domain name basics

ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, has officially put new domain registration rules into effect as of August 21, 2025. These changes settle a long-debated question in the industry: who actually owns a domain name? The answer is now tied directly to the “Organization” field in the domain contact record.

Profiting from Digital Real Estate: Is Buying and Selling Domains Still Worth It? Domain investing—also known as domain flipping—operates much like a real estate market, except this market exists entirely online. Investors purchase domain names with perceived future value, then resell them at higher prices. The gap between buying and selling prices drives profits, and

For years, WHOIS has been the go-to tool for checking who owns a domain name. Whether you’re investigating a website, verifying a business, or tracking down spam, WHOIS has been a quick way to pull up registration details. But things are changing. WHOIS is being phased out and replaced with RDAP (Registration Data Access Protocol)—a

How a Domain Name Service Works: The Backbone of Internet Navigation Every time you visit a website, send an email, or stream a video, a hidden process runs in the background to connect you to the right destination. This process relies on the Domain Name System (DNS), a fundamental part of the internet infrastructure.

Bill Hartzer, a seasoned expert in SEO and domain name management, as well as the CEO of Hartzer.com and DNAccess, joined Al Sefati on the Clarity Digital Podcast to share his insights on the evolving digital landscape. With over 20 years of experience, Hartzer provided valuable advice on domain strategies, SEO best practices, and navigating

Welcome to the digital gateway where your business identity begins! A domain name acts not merely as an address for your online presence but embodies the essence of your brand’s virtual persona. Top-Level Domains (TLDs), those extensions that follow after the dot, like .com, .org, or .net, wield influence over your brand’s global reach, perceived

Welcome to the digital landscape, where a domain name is not just an address, but a critical aspect of your online presence. A domain purchase marks the acquisition of your unique web address that visitors use to find you amid the vast expanse of the internet. In an era where nearly all business transactions and

Welcome to the digital realm where email domains are not merely a line in your contact information, but the gateway to establishing your digital identity. An email domain follows the ‘@’ symbol in an email address, distinguishing different users and hosting entities. For example, in ‘[email protected]’, ‘example.com’ is the email domain. Beyond personal use, domains

Embarking on Your Digital Identity Journey A domain name functions as your unique address in the vast digital landscape, akin to a street address in the physical world. It enables users to find your website with ease and remember your online presence, much like you would identify a business by its storefront signage. Structured with

Domain names were a foundational innovation that enabled the internet to transform from a complex web of numerical addresses to a user-friendly ecosystem with memorable names. As the digital landscape evolved, so too did the mechanisms and policies governing domain name registration, reflecting shifts in technology, governance, and user behavior. Unpacking the rich tapestry of

Domain Name Life Cycle and Availability Monitoring Navigating the waters of online presence, businesses and individuals acknowledge that a domain name not only serves as a digital address but also as a brand identity. This recognition foregrounds the necessity of understanding the domain name life cycle—an inception-to-expiration process that every domain name undergoes. During this

Note: DNAccess are not attorneys, and this is not legal advice. We strongly recommend that you seek the advice of a qualified domain name or IP attorney for advice. Contact us if you would like a referral to an attorney. Understanding the Power of Trademark and Domain Names in Digital Realms In the ever-expanding digital

Unlocking the Secrets of the Domain Name System The Domain Name System (DNS) serves as the foundational framework underlying the internet’s ability to connect users with websites. This system, comparable to an expansive phone book, meticulously aligns human-friendly domain names with their corresponding numerical IP addresses. Every online search initiates a complex interaction with DNS

The inception of the Domain Name System (DNS) was a seminal moment in the fabric of the internet, a tool that tranformed the digital landscape from an arcane network understood by a few to a user-friendly platform accessible to billions. Tracing its roots to the early 1980s, DNS emerged in response to a growing need

Understanding the Investment in Your Digital Identity Securing a domain name sets the foundation for building a digital presence, anchoring a brand to an identifiable space on the internet. A variety of factors contribute to the cost of domain registration, ranging from the choice of top-level domain (TLD) to the registrar’s pricing and value-added services.

Exploring the Facets of WHOIS in Domain Name Registration Peering into the world of domain ownership, WHOIS emerges as a pivotal tool for transparency in the digital age. This service functions as a public directory, mapping the connections between domain names and their registrants. Since its inception in the 1980s, WHOIS has evolved to accommodate

Unveiling the Role of Domain Privacy Protection in Domain Registration When registering a domain name, you’re required to provide personal contact information. This detail becomes part of a publicly accessible database known as the WHOIS directory. Domain privacy protection steps in to shield your personal information from this public ledger. By activating privacy protection, a

Understanding Domain Reputation and Its Impact on Digital Presence Domain reputation serves as a pivotal metric reflecting the trustworthiness of a website to search engines and email service providers. When assessing domain reputation, stakeholders consider various factors, including but not limited to a site’s security features, content quality, and user engagement signals. A robust domain

An online presence is anchored by a domain, which is a distinctive address that identifies a website on the internet. Serving a dual purpose, domains facilitate website location and provide a memorable name to represent a brand or entity in the digital realm. A domain comprises two main parts: the website name and the top-level

Welcome to the Digital Realm: The Path to Securing Your Custom Domain Name Imagine a domain name as the distinct online address of your brand’s digital abode; it is the unique identifier that guides visitors directly to your website, much like a physical address does for a house. Within the framework of the Domain Name