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Frequently asked questions

  • I am looking for a domain name registrant. Where can I look it up?

    The Whois is an easy-to-use tool for checking the availability of a .nl domain name. If the domain name is already taken, you can see who has registered it.

    On the page looking up a domain name you will find more information about what a domain name is, how the Whois works and how the privacy of personal data is protected. Alternatively, you can go straight to look for a domain name via the Whois.

  • I would like to transfer my domain name to another registrar. What is the procedure?

    To get your domain name transferred, you need the token (unique ID number) for your domain name. Your existing registrar has the token and is obliged to give it to you within five days, if you ask for it. The procedure for changing your registrar is described on the page transferring your domain name.

  • The details registered about me/my company are incorrect or out of date. How can I get them updated?

    To update the contact details associated with your domain name, you need to contact your registrar. Read more about updating contact details.

  • Why is my domain name in quarantine?

    When a domain name is cancelled, we aren't told the reason, so we can't tell you. You'll need to ask your registrar. The advantage of quarantine is that, if a name's cancelled by mistake, you can always get it back.

    One common reason is that the contract between you and your registrar says you've got to renew the registration every year. If you haven't set up automatic renewal and you don't renew manually, the registration will expire.

  • Ik heb een klacht over mijn provider/registrar. Kan ik daarvoor bij SIDN terecht?

    Wanneer je een klacht hebt over of een geschil met je registrar dan zijn er verschillende mogelijkheden om tot een oplossing te komen. Hierover lees je meer op pagina klacht over registrar. SIDN heeft geen formele klachtenprocedure voor het behandelen van een klacht over jouw registrar.

  • What conditions do I have to meet as a registrar?

    Would you like to be able to register domain names for customers or for your own organisation by dealing directly with SIDN? If so, you can become a .nl registrar. Read more about the conditions and how to apply for registrar status on the page becoming a registrar.

More frequently asked questions

Successful business website can deliver five-fold income boost

Extra orders repay time and resources invested in a website

  • Thursday 1 October 2020

In the Netherlands, the most successful online SMEs generate 5.3 times as much income from their websites as average businesses. While the national norm for website-generated turnover is roughly € 5,000 a year, the top 10 per cent of performers manage € 30,000. Successful businesses identify professional design, regular updates and investment in SEO as the keys to doing well.

Research agency GfK surveyed 1,282 Dutch enterprises for SIDN to generate the findings. Most of the respondents were self-employed professionals, while nearly 20 per cent had two to four employees. A substantial minority of the surveyed businesspeople (39 per cent) have no business website, however. About a third of that group say that a website isn't the best channel for reaching their target audience. And roughly two thirds of the no-website respondents have no plans to set one up.

Multiple channels

A good majority of respondents with business websites use other online channels as well, but 29 per cent rely exclusively on their websites. Social media profiles are used by 61 per cent, while 10 per cent also make use of apps. Amongst respondents without websites, social media is the main alternative channel, with LinkedIn particularly popular. Of the survey participants, 79 per cent are business e-mail users. Some of the country's self-employed professionals and SMEs must therefore have domain names and use them for e-mail, but not for websites. More than half of respondents without business websites do use e-mail for business.

Findability

Findability is the reason for having and maintaining a business website named by the largest proportion of respondents (85 per cent). Making a professional impression is also an important motive for four out of five, and a similar proportion use their website as an online calling card or showcase for their expertise. Commenting on the findings, SIDN's Marketing Manager Michiel Henneke said, "For two thirds of people with business websites, the site helps to generate income. The amount of income differs across the group, depending on various factors. For example, businesses in the financial services and ICT sectors do better than most. However, it's clear that investment levels matter too. The businesses that generate most income from their sites are the ones that devote most time to driving up turnover through online promotion. And so are the businesses who describe their websites as successful."

Download the infographic

We made a nice and informative infographic of the main results of the research. Download it here.

https://www.sidn.nl/downloads/2NzTkIztvA2qn6c7fRbzwG/520725de7d27b4832b24aefdf9e08edb/SIDN_SME_Survey_2020.pdf