Even if your business already has a .COM domain, registering alternate extensions can be beneficial. While you may be familiar with alternate extensions like .NET and .ORG, there’s a new domain extension that’s making a name for itself online: .TEL.

A .TEL domain functions as an online, interactive business card by providing all your contact information in one convenient place – and makes connecting with you as simple as a single click. When you register a .TEL domain for your business (i.e. www.YourCompany.tel.), you gain a valuable communications tool that can greatly improve the way you do business by boosting:

Control of Information

With a .TEL domain, you control which contact information your customers can access and make real-time updates as needed. Registering a .TEL domain instantly makes your business part of the first global directory.

Customer Service

Eliminate customer confusion by using your .TEL domain to direct them to the contact information for the person best suited to handle their needs.

Search Engine Visibility

Increase your chance of being found online by publishing keywords related to your business, products, departments or locations. These keywords are indexed by leading search engines, which improves your online visibility.

Availability

Your .TEL domain will make you available from any device with an Internet connection. Customers need only make a single click to connect with you. This availability extends to mobile devices as well, as .TEL domain pages have a simplified design that’s easily accessible on the go.

Website Traffic

When your .TEL domain links to your existing website, traffic to your business website or storefront will increase. Another idea: use your .TEL domain as your website’s Contact Us page so it updates automatically.

For a limited time, Network Solutions® is offering .TEL domains for just $11.95*. Learn more about .TEL domains or register one today!

*Offer is good for new purchases only.  Discount applied in shopping cart. Cannot be combined with any other offer.

Here are 10 reasons why you should choose Network Solutions to register your domain name & for hosting. And I’ve included some tips at the end to protect your investment.

• Domain Selection – Broad selection of domain name choices including over 60 of the most popular extensions.
• Industry Leading Domain Services – Most advanced domain name search tools and services to help you get the domain name that you want include a proprietary alternative domain name generator, hundreds of thousands of premium resale domains listed a fixed price, a make an offer service for any domain name, and an expired domain name backorder solution.
• Advanced DNS platform – support of advanced DNS records such as SPF and TXT in addition to dynamic updates for DNS records that provides near real time propagation through the Internet.
• Longevity – Network Solutions is the oldest domain registrar & will be serving it’s customers long into the future.
• Reliability – The web hosting is reliable & your website won’t have ongoing issues with down time.
• Customer Service is award winning! Call Center is J.D. Powers Certified as “An Outstanding Customer Service Experience.”
• Innovative! Network Solutions is on the cutting edge for providing online customer service.

• Social Media Team – providing customer service on Twitter, Facebook & the web at large
  Voice of the Customer – submit your feedback
  IdeasArePower.com – a place to submit your ideas & vote on others

• Resources

MySolutionSpot.com offers resources & a community for sharing ideas

Fast facts about registering your domain name at Network Solutions:

• There is a charge per domain name to register it.
• The domain name is free with purchase of a hosting package for one year.
• There are additional discounts if you purchase hosting for a longer period of time

Suggestions for protecting your investment:

• When you register your domain name, make it a private registration to avoid spammers from finding your email address
• Use an email address that you actively use. This is how you’ll be notified when it’s time to renew your domain name.
• Make sure that your domain name is locked. This will prevent your domain from being transferred without your consent.
• To see a record of your domain name, go to www.networksolutions.com & use the WHOIS lookup in the bottom left corner. Enter your domain name & Search – it will show you:
• A complete record of your domain name
• Where it’s registered at & where it’s hosted at

What would you add to the list?

Small business owners & professionals now have another option when choosing a domain name! If the .com version of the domain name you’d like isn’t available the .pro domain name may just very well be.

In the past the .pro extension was only available to doctors, lawyers, accountants & engineers. It was limited to the four countries of US, UK, Germany & Canada. ICANN lifted many restrictions. The .pro registry contacted us because many of our customers are small business owners. We felt that it was important to participate & have the .pro extensions available on Sept 8th when they were released worldwide. It was important to us to offer that same access to our customers.

The .pro domain extension is for business professionals that are licensed & have credentials. Anyone can buy a .com domain, but the .pro extensions will only be sold to licensed and credentialed business professionals. In addition, to professionals like doctors, lawyers, accountants, other service professionals such as plumbers, contractors, auto service centers, and beauty salons can register .PRO domains.

There will be a process of validating your business licensure after you have purchased the .pro domain. You will receive an email that will link you to the form where you will provide your licensure information. More information can be found here.

This morning I asked my followers on Twitter what they thought? Some thought that they should purchase some to protect their domain names.

Mark Carter of Thrivetime.com & www.NetworkingForACause.org immediately purchased some. He said,

“I immediately went to Network Solutions site and purchased .pro domain names. It’s important to protect your personal and professional brand online–which means owning more domain names than just “.com”.

If you don’t get the domains, someone else will so I always go out of my way to get them first!”

So check & see if your .pro domains are available & invest in your business’ future online.