Registering your domain name is an important part of starting your own website, either personal or eCommerce. Having a private domain name registration helps protect your private information. Keep reading to learn how private domain name registration can affect you.

As you probably know, it is very important that you register a domain name so that you are able to park yourself on the Web. This is vital to you if you want to grow and expand your business. However, you should realize that when you register your domain name, you are sharing information. When you register a domain name, your IP address recorded, along with your physical address and phone number - and your name. There is a whole directory of listings of who owns domains. And the enterprising can make use of that information, even taking it and contacting you with offers and junk that you don't want.

Protect your privacy with private domain name registration

For those who are concerned about privacy, it is possible to get a private domain registration, much as it is possible to have your phone number unlisted. However, much like having an unlisted number, you have to pay extra to keep your domain registration listing private. This is the main downside to private domain registration: You have to pay two separate fees. One fee is paid to the registrar for the service of registering, and the other fee is to paid to a service that keeps the registration private. You can save some money, though, if you go through a domain name registrar that also provides privacy services.

How private domain name registration works

Private domain name registration isn't exactly like a phone number in this respect. Contact information still has to appear. However, a proxy company - an intermediary - offers its information in lieu of having your information. Spam mail and phone calls meant for you instead go to a special set-up by the proxy. For example, your public domain registration listing may look something like this:

Registrant: Jane Doe 

5432 Maple Road

Your Town, NY 88888

Phone: (555) 123-4567

Registered through: Domain Name Registrar

Created on: 15-Jul-2009

Expires on: 15-Jul-2014

Contact: Jane@JaneDoe.com

That is a great deal of personal information that makes it easy for the unscrupulous to take advantage of you. And all they have to do is look in a domain name registry directory. If you are willing to pay for a private domain name registration, though, here is what some of the information might look like:

Registrant: Proxy Domain 

7890 Ford Avenue

Different Town, WI 99999

Phone: (666) 890-1234

Registered through: Domain Name Registrar

Created on: 15-Jul-2009 

Expires on: 15-Jul-2014

Contact: Proxy@ProxyDomain.com

As you can see, all of that identifying information is gone. All that is left is when the domain name was created, and when it expires, and whom it was registered through. This provides you with a layer of protect that is not offered through a public domain registration.

Of course, whether or not you want a private domain name registration is entirely up to you. You need to decide whether you think it is worth the trouble and money to get private registration. It really doesn't take that much time to arrange, and if you are concerned about your personal information being accessible, or if you are concerned about receiving spam, and having it clog up your systems and reduce your efficiency, it might not be a bad idea to consider private domain name registration.

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