Francie (not her real name) had a website built more than five years ago. She had rarely used it but things had changed and now she wanted to reactivate the services offered there. The website was in dire need of a makeover as well. She turned to Tech Warrior for the website redesign. When the web design was complete and needed to go live the trouble started. It turns out Francie’s domain name was not owned by her!

The story ended well. It took several days and some juggling but the domain is now firmly in her name. The fact that it was not originally in her name was largely due to a lack of understanding and knowledge about domain ownership.

When a domain name is purchased, it should be registered in the name of the person who bought it, unless the domain name was purposely bought for someone else. When you have paid for your own domain name, the domain should be in your name, not the web developer’s, or the hosting company’s, or anyone else's for that matter. No one except you, yourself, and definitely you, should own the domain name that you paid for.

Many people overlook the importance of the ownership of a domain name because it is so easy, and usually, inexpensive to buy one when building a new website. Your domain name primarily directs traffic to your website, but it is also your Internet brand name. No one else should own your brand name except you. When developing a new website designed by a professional web design company, and you ask them to register a domain name for you, and you pay for it, then that domain name should be in no one else's name but yours. Get it?

Think of this as someone buying a new house that is being built from scratch. You paid for the house plans, the land, the materials and the contractors, so the house should be in your name correct? You wouldn’t buy the house and have it registered in the name of the architect.