may seem like a common hidden cost. However, this might be a service you actually want. The last thing any business owner wants to happen is realising your Domain Name has expired and someone else owns it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Another cost item you want to pay attention to is the \u201cTransfer Out\u201d fee, because domain names can be transferred from one domain registrar to another. Remember to pick a registrar offering an easily accessible domain transfer feature, and not one charging an exorbitant fee to transfer out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A third cost is for \u201cWHOIS Privacy\u201d. Every new domain must be registered with WHOIS. WHOIS is a database which stores the contact and registration information of domain names. That means business owners can find out who registered which domain name, and even get in touch with them. The database is public, so anyone can see your sensitive data (e.g. home address) if you do not have the basic must-have privacy protection. Some registrars offer it at a premium<\/a> fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Domain Name Registrars typically allow you to purchase a plan only if you register for a minimum number of years. For example, Exabytes sets that minimum at 1 to 2 years<\/a>. Siteground needs a minimum of 1 year, and the same goes for Hostinger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n About one month before your domain registration expires, your registrar will email you renewal instructions. They will likely continue to do at regular intervals until your expiration date. After expiration, you have a grace period to renew your domain name at an additional fee. Your domain name will be placed on hold, meaning that netizens will no longer be able to visit your website. For days 1 to 30 after expiration, the renewal fee will be the standard rate, with no added costs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n During days 31 to 60 after expiration, your domain name will be prepared for deletion. During this time, you may still be able to restore your domain name, but there will usually be an additional fee to restore it. That fee varies according to the registrar and extension. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you still do not renew your domain name, it will be deleted soon after the 61st day. Your domain name will then be available for purchase by others online.<\/p>\n\n\n\nHidden\/ Add-on Costs You May Encounter<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Minimum Registration Period<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Grace Period<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Who Are The Domain Name Registrars?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n