Domain Registration 101: Everything You Need to Know
Domain registration is the process of acquiring a domain name for use on the internet. It’s a crucial step in establishing an online presence for you or your business. The first step in domain registration is choosing a domain name that is relevant to your website's content or purpose. Once you have selected a name, you can check its availability through your choice of domain retailer.
When registering a domain name, you will need to provide your contact information, including your name, address, email address, and phone number. This information is used to create a record of ownership for the domain name and is stored in a public database called the WHOIS database. It’s possible to hide these details from the public by adding domain privacy, which usually costs extra. It is important to keep your contact information up to date to ensure that you receive important notifications about your domain name.
When you register a new domain you will need to choose a registration period. For .nz domains the minimum is one year, and the maximum is 10 years. Once your registration is complete (including your payment to the retailer), the domain name will be registered in your name and you will have the exclusive right to use it for the duration of the registration period.
Some retailers might offer a discount for multi-year registrations, or they might offer a first-year discount. Some retailers charge different amounts depending on whether you are registering a new domain, or renewing an existing one. These are things to check when you compare prices.
At the end of the registration period, you have the option to renew your domain for another 1-10 years. If you don’t renew it, the domain name will be made available for others to register in their name.