Register Your Domain Name Before It Is Too Late!

Often when people start to get popular or otherwise make a name for themselves, other people will register their domain name (The .com version of a persons actual name) and hold it hostage.... Than, one day when you're ready to do something with the name, you find out that someone else has it. I like to call these people "Domain Hoarders" but there are many names for them. All derogatory nouns usually fit pretty well.

Although the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act (ACPA) was introduced in 1999, cybersquatting remains an underestimated threat. The number of .com domain names alone has doubled since 2003, and the number of cybersquatting disputes being filed with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is on the rise -- up 25% in 2006 from 2005. According to a recent independent report, cybersquatting increased by 248% in the past year.

This "domain hoarding" for a personal first and last name happened to a good friend of mine just after he published his first book. The author, who I won't mention here, tried to register his domain name in the form of firstnamelastname.com and to his surprise the name had already been registered. He then typed into his web browser his firstnamelastname.com and was redirected to a domain name purchasing web site. And the holders of this particular domain name were real bullies - they even owned his firstnamelastname.net too - Imagine that!

I remember he contacted them with hopes of buying the domain name, and they were demanding a hefty amount of cash for it; an amount he couldn't easily afford to pay and he eventually just gave up on it. This happens mainly with celebrities, but sometimes, just the average person who makes a name for themselves, especially authors as they are mostly known for their actual name rather than the book they have written.

If you have not yet searched your names availability, be careful when you do because the story gets even worse. Believe it or not, there is a serious belief that domain hoarders sometimes look at records of names that are being searched for at the registrars, and if they are not registered, they register them before YOU get a chance to. This happens mostly if you just check the names availability and not register it. The domain hoarders know someone wants the name or is planning to use it soon and they are likely to go back and try to buy it at a later date, so the domain hoarders register it. Sounds crazy - but it happens. Don’t ask me how they get these records – cause I am really not sure, but there is an amazing amount of software out there, and domaining is big business, and not every domain registrar can be completely trusted.

According to a WebProNews Article, it’s called Domain Sniffing

“I had a really great domain name idea, which was available when I searched through the registrar, but then five minutes later when I went to buy the name it was gone.”

Anyone who has been in domaining for more than a month has heard dozens of versions of that same story. Although not everyone buys that domain sniffing actually exists, there is mounting evidence that domain sniffing exists in some form or another.

To own your domain name it would only cost you about $7.00 per year, and I think $7.00 is worth the piece of mind of knowing that if you decide to use your domain name one day, that you'll have it....

There are currently many laws being discussed that would prevent people from holding domain names for future use who have no reasonable reason to keep a domain name. As of right now, as far as I know, it’s a loose topic, with very few restrictions.

If you would like to check the availability of your name, you can do so at Searchen Networks: http://domains.searchen.com/ - but remember, if you do a search for it, and it is available, you should buy it right there.

This is just some food for thought. I went over this with a good friend recently and wanted to get it out there for other people to know about. There is a lack of this type of information available and people really should know more about it. Always best to be thinking way ahead.

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