Domains and registrars
Is WHOIS privacy worth paying for?
It depends on your registrar. Many now redact individuals' personal details by default, because of privacy law, and some include extra privacy free. Look at a WHOIS lookup of your own domain before paying. If your name, address and phone number show up, privacy is worth having, since it cuts down on spam and cold calls.
Should www redirect to the bare domain, or the other way round?
Either is fine. Pick one, redirect the other to it with a 301, and use the chosen form everywhere: links, sitemaps, certificates and email signatures. Most people lean toward the bare domain for simplicity, though a www hostname can be useful with some CDNs because it can be a CNAME.
What is the difference between a domain and hosting?
The domain is the name, and hosting is the place where the website's files live. You register the domain for a yearly fee and point it, using DNS, to the hosting. They can be bought from the same company or different ones.
Can I move my domain without downtime?
Yes, if you do it in the right order. Transferring a domain between registrars does not by itself change DNS, so the site keeps working. Make sure DNS settings are identical at the new registrar or DNS provider before changing nameservers, and keep the old one active for a few days.
Should I use a subdomain or a subfolder for my blog?
For most sites a subfolder, such as example.com/blog, is simpler: it shares the same domain and the same server setup. A subdomain makes sense when the blog runs on a different system or server, but search engines may treat it as somewhat separate.
How long should I register a domain for?
A year at a time is fine if you have auto-renew and a card that will not expire. Several years is useful if you are afraid of forgetting, and sometimes cheaper per year. Longer registration does not improve search rankings.
Can I register a domain someone else just let expire?
Yes, once it has gone through the grace and redemption periods and returned to the pool. For popular names, automated services grab them within seconds, so you may need to place a backorder with a service that tries on your behalf.
What is the difference between a domain and a URL?
The domain is the name, such as example.com. A URL is the full address of one page or file, including the protocol and path, such as https://example.com/blog/post/. One domain has many URLs.
Why does my registrar want me to verify my email?
Rules require registrars to confirm that the contact address works, usually within fifteen days of registering or changing it. If you do not verify, the domain can be suspended and the website stops working. Do it the same day.
Should I buy several domain extensions for one site?
Only a few. Registering your name on .com and your main country ending is reasonable. Buying dozens of variants costs money every year and rarely helps. Redirect the extras to your main address.