Just as I was about to write a follow-on to my earlier post on LinkedIn’s mobile site, I found another example of a corporation not owning a domain name for their brand, product or service.

LinkedIn’s mobile site is at m.linkedin.com, but not at linkedin.mobi, as it is owned by someone in California and it is a parked page. Then I saw this post on the Chicagoist blog about a Web site for tracking down which McDonald’s restaurants serve Shamrock Shakes called – you guessed it – ShamrockShake.com. It is also owned buy someone in California. I would have thought after being exposed in Wired magazine’s article about not owning mcdonalds.com back in 1994, they would have gone on a spree to buy up ever conceivable name possible.

So make sure to get your domain name – billions have already been served!

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“It’s 10 o’clock, do you know where your children are?” This was a brief TV spot I recall from childhood every evening just before 10 p.m. (of course my Mom didn’t have to worry about where I was because I was always at home, but I digress). I would like to take a spin on this phrase and apply it to something near and dear to me, domain names:

“It’s right now, do you know where your domain names are?”

In the last couple of weeks, I personally heard of 2 cases where owners of domain names realized they no longer had control of their domain names as they had expired and were in the hands of other entities. As a result, their Web sites and email accounts were disabled.

How do you avoid this? There are 2 ways to do so – take steps to properly manage your domain names yourself, or hire a professional to do so. As a full service Internet consultancy, this is a service I offer through Dunkirk Systems, LLC. However, if you have the time and interest to do so yourself, here are a few basic steps you can do yourself to manage your domains.

Know what you own

This may seem obvious, but it is vital not to overlook. As it is easy to acquire multiple domain names, it is just as easy to lose track of them. Maintain a list of the domain names, and add to it as you acquire others.

Know when they expire

Next to each domain name on your list, note their expiration date. I recommend to my clients to extend their registration to the maximum 10 years in advance, so you don’t have to worry about it every year. You can also put alerts in your calendar software to remind you to renew them, ideally well before they expire.

Know where they are registered

Ideally you should have all of your domain names together in 1 or maybe 2 registration accounts – it’s always good to have a backup account. Add the registrar’s name to your list, and store the login and passwords in a safe location.

Ensure contact information is accurate

Lookup your domain names in your registration account or with a 3rd party service like Domain Tools and see if your contact information is completely accurate. If not, update it. All of your information, especially your email address, should be correct, as to this email address you will receive renewal and other notices from your registrar.

These are basic and vital steps to managing an important asset to your business. Follow them, and then you can go back to worrying about your kids.

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At the DOMAINfest conference last week there were 2 live domain name auctions. Professional auctioneers took bids from the audience at the conference anf from those registered and bidding online. It was an interesting experience, especially as the last time I saw a live auction it was for farm equipment!.

Below is a video I took of the auction of importliquor.com from day 1, which sold for US$3,500.00. Domain Name News has the complete list of domain names from day 1 and day 2 and what the sold for and which ones did not receive a minimum bid.

If you cannot see the embedded video, you can link to it directly on YouTube.

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It has been a week since my last blog post, and that has been due to my unusual travel schedule. Though I am still on the road, I am getting reacclimated to a schedule I have some control over and getting some work done.

Earlier this week was DOMAINfest conference, a 3-day conference on the domain name industry in Hollywood, California. For those unaware, there really is a domain name industry! Though I write often on domain names, it only scratches the surface of all involved, much of it came to light this week. Everything from the value of domain names and how people choose them and monetize them to legal issues, it was a full conference.

DOMAINfest was run by Oversee.net, a company that owns many companies including registration, domain parking and aftermarket acquisition services. They have made acquisitions to make them a major player, consolidating the number of companies out there serving the industry. But isn’t that just business? Anyway, I will be pouring through my notes, photos and videos and writing more on this great event.

Prior to arriving on the west coast I was on the east coast for the AFC Championship Game, which was won by my beloved Patriots 21-12, earning them a spot in the Super Bowl against the New York Giants. It was a cold game but nothing intolerable, and though they had a rough start they came out on top in the end.

I haven’t talked much about the Pats here, more to keep The Hot Iron on topic and not throw anything in the face of my fellow Chicagoans, especially after how the Bears did (or didn’t do) this season. For that, visit my Web site, GoPats.com. Seeing them going perfect at 18-0 is about all I am planning to see, as the price of Super Bowl tickets is a little out of the range of this entrepreneur’s budget. Though if anyone feels generous, please feel free to contact me!

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Next Monday thru Thursday, January 21-24 is the DOMAINfest conference in Hollywood, California, and I will be there. I am eager to attend the conference for many reasons, more than just getting away from the cold and snowy northern US.

As many of you have seen I write quite a bit about domain names here on The Hot Iron. This is related to my own personal interest and the importance of domain names, going well beyond the selection of one for a Web site. Granted that is still hugely important, but the reasons for purchasing domain names are many, and this sector of the Internet has spawn its own publications and conferences, including DOMAINfest. I am excited about the topics covered and am hoping to meet in person many of the people whose blogs I read and have learned from their leadership in this area.

On a professional development front, it marks the first conference I have attended since I started Dunkirk Systems. Though the business has been thriving over the last 3 years, I have not sought out conferences to attend. Where I cannot go back, I can only go forward, and DOMAINfest is the first of hopefully many.

If anyone reading is going to DOMAINfest please comment and I look forward to meeting you in person next week. Here’s to clear skies so my flight gets there on-time!

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