If you purchased and manage your own domain through a third party, such as GoDaddy, please be mindful of your domain renewal date, payment information, and other considerations needed to keep the domain active and under your ownership.

Missing a domain renewal or losing access to it due to a declined credit card could significantly affect your business. This is why companies like GoDaddy now offer premium services to protect your domain if a card is declined.

Recently, a customer lost their domain only to have a competitor purchase it and create a fake website. The domain was held hostage until a substantial payment was made to purchase it back. We also had an account miss their renewal for the domain they use for email; their email was down for several days, significantly impacting business productivity.

It’s easy to overlook a domain renewal, especially when you constantly receive spam notices; they almost condition you to tune out to domain announcements. Educate yourself on where your domain is hosted and ensure you pay attention to emails and letters from that company to avoid an issue like this. Put your annual renewal date on your calendar as well.

If you’re unsure who manages your domain, you can look it up on ICANN’s website. If you’re still not sure or have further questions or concerns, reach out to us. We’re here to help.