What does it mean when a domain name needs to propagate? There is a strong chance that your hosting company has mentioned this to you, and there is also a strong chance that you have no idea what this means. One thing is for sure, your hosting company probably won't explain it, and if they do, it will probably be in terminology that you have no hope of understanding. That's alright! We're here to pull you out of that hole and give you the information you need!

So what does it mean when your domain names or free domains need to propogate? Something to note is that this will typically happen when you register a new domain or transfer a currently existing domain to a new registrar. Before we can fully explain the concept of propagation to you there are a few things that you will need to know regarding domain names.

To the computer and the internet itself, your domain name means nothing. This is simply an alphanumeric representation of an IP(internet protocol) address that the computer will use to direct a browser to your website. That being the case, your domain name needs to be associated with the IP address, and every time you transfer to a new registrar, a new IP address will be assigned to the domain name.

While your information is mapped within the system, you will be able to visit your webpage by visiting the IP address, and you might even assign a subdomain to it at some point. During this time however you will more than likely have a lack of customers. No one really wants to spend time entering an IP address into their web browser, and you probably know by now that your IP address is not really public information.

You will experience this downtime and it is inevitable, but that doesn't mean it has to affect you negatively. You can actually use this to your advantage.What you can do is use the downtime to build up your website, make improvements, and even prepare an article marketing campaign.

If you have customers now, then it would be a good idea to inform them about the downtime before you move the domain. One of the biggest issues in web marketing is the fact that customers have a choice, and if they cannot get to your website then they certainly are not going to choose you. The last thing you want is your customers flocking to your competitor and buying their products because there is a chance that they will not come back. That is certainly not something you want to deal with, so always double check the downtime!

On the subject of downtime, most companies claim that it will last anywhere from twenty-four to forty-eight hours depending on the level of propagation required. No matter what you are told, give a little leeway either way in allowing your domain names to be propagated and synced with the system. Once the propagation is complete, you will be able to access the website normally and your customers will be able to do so as well. It's a long process but it is entirely worth it in the end.