Today’s business owners face a lot of competition, and it is crucial for them to be up-to-date on the latest trends, resources, and tools to avoid being left out.
But even more challenging for companies are the important questions that arise regarding their security, marketing, and brand efforts. This is the reason why it is essential to have a reliable online resource to help provide informational support when critical issues emerge. WHOIS databases containing valuable domain data is one such source.
Let’s take a look at some of the tasks WHOIS data can help businesses with:
Purchasing a Domain
On the Internet, one cannot purchase a domain right away but must first confirm whether or not a certain name can still be obtained. A WHOIS database will allow you to check the status of the domain you’re interested in, and dozens of close variations at once.
If it is all available, well and good. But what if it is not?
Let’s say that the domain names you want are already taken, you can use databases to see if they are going to expire soon. If one or more of these domains are close to expiration date, you will not have to wait for it too long to have the opportunity to buy or bid for it. What’s more, you can check the current registrant’s contact information and perhaps even reach out and negotiate a purchase.
Preventing Phishing Attacks
Phishing, the malicious act of using emails or websites to get sensitive details from a person or a company, has been around for a long time. Examining WHOIS data allows you to investigate whether a website or email is genuine and prevent giving out confidential information to hackers. This can be done, for example, by comparing website details with WHOIS data and spotting suspicious inconsistencies between names, addresses, dates, etc.
Furthermore, you can gather data provided by a WHOIS Database Download service and work with law enforcement agents to put a stop to the illegal activities.
Researching Markets
Good marketers are always on the lookout for insights that they can use to help take their business to the next level. Gathering data from a WHOIS database allows you to conduct domain searches to learn and analyze, for example, the most common words and syllables used by businesses in specific countries and variations across industries and product categories.
Reviewing Third-Party Credibility
The ability to review WHOIS records can let you assess just how credible are the third parties looking to partner with your company. To ensure their trustworthiness, you can into WHOIS records which include their contact details, registration, and expiration dates — verifying their domain history and seeing if they have been flagged for malicious activity in the past.
Protection Against Online Fraud
Virtual payments are sensitive transactions that require utmost security. Access to a WHOIS database will allow you to verify the credibility and validity of a website that you wish to transact with. You can, for example, check if a domain is registered in the expected country, as many of these malicious sites written in your own language are using domains powered by infrastructure located elsewhere.
Monitoring Competitors
WHOIS data lets you keep an eye on your competition. Users can monitor recently-registered domains and understand what products or services competitors might be launching soon. Such raw data will let them know where other players in their market are planning to expand and how they can respond.
WHOIS Database Download has plenty of practical uses for businesses and companies. Having in-house access to reliable WHOIS records can provide the information necessary to navigate the risks and opportunities of the digital marketplace safely.
About the Author
Jonathan Zhang is the founder and CEO of Threat Intelligence Platform (TIP) — a data, tool, and API provider that specializes in automated threat detection, security analysis and threat intelligence solutions for Fortune 1000 and cyber-security companies. TIP is part of the Whois API Inc family which is a trusted intelligence vendor by over 50,000 clients.
