What It Is
A domain registrar is the company you buy your domain name from. It keeps the official record that you hold that name and lets you renew it, change who it is registered to, and point it at your website and email. A registrar is a bit like a car title office: it does not build the car, but it records who owns it.
Why It Matters for Your Business
Your registrar account is the master key to your online presence. Whoever controls it can move your website, redirect your email or let the domain expire. A contractor whose former web person kept the registrar login may find he cannot update his site or set up new email without that person’s help.
Good to Know
Use a registrar with two-factor login, auto-renew and clear renewal pricing. Keep your contact email current, because important notices about renewals and transfers go there. Your registrar and your web host do not have to be the same company. You can keep them separate and simply point the domain wherever you like.