Domain Management Rules

Before Registration

• Check availability on the registrar directly — WHOIS lookups from third parties can trigger front-running (someone registers it before you)
• Search for the domain name + "scam" or "controversy" — previous owners leave reputation baggage
• Verify trademark conflicts before investing in branding — legal disputes are expensive

Choosing Extensions

• .com still has highest trust for general audiences — alternatives work but require more brand building
• Country TLDs (.co.uk, .de) rank better in local search — use them for geo-targeted businesses
• New TLDs (.io, .ai, .dev) work for tech audiences but confuse mainstream users
• Premium domains have recurring premium renewal fees, not just higher initial cost — check yearly price

Registration Practices

• Enable auto-renewal immediately — domains lost to expiration get scooped by squatters within hours
• Buy WHOIS privacy — public registration data leads to endless spam and social engineering attempts
• Register for multiple years if the domain is important — shows search engines you're serious
• Use a dedicated email for registrar accounts — losing access to that email means losing the domain