Free Domain Names - Merits and Demerits
Free Domain Names - Merits and Demerits
Free domain names have come to stay on the World Wide Web especially free top-level domains attached to web hosting packages. However, it is not unexpected that to every coin, there are two sides to it. While there are merits to free names, there are demerits and this piece intends to reveal both of them.One major merit of a free domain is cost effectiveness which is very essential for any website owner. With the reduction in expenses for creating a website, the owner will be able to save cost and have more funds for other web development tasks. Besides, since majority of free names are for one year, you will have enough time to raise funds for renewal when they expire and you can renew for one, two or three years and above. For a short period site, it is like a gift because there may not be need for renewal. Hence, free names are very useful for special events and festivals because once the events are over, there is no need for renewal.
In addition, web developers don't joke with free domains because they enhance their jobs. Majority of web developers register multiple domains names for one website in order to defeat cybersquatters. What cybersquatters do is to register many variations of popular websites with the intention of selling them to the owners of the websites or benefit from their popularity.
On the other hand, one major demerit of a free domain is limited service. If you get a free TLD attached to a web hosting plan, you can only use it for one year and later renew it. If you get a sub-domain (which is not recommended for serious online business), you will not have access to the Domain Management System (DMS) which is the basic proof of domain ownership. Also a free sub-domain may be flooded with both wanted and unwanted adverts which may not be ideal for your business. It may also not be dependable because the owner of the domain can ban it at anytime and this can lead to loss of rank, visitors, back-links and so on.
Consequently, extra caution must be taken when going for free domain names. It is very important for you to get your free names from a reliable source especially if you are getting a TLD attached to a web hosting package. It is strongly advisable to stay away from free sub-domains unless you want to be online for fun. Sub-domains are not ideal for online businesses, hence, you can pay to register a name (after all it is not expensive) or get a free one attached to a web hosting package.
Free Domain Names - Why You Must Tread Lightly
You need to be very careful when searching for free domain names on the internet because you may get what you don't bargain for. There are some free domains that are not ideal for business purpose and that is why experienced webmasters stay away from them. If you want your website to make any serious impact online, you should not get a wrong free domain.Top level domains (TLDs) are perfect for serious online campaigns while sub-domains are good for those who need platforms to express themselves for fun. There is a limit to the rate of success you can achieve with a sub space area because there are restrictions to its use. You won't have the freedom to fully express yourself and carry out certain functions since you are not the owner of the space area.
Moreover, a sub-domain will not allow you to protect yourself from cyber-squatting, which is the registration of different variations of a popular domain name in order to benefit from its popularity. There is a story of a bank chief who did not protect his domain name thereby giving cyber-squatters the opportunity register the variations, and they did. He later paid thousands of dollars to buy these variations when he discovered that some of them were being used to tarnish the image of his bank. Consequently, if you are launching a business website, it is advisable for you to register a TLD with its variations.
Afterall, registering a domain name is not expensive and you can even get free domain names if you subscribe to certain web hosting plans. It is also important for you to note that domain names are renewable every year and this means that you cannot get a free name for life. That is why free TLDs are ideal for business purposes so that their renewal will not be a problem. But if the intention of your online presence is just to have fun, free sub-domains are ideal for you.
If you are not very careful with free domain name offers on the internet, your online campaign may be adversely affected especially if you are launching a business website. Hence, it is very essential for you to carry out your research properly before taking an action on this issue because forewarned is forearmed. You should seek for the right information and make sure that you make the best use of it in order to get your business online.
