Domain Names for Agencies

If you're an agency, you probably manage domains for multiple clients. Maybe dozens. Keeping track of them - which registrar has which domain, when things renew, what's pointing where - is a genuine headache. Here's how to stop it from being a disaster.

The Problem With Scattered Domains

Most agencies end up with domains scattered across multiple registrars:

• Client A's domain is with Registrar X
• Client B's domains are with Registrar Y
• Client C renewed their domain three years ago with a registrar that doesn't exist anymore

This creates a nightmare:

• You can't see all your domains in one place
• You miss renewal deadlines because notifications go to different registrars
• You can't change DNS or settings without tracking down which registrar has which domain
• If a client leaves, ownership transfer is a mess

Consolidate Everything Into One Registrar

The single biggest thing you can do is move all your client domains to one registrar. One account. One dashboard. Everything visible at once.

This makes it possible to:

• See all renewals in one calendar
• Update DNS settings for multiple domains quickly
• Automate renewal reminders
• Manage access and permissions more easily
• Transfer domains quickly when clients leave

Yes, moving domains takes time. But you do it once and save hours of headaches over the next five years.

Who Should Own What?

This is where it gets tricky. There are three options:

Option 1: You own all the domains

• Simplest for you
• Makes clients dependent on you
• Means you're liable if something goes wrong
• Client can't take the domain if they leave (you own it)

Option 2: Clients own all the domains

• Gives clients full control
• Means managing access across dozens of registrar accounts (nightmare)
• Hard to maintain and renew if the client isn't paying attention
• When they leave, it's easy for them to keep the domain

Option 3: Hybrid - Clients own the domain, you manage it

• You set the registrar account as the primary contact
• Client is the administrative contact (legal owner)
• You can manage it without full ownership
• Client stays in control but you handle maintenance

The hybrid approach is usually best. Your clients get to own their asset. You get to manage it centrally. Everyone wins.

Set Up a Renewal System

Pick a date - say, the 1st of each month - and do a domain audit. Check which domains are renewing soon, which ones are auto-renewing correctly, which ones are expiring in the next 90 days.

Use a spreadsheet or a tracking app. Make a list:

• Client name
• Domain name
• Registrar
• Renewal date
• Auto-renewal status
• Cost

Print it or keep it open. When you see a domain expiring in 30 days, you've got time to contact the client, confirm they want to renew, and process it.

If auto-renewal is enabled (which it should be for most clients), you're just monitoring - not doing anything. But you need to know it's happening.

Automate What You Can

Most registrars let you:

• Set domains to auto-renew
• Set up email notifications for expiry
• Bulk update DNS records across multiple domains

Use these. They save hours.

If you use the same DNS provider for multiple clients (Cloudflare is popular), you can point all your domains there and manage DNS from one dashboard, even if the domains are registered at different registrars.

Document Everything

For each client, you need to know:

• Where the domain is registered
• The login credentials (stored securely - password manager)
• Who the administrative contact is
• What it's pointing to (website host, email provider, etc.)
• When it renews
• How much it costs

Put this in a document. One for each client. Update it when things change. When they leave, you'll have everything needed to transfer ownership back to them cleanly.

The Money Side

Domains are cheap - £10 - £30 a year depending on the TLD. But if you manage 50 domains, that's £500 - £1500 annually across all of them.

Decide how much to charge for domain management:

• Some agencies include it in hosting or retainer fees
• Some charge a small monthly fee (£5 - £15 per domain)
• Some break it out as its own line item

Whatever you do, make it clear. Your client should know the domain will renew every year and what it costs. Never surprise them with a renewal invoice.

What About the Client Relationship?

Make it clear who owns what at the start. If the client owns the domain, they need to know that. If you own it, they need to know that too. Put it in the contract.

If you ever part ways with a client, the domain transfer process should be straightforward. Have them confirm they want it transferred to their own registrar account, handle the transfer, and move on.

A domain shouldn't be a hostage situation. It breeds resentment and is bad for your reputation.

Start Today

If you're managing more than a handful of domains and they're scattered across registrars, start consolidating today:

1. List all your client domains and where they're registered
2. Pick a consolidation registrar (or stay with what you have if it's a good one)
3. Move domains one at a time, starting with the ones that are expiring soonest
4. Set up auto-renewal for everything
5. Create a tracking spreadsheet

This takes time upfront. But it prevents disasters and saves countless hours of searching through emails to find which registrar has which domain.

Your future self will thank you for this investment.