written by
Joe Uddeme
How to Buy a Domain Name
Negotiating a Domain Price
How to Choose a Domain Name
How to Value a Domain Name
What is a Premium Domain Name & Why You Should Buy One
Domain Names for Startups
How to Buy a Domain Name Owned by Someone Else
How to Buy a .com Domain Name
Things to Watch Out for When Buying a Domain
Domain Name Investing
Buy & Selling Domains
Best Domains to Buy
It is surprisingly easy to take your eye off the ball when managing one or more domain names. In this blog post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains what to do if your domain name appears to be lost.
My domain is expired. My domain name is lost. I forgot to renew my domain name.
Now what? If you lost your expired domains, missed the grace period and now your website is deleted, it’s easy for panic to set in. Expired domains can wreak havoc for any brand.
A common issue is that an expired domain name has transferred to another registration – and now there is no access to search your registrar. The redemption period has lapsed and your domains cannot be renewed. Another burning question is: “Did my backlinks expire or transfer with the renewed domain name transfer?”
Let’s explore expired domains and detail the grace period for your expired domain.
Key takeaways
Follow the steps below to try and secure your expired or deleted domain.
Most expired domains have a grace period between 20 and 30 days before domains expire at registrars. During the expiry period, you can contact the registrar to see if you can reclaim your dropped domains.
If your domain has passed the redemption period, then you’ll have no choice but to check if it’s available for sale on the aftermarket. Some domains may now have services attached or even new website.
You may have to participate in an expiry auction and bid against other people to buy back your expired domain name. If it’s a popular domain name, expect to pay a significant sum because of the bidding competition and relevance to other brands. Working with a seasoned domain name broker who is skilled in negotiation can be a huge help here.
Imagine you lost your domain name, and another person succeeded in acquiring it before you could scoop it back up. Would you likely give up all hope at this point? No, all hope isn’t actually lost. Try and locate the new owner and explain your situation and work out an agreement on how to get your domain name back. This method isn’t always reliable but can work for certain domains and tlds. Plead your case, and hope to strike up some sympathy.
If you’ve tried all the aforementioned steps and still can’t get your domains, back-ordering is a possible solution after they expire. Registrars offer a back-order service for recently expired domains with a simple filter process for various tlds.
The back-order system can log and track your preferred domains.
Back-ordering is a filter service offered by some registrars, letting you reserve the chance to acquire a domain immediately after its expiration.
Most registrars charge a fee for back-ordering domain names, and you may still have to compete against other bidders to buy back the expired tlds.
You can hire an expert domain name broker to help you buy back your lost domain name. The broker can handle each of these steps we mentioned for you and is more likely to be successful because of past experience in purchasing domain names.
The broker can contact the registered domain owner in the whois system to see if they would be interested in selling the domain name and at what price point without emotional attachment. NameExperts.com often helps clients recover expired domain names. We’ve negotiated over $150 million in domain name sales and protect customers’ anonymity when doing so.
An experienced broker should also understand the grace period for your domains and know the latest best practices to try and recover your previously registered domain name page.
When all else fails, you may need to consult with a domain name attorney. A domain consultancy service can assist you with finding the right legal representation.
Expiration
Expired domains are the most common way to lose a domain. Many people forget to renew their domain names when renewal is due and only remember when they observe a problem with their website’s performance. At that point, it’s too late. The domain expires and is now pending being deleted. It is past the renewal date and will eventually be released.
Expired domain names are hard to get back, and are potentially very cost-prohibitive to secure the domain.
Hijacked Domain
Hackers and malicious actors are present in every part of the Internet, which includes domain names. You could fall victim to domain theft in various ways with phishing tactics for your domains.
Negligence
Negligence on your part may also cause you to lose your domains without knowledge of the expiration date or the last update to your domains.
Dispute
UDRP or reverse domain name hijacking techniques based on registration and function for the organization.
Website Goes Down
If you run an online business, a site shutdown can cause financial loss and make your customers lose complete trust in you and your domain. They search and no longer can find you in a browser. Your org or .com name is no longer visible on the web.
Costly To Get It Back
Domain name squatters are constantly on the search for domains and tlds, waiting to grab them immediately after the expiration date. Then, they’ll hike the price to register for intended buyers to renew their domains. Everyone in the industry is mindful of the incredibly high prices that domain names can attract.
Security Issues
Cybercriminals can exploit lost or expired domains for nefarious activities. For example, they can gain access to old email and get their hands on sensitive information about the previous registrant. They can register similar domains and steal your organic traffic.
In conclusion, when a domain expires, your account and backlinks stop functioning. Remedial steps can be costly; it’s always better to be proactive and make sure your domain portfolio is properly managed and kept up-to-date.
Joe Uddeme is Director and Principal of Name Experts, one of the world’s leading domain name brokerage services. He has overseen domain name sales and acquisitions totaling more than $150 million and is renowned worldwide as a go-to expert in buying and selling premium domains – and helping clients manage their portfolios. Contact us at: [email protected]
Even the best domains can be snapped up at an attractive price if you follow the rules and get the timing right. In this blog post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme shares the top strategies domain brokers employ when securing high-value names for their clients.
Congratulations! You bought a domain name. But now what? In this post, domain name expert Joe Uddeme explains what to do next to keep your domain name protected – and extract its full value. “I have a domain name. Now what?” – this is a very common question people ask. The fact is, a domain name is pointless if you don’t do anything with it! After buying a domain, many things will run through your mind, and choosing how to use it productively can be confusing. However, don’t fret. This article will guide you on what to do after purchasing a domain name. Do it right, and you can leverage your domain name and build it into an attractive asset. Do it wrong, and you’ll waste 20 bucks on the temporary ownership of something you can’t even touch. Key takeaways: What is web hosting and why do you need it? Building a website and a brand you can leverage Attracting online customers to your new business Planning your exit strategy Before we proceed, let’s run through how to buy a domain in the first place. Acquiring Your Domain Buying a domain has become more simple than ever. In 2025, it’s just a few clicks and a swift online transaction. The first step is to choose a domain name you like that is relevant to your business. Afterwards, you can check if it’s available to buy immediately. Find a domain registrar accredited by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the organization overseeing all domain names on the Internet. If the domain name is available, you can purchase it immediately from an accredited registrar. The price depends on how high the demand for the domain name is. If the domain name has already been claimed, you need a different approach. You can check domain marketplaces to see if the owner has possibly listed the domain for sale (see our list of the best domain marketplaces). Otherwise, you can possibly contact the owner to negotiate a deal. If this is out of your comfort zone and you have a high-value premium domain name in your sights, check out an experienced domain name broker with a great track record. For more details on securing a domain name, check our in-depth article about how to buy a domain name. What To Do After Buying A Domain Name You have acquired a domain name and have taken the first step in building your web presence. There are many other things to do after buying the domain, and we’ll outline them below. 1. Get Web Hosting Setup After buying a domain name, the first thing to consider is hosting a website with it. You’ll need a web hosting package from a reliable company. The company will host your website on its servers for a fee, and your website will be accessible once someone types your domain name into their web browser. Web hosting has become a walk in the park, at least in terms of getting started. You can get reliable web hosting for a few dollars monthly, and the price keeps going down as computing capacity increases around the globe. Sometimes, a domain registrar also offers web hosting services, meaning you can buy a domain name and a hosting package from the same platform. Otherwise, you can buy them separately and point your domain name to your hosting company’s servers. 2. Connect Your Domain to Your Hosting Connecting your domain to your hosting provider is relatively easy. You can do it via two methods: Changing the nameservers to those of your web hosting provider. Adding a DNS A record. Either method involves changing the domain name system (DNS) configurations from your domain registrar. Your registrar allows you to directly change the nameservers from its default to the one provided by your hosting company. You can also point your domain to the hosting company’s nameservers by adding a DNS A record. It’s the same action but with two different approaches. 3. Create an Email Address with Your New Domain Instead of using a common email address ending with “Gmail.com,” “Yahoo.com,” or “AOL.com,” you can use one ending with your custom domain name. It makes you look more professional and shows people you’re serious about your business. Many domain registrars also offer email hosting, so you can pay for it and create custom emails directly. Otherwise, you can choose an external email provider and change your domain’s DNS MX records to point to its mail servers. 4. Build Your Website and Brand The best way to put a domain to work is to create a website with it. It can be any type of website, such as a blog or online store. Creating a website is usually complex, but there are ready-made tools that make the process as easy as it can get. You can use a designated website builder like WordPress, Wix, Weebly, Squarespace, etc. WordPress is the most common tool for building websites because of its versatility. You can use it to create virtually any type of website you want. Follow these steps: Install WordPress on your web hosting account (many hosting providers offer one-click WordPress installation). Afterwards, log into your WordPress dashboard to begin customizing your website.
Domain brokers like NameExperts.com help clients buy ‘premium’ domains – but what is a premium name, and how do you get one? In this post, domain name specialist Joe Uddeme lifts the lid on high-value web addresses. Imagine a business today that didn’t have a website. Seems almost inconceivable, right? The internet is one of a business’ primary channels to entice potential customers, meaning any organization that doesn’t have an online presence is massively missing out. The best way to showcase yourself online is by having a website stating clearly what you or your organization offers. And the way to do that? With a premium domain name. The domain name is how people will find you on the web, so unless you strike it luck and some cheap random jumble of letters you’ve bought as a domain name suddenly becomes in vogue, you’ll need to dig deep and buy a premium domain name. But what are the elements of a premium domain – and how much are you going to have to pay? Read on for the full details. Key Takeaways Understanding what premium means in the domain name world Elements of a premium domain How to buy a premium domain name Why you should buy a premium domain What are Premium Domains? Premium domain names are high-quality domain names, giving you greater recognition on the internet. They’re often short, catchy, and memorable. They’re the domain names that people are likely to search for and trust over other names. A premium domain name would go a long way in drawing organic traffic to your website. They’re usually costly, but one of the best investments you can make. It’s not a coincidence that most of the successful online businesses we know have premium domain names – see Stripe.com, Amazon.com, Google.com and other big-hitters.
Name Experts offers personalized domain brokerage services, assisting clients in buying or selling premium domain names with expert appraisal, negotiation, and complete transaction management while ensuring confidentiality.
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