Greetings and welcome to the first Local Link newsletter!
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In each issue we will inform you about topics that may affect your business, visit what is happening with our company, and highlight a client project we are working on.
In This Issue:
Did You Know?
Domain name security is a topic that's often discussed but frequently misunderstood. Domain name security exists to protect your company from someone taking, or "stealing," your brand identity. This type of theft typically happens one of two ways: through registration targeting or by unauthorized transfers or hijacking.
Registration targeting occurs when an individual targets a domain name that is due to expire. If a domain name is not renewed prior to its expiration date, unethical individuals may purchase it the moment they can. Though not necessarily illegal, this unethical practice is used to steal the domain from the unsuspecting owner and use the traffic from the owner's site to drive traffic to their own website. Local Link's Domain Name Management Services protect you from this practice by personally contacting each client prior to the expiration date to warn you of its approach, always allowing a few days as a buffer. We understand that your life does not always revolve around Internet-related deadlines.
An unauthorized domain name transfer is just that, someone transferring your property to a different provider without your permission. Typically, this occurs in one of two ways: when someone gains access to a user name and password and changes it without your knowledge; or when an individual calls the company managing your domain claiming that he or she is you and has permissions to change this information.
Domain name hijacking is another type of unauthorized transfer where an individual takes a domain name without the consent of its owner. The difference between the two is, that with hijacking, the way the individual gains access to accounts often involves illegal means including: forgery of the registrant's account information; falsification of transfer communications; or unauthorized DNS configuration changes "that disrupt or damage services operated under a domain name," according to the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)'s Hijacking Report, published July 2005.
To help prevent these security risks from affecting you, Local Link offers a full management option. This option allows your company the peace of mind that goes with not having to worry about user names and passwords. By having all changes go through us, you virtually eliminate the risk that an unauthorized person will mistakenly gain access to your account. In addition, working with a client-focused company, like Local Link, reduces the likelihood that someone could call and convince us they're you. We take the time to get to know each of our clients and their business. Local Link's team also reviews the domains they manage through the random checking of DNS settings.
What are the results of domain 'stealing'? Having your company's identity stolen can affect all aspects of your business, from its very reputation to routine operations including basic communications such as email. Domain stealing also affects customers, shareholders, and other businesses that may link to your website. Overall loss of business can cost the victim thousands of dollars.
What is being done to prevent this? ICANN has instituted a rule that no domain name can be transferred without approval from the primary contact listed on the account. It is also impossible to transfer addresses ending in .info, .us, .org, or .biz without a secondary authorization code. These are Internet-wide practices that were established to protect the rightful owners of domain names. In accordance with these rules, and with the policies Local Link has in place, we work to provide our clients the best protection possible.
These are legitimate concerns to anyone who owns a domain name. Though Local Link does not practice scaring our clients into utilizing tools, we do believe in providing you with the most up to date information so that you can make the best decision for your company. If you have any questions about this, or future "Did You Know?" topics, please Contact Us.
What's New
Graphic Services
Local Link offers full Graphic Design services: Websites, Print Design, Logos
and more! With more than thirty years of combined experience, our team can create
the look that will best represent your company each and every time your clients
and potential clients see it. We balance technical excellence with a creative
spark to produce quality results. Contact us or visit our website today to learn
more about these and our other services.
Chat with Your Customers Online
Historically, visiting a website has been an impersonal experience but now you can change that on your company's site. Utilizing the lates! t in interactive technology, Local Link's clients can chat with their current and prospective customers via their website. This tool includes the online chat, the ability to see which page your visitor is viewing while they chat with you, chat histories, and more. Personalize a customer's visit to your website with this intuitive tool. If you would like to learn more, visit our website to chat with us about this or any of our other services.
Client Project Highlight
The new website for Dover Auto World is a mix of professional graphics and technological functionality. Encompassing four websites in one, www.doverautoworld.com emphasizes the qualities that make the company unique while remaining true to each make and model vehicle they carry.
The web page for each brand (Porsche, Audi, Honda, and Chevrolet) has graphic elements that remain consistent throughout, though each with its own twist. The functionality of each site starts with an administrative section that allows the permitted member of the Dover Auto World team to change the "Featuring" section of each home page. They also have the ability to retrieve finance applications that are securely submitted via the website and send interested parties detailed emails about specific automobiles. Additionally, employees can update their professional biographies as needed. These advanced abilities, along with targeted contact forms, make the website experience a positive one for both visitors and administrators alike.