Ask yourself that question out loud, right now ... "Who owns my domain name?"

If you answered that question with the negative result "I don't know" then you NEED to find out just who does own your domain name because it is valuable property.

If you answered that question with the positive result that YOU own your own domain name ... then answer these next questions:

• Where is my domain name parked?
  i.e. what is the name of the Company where the domain name was purchased.
• When does my domain name come up for renewal?
  i.e. what was the date that the domain name was first purchased.

Still answering positively? Then you're way ahead of the game.

However, if you answered in the negative then you are risking one of the most valuable business assets you have, your online brand. And, I have another question for you.

What would you do if someone else purchased your domain name?
The answer to that question should be a horrifying reality to you. Imagine, you've been trading as BenBlethanSportingGoods.com.au for four years, you've built up your online presence, your clients know to go to your website for specials, you're getting a steady stream of new clients who find you online. And, then one day your website disappears and someone elses appears when you key in BenBlethanSportingGoods.com.au. What has happened? Well, you've let your domain name expire and someone else has picked it up and they're using your Brand. Trademarking aside, you're probably in a good position to get your domain name back but it would take time and money to rectify the situation. Wouldn't it be a better business decision to know the expiry date of your domain name? Most definitely.

Another question ...

My Hosting / Web Design Company Owns my Domain Name
I've had a few clients who've told me "It's okay, my hosting (or web design) company owns my domain name and they renew it for me". This is possibly good news but what happens if you decide to move away from that company? You may want to host your website with another company or purchase a new website from a different firm? Does the domain name go with you? Or, do you have a fight on your hands to get your property? Be certain there won't be issues, purchase and maintain your own domain name to ensure ownership of your Brand stays with your business.

And then there's the SCAMs
Another reason to know who owns your domain name, where it's parked and the expiry date is because of the scams that have sprung up over the last five or six years. There are loads of them but the most common is to get you to renew your domain name with a Company other than the one you purchased from. The Company is real but they currently don't park your domain name they just want to steal your business away from your current domain name company. Not very honest huh? But it gets worse because the dishonest Company probably will be charging 200% over and above normal charges and unless you're aware of what is going on you may well just pay the account. You're domain name is safe and you're maintaining your brand BUT you're paying a premium price for it.

Another common scam are the Companies who send out a sales letter that looks like an invoice not even for your domain name but a look alike ... you have BenBlethanSportingGoods.com.au and this bogus invoice is asking for payment for BenBlethanSportingGoods.net.au or some other suffix with your Brand at the beginning. Because of your ignorance you pay the bogus invoice (again, usually with a 200% markup) and become the proud owner of a domain name you don't really want.

Costs
Domain names used to cost a lot but not so much these days. You can pick up a "dot-com-dot-au" domain name with "parking" for two years for $25.00 AUD and that figure appears to be getting smaller and smaller as more and more resellers pop up around the Internet. Your "dot-com" domain names are around about the same or perhaps $5.00 more. Your other costs for a website include the hosting and an ISP so you can view the site but that's about all.

Keeping your Brand
Start a domain name tracking procedure for your business, especially if you have more than one. Keep registry dates, company names and passwords for access. Remember your domain name is your online brand and is a valuable business asset that needs attending to. If your domain name expires without your knowledge your website will go off-line automatically because the domain name will be inactive and you run the risk of a third party purchasing your domain name. Better to be safe than sorry.