We check a lot of Danville business websites, the same way a customer would: pull up Google, tap “Website.” This week, three of them had the same problem. Their web address had run out, and nobody noticed.
Their Google listings were still sending customers there. Every one of those customers got “This site can't be reached,” and probably figured the business had closed.
What actually happens when it expires
A web address isn't yours forever. You rent it a year (or a few) at a time. If it runs out and nobody renews it, it goes through a few stages, set by ICANN, the group that runs web addresses:
- First, the company you bought it from usually holds onto it for a while, often around a month, sometimes up to 45 days. Your site and your email stop working, but you can still renew it, usually at the regular price.
- Then it can be deleted and goes into a 30-day “redemption” period. You still get first dibs, but getting it back now costs extra, often a lot more than a normal renewal.
- After that, it sits in “pending delete” for about 5 days, and nobody can touch it. Then it's released, and anybody in the world can buy it.
That last part is the one that should worry you. Old business addresses get snatched up all the time by people who slap ads on them or send the traffic somewhere else. Your customers still type in the address from your business card or the side of your truck, and they land on something that isn't you.
Why it happens
Most of the time, it's the card. The card on file expired, or the renewal reminder went to an old email nobody checks anymore. Sometimes the person who built the website years ago bought the address in their own name, and they're long gone.
How we keep it from happening to our clients
- It's yours from day one. We buy your web address in your name, on your card, so it never depends on us or anybody else.
- Auto-renew goes on. No surprise expiration a year later.
- No middleman. If we ever part ways, your address goes with you.
Not sure where yours stands? Don't wait to find out the hard way. The sooner an expired address gets caught, the cheaper and easier it is to get back. Run our free website check, or give us a call and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.