Domain Name Management FAQ

Q: What is domain management?

A: Domain management involves the processes and systems in place for acquiring, maintaining, and using domain names. This can include registration, renewal, transfer, and ensuring security measures to protect the domain's integrity. Effective domain management helps ensure that a domain's technical settings align with the owner's needs and compliances.

Q: Why is domain management important for my business?

A: Proper domain management is crucial as it directly impacts your brand's online presence and security. Efficient management helps prevent service disruptions, unauthorized access, and potential data breaches. It also enhances your marketing efforts by maintaining a stable and professional web presence.

Q: What should I consider when choosing a domain name?

A: When selecting a domain name, consider its relevance to your business, ease of spelling, and memorability. Avoid complex spellings and opt for a name that reflects your brand's identity and purpose. Strategic choice of a domain name can significantly influence your online visibility and branding. For more tips, check our guide on how to choose the right domain name.

Q: How can I secure my domain name?

A: To secure your domain name, use robust privacy protection services to hide your personal information from the public WHOIS database. Regularly update your registration records, utilize secure domain registrars, and enable two-factor authentication for any changes to your domain settings. Learn more about securing your domain with domain privacy protection.

Q: What are common mistakes in domain management?

A: Common mistakes include forgetting to renew domains, using non-secure means to manage domains, and neglecting to update domain registration details. Each of these can lead to domain hijacking, loss of domain, or significant disruptions to your service. Ensuring your domain is available and protected is crucial. Find out more about domain availability in our blog post: Domain Name Availability: Is My Domain Name Available?

Q: How do I handle domain renewals strategically?

A: To expertly manage domain renewals, set reminders for deadlines, enable auto-renewal, and regularly review your domain portfolio to decide if you should keep or let go of certain domains. This proactive approach guarantees that you maintain control over valuable domains, avoiding unnecessary costs on unused ones.

Q: What does "auto-renew" mean? How do I change it?

A: As a security measure, newly registered domains are configured for auto-renewal by default unless the customer specifies otherwise. This ensures that domain names don't inadvertently expire, preventing any potential loss of control over your website. Auto-renewal attempts are initiated 15 days prior to the expiration date, and the associated credit card on your account is billed for these renewals. If you desire auto-renewal for your domain but find that it is currently disabled, please enable the auto-renewal option.

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. Click the RENEWAL CENTER tab from the side navigation menu to the left.
3. Scroll down to select the domains for which you would like to update renewal settings.
4. Click either the ENABLE AUTO-RENEW or DISABLE AUTO-RENEW button toward the top of the screen.
5. Confirm changes.

Q: My auto-renew failed. What do I do?

A: If the automatic renewal process is unsuccessful, it is likely due to an invalid credit card. Please follow the steps below to update your credit card information. Additionally, consider manually renewing your domain, especially if it is within 15 days of expiration or has already expired. Refer to the Update Your Credit Card article for more details.

Q: How long does it take for a renewed domain to go live?

A: As long as there are no problems with the registration or renewal process, it should be active within 24-48 hours, typically even sooner.

Q: How do I access the Domain Manager?

A: After logging in, navigate to the Domains tab in the left side menu. You can oversee your registered domains in the Domain Manager, even if you no longer use hosting services with us. This is where you can handle various domain settings, including name servers, locking, contact details, privacy preferences, renewal options, and more.

Q: How do I renew my domains?

A: 

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. Click the RENEWAL CENTER tab from the side navigation menu to the left.
3. Select the domains you would like to renew.
4. Select either RENEW NOW, ENABLE AUTO-RENEW, DIABLE AUTO-RENEW, or SWITCH PAYMENT to manage your domain name's renewal.

Q: How do I use or activate a domain name that I have parked?

A: To activate or use the domain name you have parked, you must change its status to Addon. To begin, you will need to be logged in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
All domains are active within your account once added. You can update where they are pointed to at any time from the cPanel.

1. Click the Hosting tab from the side navigation menu to the left.
2. Click the CPANEL button.
3. Scroll down to the Domain Names section and click the Domain Names icon.

If you're having an issue following the steps, you may visit this article, How To Assign A Domain Name - A Record, Name Servers, HTML Page, for further information.

Q: My domain is in "Redemption." What does that mean?

A: The domain's redemption period extends for 30 days following the initial grace period for renewal. During this period, you have the opportunity to reclaim the domain. To reactivate a domain during the Redemption Period, a fee of $99.95 plus the standard renewal fee is applicable. You can initiate the redemption process by opting to renew the domain through the Domains section within the Control Panel. After the Redemption Period concludes, there is a 5-day delete cycle, and subsequently, the domain(s) will be open for registration by anyone.

Q: I'm getting renewal notices for my domains at different email addresses.

A: This is most often caused by having multiple accounts with Bluehost, and each account is set to use a different email address. To consolidate all of your renewal notices to arrive at one email, ensure that your contact information is consistent for each account.

1. Log in to your Bluehost Account Manager.
2. Go to the Account menu.
3. Check the Email Address listed under Contacts to ensure it's the same on all of your accounts.

If you need further assistance, feel free to contact us via Chat or Phone:

• Chat Support - While on our website, you should see a CHAT bubble in the bottom right-hand corner of the page. Click anywhere on the bubble to begin a chat session.
• Phone Support -
  • US: 888-401-4678
  • International: +1 801-765-9400

You may also refer to our Knowledge Base articles to help answer common questions and guide you through various setup, configuration, and troubleshooting steps.