Domain names: Hopefully helpful information

[JulieW8]

I'm seeing a lot of confusion on the issue of domain names. I was very confused at one point, so I hope this helps. (Domain name I bought as a gift for a friend was lost forever because she thought hosting fees = domain name renewal.)

Domain name: This is a name that is followed by a TLD (see below) and provides the essential part of a URL in a web address. Sense or nonsense, the domain name can be anything anyone can think of.

TLD: Top Level Domain, rarely referred to as a TLDN (top level domain name). This is the extension that follows the <.> in the domain name. In general terms, the three major TLDs <dot>com, <dot>net and <dot>org. Other (minor) TLDs are <dot>info, <dot>biz, <dot>us, etc. It remains true that "dot-com is king," and that is likely to remain true.

ccTLD: Country Code Top Level Domain, or ccTLD, refers to a TLD extension reserved for a specific country, such as <dot>ca for Canada. Each country has different requirements and restrictions for who can purchase a domain name using the ccTLD. I don't recommend them for the novice, not even <dot>us.

Subdomain: A subdomain is created at the host level. Here is an example of a subdomain:

en.wikipedia.org
(Wikipedia uses subdomains to differentiate the language versions - en is the subdomain)

These are sometimes used to create what is known as a domain hack; for example, del.icio.us.

URL: Uniform Resource Locater. This is the method devised for specifying where an identified resource is and how it is retrieved. It consists of the scheme name or resource type (http, https, ftp, etc.), followed by a colon, 2 forward slashes, the domain name and any relevant file path(s) and file name. The DNS is used to translate an IP address to a specific domain name for a URL.

IP address: A series of numbers assigned to a computer on a network to identify its location.

Host: A host is the facility that provides connectivity to the internet for shared or dedicated computers. Purchasing hosting services allows users to put web sites on the internet (as well as other internet services, but web site hosting is the primary use for those in this forum). If you have multiple domains you want hosted, it's usually cheaper to get a reseller account.

Registrar: A registrar is a company that is allowed to register domain names for users. These companies are accredited by ICANN. If you are buying a domain name, you buy it from a registrar.

Private WHOIS: Most registrars offer private WHOIS registration. This is a privacy shield; your contact and ownership information is not displayed in the WHOIS records. This shield is initially offered at a very low price or for free by many registrars, but most of them then raise the price at renewal time. Use if it you wish your own information to remain private but consider the additional cost.

ICANN: Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. This is the authority that has responsibility for managing domain names and TLDs, as well as maintaining the DNS root zone.

DNS: Domain name server address. This is what tells the network where that particular domain name can be found and translating the numbers of the IP address to an actual domain name. When you buy a domain name, you set a DNS address in your user control panel. The DNS needs to point to your host's IP address. Your host should provide the DNS information at the time you purchase hosting services.

Trademark names: A few people here have learned by experience about trademark names. Some companies aggressively defend their trademark (Ebay is one of them). The best defense is a good offense - do your homework and make sure the domain name you're selecting doesn't violate any trademark. There are instances where a trademark name may have legitimate use as long as it isn't in the same market space as the trademark holder, but you'd have a difficult time convincing (for example) Apple that your iPhone domain name isn't being used in a way that violates their trademark.

UDRP: Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. This is a process by ICANN to resolve the (many) domain name disputes that have arisen over the years. A company is not required to send you a cease and desist order; they may just file a UDRP against you without giving you prior notice of any kind. I've provided the link to the UDRP decision search page - always an interesting way to spend a couple of hours!

TIPS AND TRICKS about domain names

Trademark avoidance issues. Make sure the name you're buying isn't a trademark violation and stay away from it if it is. There are people in some domainer forums who will tell you not to worry, it will take a long time for the TM holder to find you - which may be true. Or - they may find you as soon as you start experiencing success with building traffic. You don't want your hard work being taken away from you, now or especially later. Do a little bit of research and just avoid the problem.

Making an offer on a domain name. I own many domain names and participate in private and public "domainer" forums. From the domainer's perspective, I'd like to give some advice on approaching someone with an interest in buying their domain name.

If you find a domain name you think would be perfect but someone else owns it, be courteous in your approach to them if you want to make an offer to buy it. Keep in mind that people who "domain" for a living own thousands of names - and as a result, they get thousands of inquiries, along with a lot of spam. Some of it is insulting, some of it is just plain stupid and most of it is annoying.

Never, ever criticize their use of the name ("I see you're not doing anything with this domain name"). It's not a great way to start a relationship. For all you know, what looks like "nothing" may be making thousands of dollars a year for them.

It helps if you do some homework and find out approximately how much the name might be worth. Most professional domainers buy and sell names based on their intrinsic value. A one-word generic has a great deal of intrinsic value and can cost hundreds of thousands (even millions) of dollars. Don't insult someone who owns a premium 2-keyword dot com by making a lowball offering because you have no idea what the name is worth; or worse, you think THEY have no idea what the name is worth. Check domain name sale listings at dnjournal.com, sedo.com and namebio.com to get an idea of price ranges, with the understanding that domain name values fluctuate and are largely ambiguous. If they want more than you are willing to pay or won't consider selling the name, let it go - flinging insults back and forth isn't productive.

What to do if you're informed by a company that you're stepping on their trademark. Two things I've been told by the attorneys who specialize in this: (1) Never ignore a UDRP or C&D, and; (2) never, ever offer to sell them the domain name/web site, for any price and don't let them suck you into discussing price. If they subsequently file a UDRP, they will use this against you as proof of cybersquatting and bad faith.

Listen to what they have to say, look over any documents and make sure they have a legitimate claim. Search the UDRP database and become familiar with the process, see if there are any other filings for the same trademark. In most cases, you're going to decide it just isn't worth going to the mat over it. If you really, truly believe you are not violating a TM and someone is using the UDRP process to try and reverse hijack the name (assuming you have a name worth that much), there are lawyers who specialize in this area of law and it might be worth spending the $$ on a 1-hour consult. In most cases, it's best just to comply with the request.

I'll leave advice about TLD and hyphens to people like Caro!

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion about these terms.

[Adam Garcia]

This is some excellent info, I never knew it was this complicated. Good to know for future investments.