Registering a domain is simple, but small mistakes can cause big problems later, from lost names to broken email. Knowing the common pitfalls helps you avoid them.
Contact and Ownership Mistakes
- Using an email you do not control or that you might abandon, which means you miss renewal and verification notices.
- Registering the domain under an employee or third party instead of the business, which complicates ownership later.
- Entering false WHOIS details, which can lead to suspension under registry rules.
Renewal Mistakes
- Forgetting to renew and letting the domain expire.
- Not enabling auto-renewal as a safety net.
- Registering for only one year for an important brand domain.
Technical Mistakes
- Choosing a name that is hard to spell or full of hyphens and numbers.
- Forgetting to set nameservers, so the domain resolves nowhere. Use ns1.nairohost.site and ns2.nairohost.site when hosting with NairoHost.
- Changing nameservers and transferring at the same time, causing downtime.
Brand Protection Mistakes
| Mistake | Better approach | |---------|-----------------| | Registering one extension only | Secure .co.ke plus .com or .ke | | Ignoring trademarks | Check the name is not already a brand | | Leaving renewals unaligned | Set the same expiry and auto-renew |
Transfer Mistakes
- Trying to transfer a domain under 60 days old, which the registry blocks.
- Leaving WHOIS privacy on, so the approval email never arrives.
- Letting the auth code expire before completing the transfer.
Avoiding these errors comes down to accurate details, early renewals, and a little planning. Keep your contact email current and enable auto-renewal, and most problems never arise. For guidance, contact NairoHost on WhatsApp at +254 796 358081.