Why It’s Important to Check Domain Expiry Dates: Protecting Your Online Presence

This post was written after two clients recently lost their domain having failed to renew their domains while a third lost all their rankings and a large amount of business after their website was no longer avilable.

In today’s digital age, owning a domain is fundamental for businesses, bloggers, and personal projects alike. A domain name serves as your identity on the internet, helping users locate your website and establishing your brand. However, one critical detail that is often overlooked by website owners is the domain expiry date. Allowing a domain name to expire can have serious consequences, potentially leading to the loss of your online presence, reputation damage, and costly recovery efforts.

In this post, we’ll explore why it is so important to check your domain expiry date regularly and how to avoid the pitfalls of an expired domain.

1. What is a Domain Expiry Date?

Photo by Glenn Carstens-Peters on Unsplash

Every domain name is registered for a specific period, typically between one and ten years, after which it must be renewed. The domain expiry date is the last day your registration is valid. If the domain is not renewed before this date, it enters a grace period during which the owner can still renew it, but after that, it may become available for others to purchase.

2. Risks of Letting Your Domain Expire

If you fail to renew your domain on time, there are several significant risks to your business or personal brand:

a) Loss of Online Presence

An expired domain means your website will no longer be accessible to visitors. For businesses, this can result in a loss of potential customers, reduced website traffic, and the loss of existing customer relationships. If your website is down for even a short time, it can drive users to competitors and damage trust in your brand.

b) Impact on SEO and Search Rankings

Search engines like Google consider domain authority when determining search rankings. If your domain expires, your site will be taken offline, which can lead to a drop in search engine rankings. It can take weeks or even months to recover your previous position, especially if you lose your domain altogether and have to start over with a new one. If the domain is re-registered by someone else, they can potentially benefit from the SEO efforts you’ve made, making your hard-earned search rankings work for them instead of you.

c) Domain Squatting

Domain squatting, or cybersquatting, occurs when someone registers a domain name with the intent to sell it at a higher price. If your domain expires, there’s a risk that someone could register it and either use it for malicious purposes or try to sell it back to you for an inflated fee. Reclaiming a domain in such situations can be both time-consuming and expensive, and there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to get it back.

d) Email Disruptions

Many businesses use their domain for email services. If the domain expires, any email addresses associated with it will stop working, potentially causing communication breakdowns with clients, partners, or employees. Missed emails can lead to missed opportunities, frustrated customers, and an overall negative impact on business operations.

e) Damage to Brand Reputation

An expired domain can send the wrong message to your audience. It may give the impression that your business is unreliable, inactive, or has gone out of business. For personal brands, an expired domain can signal disorganisation or a lack of professionalism. Rebuilding your reputation after such a mistake can be challenging, especially if customers or followers have already moved on to alternatives.

3. How to Check and Manage Domain Expiry Dates

Keeping track of your domain’s expiry date is crucial to avoid the risks mentioned above. Fortunately, there are simple steps you can take to ensure you never lose control of your domain:

a) Use a Reliable Domain Registrar

When you first purchase a domain, choose a reputable registrar that provides transparent communication about renewal dates and offers automatic renewal options. Good registrars will send multiple reminders before your domain expires and provide easy ways to manage your domains through an online account.

b) Enable Auto-Renewal

Most domain registrars offer an auto-renewal option. This feature automatically renews your domain when it nears its expiry date, charging your registered payment method. While it’s important to ensure your payment details are up-to-date, auto-renewal can save you from accidental lapses in domain ownership.

c) Set Personal Reminders

Even if you’ve enabled auto-renewal, it’s still a good idea to set personal reminders in your calendar or task management system.  Personally, even though my own domains are registered for several years I have an annual reminder to check the status etc. By doing so, you can verify that everything is in order before the renewal date and take action if necessary, such as updating payment information or deciding to extend the registration for a longer period.

d) Monitor Domain Expiry Emails

Make sure that the email address associated with your domain registrar account is accurate and accessible. Many people use an old or secondary email address for domain registrations and then miss important renewal notices. Keep your contact information up to date so you never miss these crucial notifications.

4. What to Do if Your Domain Expires

If your domain does expire, all is not lost. Most domain registrars provide a grace period after the expiry date, during which you can still renew the domain. The length of this grace period varies depending on the registrar but is typically between 30 and 90 days.  Currently for example uk domains stay online for 30 days and are then suspended for 60 days before becoming available for anyone to register. During this period, your website may be offline, but you can still regain ownership of the domain.

After the grace period, the domain may, or may not enter a redemption phase, during which it will be listed as available for re-purchase, often at a significantly higher cost. If you fail to renew it during this stage, the domain may eventually be made available to the public, and anyone could register it.

5. Final Thoughts: Protect Your Digital Assets

In a world where your online presence is often as important as your physical one, ensuring the protection of your domain is vital. By regularly checking your domain’s expiry date, enabling auto-renewal, and using reliable registrars, you can avoid the risks associated with an expired domain. From loss of revenue to reputational damage, the consequences of an expired domain can be severe, but with a proactive approach, you can safeguard your website and brand.

Regular domain management is an essential part of maintaining a professional, consistent, and secure digital presence. Don’t let the oversight of a domain expiry date be the reason your business, blog, or personal project suffers. Take control, stay informed, and ensure that your domain is always working for you.