When registering a domain name for a website, you would be asked whether they need domain privacy. So, what is private domain registration, does it actually work, and why it is paid at certain domain registrars, etc.
Private Domain Registration
Private domain registration is a service that provided by a number of domain registrars. If you buy the privacy service from the registrar, and it would turn replaces your information in the WHOIS with the information of a forwarding service like Domain by Proxy or ID Protect.
Simply put, you are expected to keep correct contact details for you and your site or company on the domain’s whois record once you register a domain name. And this record can be accessed to anyone. As the result, the private domain registration is always required by customers, especially business owners.
Should You Choose Private Domain Registration
Private domain registration comes both pros and cons, whether should you choose the service, it all depends on your own requirements.
- Prevent Unwanted Spam
Since the whois record is available to the public, your information like email addresses and phone numbers are easy to harvest. Spammers and scammers will collect the information, and then spam you regarding the domain or something totally unrelated.
However, private domain registration can effectively keep you far away from spam. It prevents the spammers from getting your name, address, email and phone number. Besides, they are less likely to add a proxy service email to a list to spam.
By making your information anonymously, private domain registration is a great way to protect your privacy and business, if you plan to create or already own an online business.
- Lead to Proper Contact Information
Sometimes, visitors or customers of your website might confront some issues, and they need to contact to you immediately. They might go to check the whois record, and that makes unwanted contact direct to you.
Putting up private domain registration, you information is protected. While you can keep contact coming to your website through proper contact information such as sales department, support team or your special-use email or phone number instead of personal ones.
For you business owners, although the private domain registration can protect information, it can also prevent some legitimate business contacts sometimes. Moreover, the service usually charges at $8 to $15 per domain per year, it will cost lots of money if using the service on dozens of even hundreds of domain names.