2nd July 2025, Kathmandu
Significant changes are coming to how domain registration data is handled, impacting what information is publicly displayed in WHOIS/RDDS.
Domain Registration Data Changes
These updates, driven by revisions to the Registration Data Policy (Addendum II), mean a shift towards collecting and displaying only the minimum data required by each domain registry. For many, this will streamline data, but it also means a proactive step is needed if you want your organization’s name to be visible.
What’s Changing and When?
Currently, domain registrars collect a range of contact information, including Registrant, Administrative, Billing, and Technical contacts. Moving forward, most registries will transition to a minimum data set. This means that Technical, Administrative, and Billing contacts will no longer be collected or displayed in WHOIS/RDDS.
On or after August 21, 2025, any extra contact data and registrant fax numbers will be deleted from systems unless a specific registry explicitly requires that information.
No immediate action is needed from you regarding these data reductions.
Your Organization Name and WHOIS/RDDS Display
A key change for businesses and organizations is how your Registrant contact data’s “Organization” field will be handled. If this field is currently populated, it will no longer be displayed in WHOIS/RDDS by default.
How to Ensure Your Organization Name is Displayed (Important for SEO!)
For businesses, having your organization’s name publicly associated with your domain can be beneficial for brand recognition, trust, and even local SEO. If you want your organization’s name to be displayed in WHOIS/RDDS, you’ll need to take a simple action:
Sign in to your GoDaddy account.
Select “My Products.”
Under “All Products and Services,” select “Manage All” across from “Domains.”
Select your specific domain(s).
Update your privacy settings to allow the publication of your Organization Name.
Why This Matters for Your Online Presence
While these changes are primarily about data privacy, for businesses, they touch upon Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Having consistent and publicly verifiable information, like your organization’s name, associated with your domain can contribute to:
Brand Authority: It helps establish your brand as legitimate and trustworthy in the eyes of search engines and users.
Local SEO Signals: For local businesses, this public data can be a small but contributing factor in how search engines verify your business information.
Transparency: It provides transparency for those looking up domain ownership, which can build trust.
By proactively adjusting your privacy settings, you ensure that this valuable piece of information continues to support your overall online visibility strategy.
Do you have any questions about how these changes might specifically impact your website or business?
For more: Domain Registration Data Changes