This is an important question and one that you need to be aware of. The name of your URL or domain name is typically hosted somewhere like Go Daddy, Network Solutions, or Register.com. When you have a site with Findlaw, we will host your site but not your URL. That is, when you have a site with us you are pointing your URL to our servers. Therefore, you will need to keep up the hosting of the domain name. If you allow your URL host to expire your site will go down or worse, you may lose your domain altogether.
Unfortunately this happened to a client of mine recently. The client had an old url with a decent page rank. As soon as the URL expired it was snatched up by a Russian company who is now using the established domain name to sell over the counter drugs. When this happens, you are the mercy of the new owner who may try to extort you – asking for an outrageous amount of money to get your url back.
Solution: Lockin in your domain hosting for as long as possible. I tell my clients to lockin for 10 years if possible. Besides getting a better rate, you will avoid the possibility of losing your URL. If your site does go down – take immediate steps to lock in the URL.
Great point! I have seen many companies lose their domains because they do not pay attention to it. People must consider their domains (and their sites) assets that should be treated even when considering your finances. If you go to sell your firm or bring in a partner, that domain should be counted on the balance sheet.
Think of it as virtual real estate (Insert economic joke)