Recently, we here at TXAD Internet have been noticing a alarming trend that we thought we should share and get the word out about. That trend revolves around keeping track of the domain names associated with your website (or lack thereof).
TXAD Internet provides hosting for our clients files, as well as management of domain names should the client wish. However, we are of the mindset that it is in the best interest of the client to control their domain name, so they can do with it as they please. We have seen instances where clients have been run through the gamut by other providers that manipulate them into staying customers, simply because the company holds the reigns on the domain name. If for any reason a client that controls their own domain wished to change hosts, they are free to do so at their own discretion by taking that name elsewhere.
For clients that manage their own domain names, this can pose a problem though. When you purchase a domain name, you have to set it up with certain information, like name, address, and typically a credit card to have on file (especially if you use recurring billing). Now say that you get rid of that credit card and forget to update the information with the domain name provider, and when renewing comes around, the payment fails. Most big providers will let you know via email that the process did not go through, but there are those that do not. And next time you turn around, lo and behold, your domain name is no longer yours. Its been sold off, used for some spammy content, and you don’t have any way to get it back. Then you’d probably begin the process of buying a new domain and using that as your new presence online, but now your rankings are gone and every link that used to point to your content is invalid.
Nobody wants such a situation to happen to them, but it is one that has happened often enough for us to take notice. So please take care to monitor your domain name & credit card information, and keep your site up and running (and in your hands)!