Domain registration takes a few minutes, but the mistakes made in those few minutes can create real headaches years later. Here are the ones we see most often.
1. Registering Under the Wrong Name
If an employee, freelancer, or web designer registers your domain using their own personal account, your business does not actually own it — they do. Always register (or verify the registration) under your own business name and a company email address you control.
2. Forgetting Renewal Dates
A domain that lapses can be snapped up by someone else within days — including squatters who will then try to sell it back to you at a markup. Set calendar reminders well ahead of your renewal date, or better, use a registrar that sends proactive renewal notices.
3. Registering Only One Extension
If you only register the .co.ke version of your brand, nothing stops a competitor — or someone acting in bad faith — from registering the .com version and redirecting confused visitors elsewhere. Protecting your core extensions is worth the modest extra cost.
4. Choosing a Name Too Close to an Existing Trademark
A domain that includes or closely resembles another company's registered trademark can result in a dispute you're likely to lose, after you've already invested in building a website on it. A quick trademark search before registering saves this pain entirely.
5. Overcomplicating the Name
Long phrases, multiple hyphens, and awkward keyword-stuffing might feel like an SEO shortcut, but they actually hurt memorability and can look spammy to visitors. A short, clean, brandable name almost always wins.
6. Not Verifying Registrar Accreditation
Only KeNIC-accredited registrars can properly manage .ke domain extensions. An unaccredited or unreliable registrar can mean slow support, unclear ownership records, or complications transferring your domain later.
7. Ignoring DNS and Email Setup
A domain that isn't properly connected to hosting and email records won't actually do anything for your business — and improperly configured DNS is one of the most common reasons a new website "isn't working" after launch.
Fimnet handles the entire process correctly from day one — registration, hosting, SSL, DNS, and email — so none of these mistakes become your problem.
See our Domain Registration & Hosting package or talk to our team about moving an existing domain over safely.