| I love using the online article directories. They give | | | | websites that offer the whois look up, and entering |
| my thoughts and musings much wider reach, and | | | | your domain name. If you don't see any of your |
| bring additional readers to my blog. As I was going | | | | information there, that's good. It means you chose |
| through today and updating my pen names and | | | | private registration when you registered your domain |
| author profiles, it occurred to me that there is a path | | | | name. Private registration is a good idea because it |
| for someone who is inquisitive to find out who the | | | | hides your information from people that regularly |
| real person behind the pen name is. In most situations | | | | search the whois records, but the expense adds up if |
| that would be okay, but for the pen names that deal | | | | you register a lot of domains in pursuit of your niche |
| with personal issues, are sensitive work related | | | | marketing or search engine optimization strategy. |
| stories, or anything else that might get me in trouble, | | | | You may want to consider forgoing private |
| I want to make sure that no one can find out who | | | | registration, and instead planning out what information |
| the man behind the curtain is. | | | | you are going to put into the whois records in order |
| Imagine that you have a successful blog, which you | | | | to minimize your exposure on the Internet. For the |
| feed with readership through online article directories, | | | | majority of your domain name registrations, you can |
| you have a wonderful author profile, and you start to | | | | create an alias and an e-mail address that is only used |
| become popular. Unfortunately, this popularity does | | | | for domain registrations. No surprise, it's going to get |
| not automatically translate into protection from the | | | | a lot of spam. Check it once a week or so, but since |
| consequences of personal information and stories | | | | you know that e-mail address is only used for domain |
| you might share. It would be a shame to have a | | | | registrations, you won't have to check it very often. |
| successful blog but get fired, divorced, disowned, and | | | | For your pen name domains, you have a choice. You |
| even have your dog leave you. | | | | can use the regular domain name alias that you're |
| So, how do you make sure that you hide your full | | | | using for all your other domains, or you can use an |
| identity? Well, you certainly have to do all the basics. | | | | e-mail address that is similar to your pen name and |
| This means in your blog your login with your pen | | | | pen name domain. If you use a reachable e-mail |
| name, as opposed to your real name, or at least | | | | address it will further the illusion that the pen name |
| make sure your posting is done with your pen name. | | | | you're using is actually a real person. |
| You have to also obviously make sure your footer | | | | To change the whois records at domainsinseconds, |
| has your pen name, and a link back to your pen | | | | do the following (it is similar at all domain registration |
| name blog. Furthermore, if you expose your e-mail | | | | sites): |
| address anywhere, make sure that your e-mail | | | | 1. Go to the domain manager. |
| address is consistent with your pen name and pen | | | | 2. Click the checkbox for the domain you want to |
| blog domain name. | | | | change. |
| Even though it's tempting to create links between all | | | | 3. Click on the contact box on the toolbar above the |
| your blogs in order to promote SEO, and show off | | | | list of domains. |
| your wide range of interests, you would probably be | | | | 4. The "update contact information" box will pop up. |
| better off not linking them together. Someone who | | | | 5. Check the box that says "copy to all contact |
| has a suspicion, or is curious about you, would follow | | | | types" (there are four, the registrant, administrator, |
| them and put all the pieces together. | | | | technical, and billing). |
| Okay, it looks like all our tracks are covered, so | | | | 6. Change the name and email address to the pen |
| where's the problem? | | | | name and email address for the pen name. |
| There's still a big gaping security hole called the whois | | | | Now that you have verified the domain name |
| record. The domain name is registered to you, and in | | | | registration information is consistent with your pen |
| most cases the default information is entered into | | | | name, you can be confident that you have done |
| the whois fields. You can check what the whois | | | | everything reasonable to keep the identities of your |
| information of your domain is by going to Google | | | | pen names separate. |
| typing in "whois check", going to the one of the | | | | |