Domain Reselling via API vs. an iFrame: What’s the Difference?

In today’s digital landscape, establishing a robust online presence is paramount. Integrating domain registration services into your product offerings isn’t just an add-on – it’s a strategic avenue for fortifying your product lineup and elevating the overall customer journey.

For platforms and services that help customers establish an online presence, offering domain registration services can bolster existing product offerings and enhance the customer experience. 

Application programming interfaces (APIs) and iFrame integrations are two tools that support domain reselling on your platform and effortlessly incorporate in-demand domain products into your existing purchase flow.

Domain Reselling using Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)

An API framework allows you to create a custom sales engine based on a registrar’s existing domain name services, fully integrating domain name solutions into your interface. 

This solution helps your customers find, register, and manage domain names without leaving your platform, keeping them fully engaged with your products and services. 

Streamlining Growth with API Reselling: The Benefits

Domain reselling APIs offer incredible benefits, such as: 

• Seamless integration – Providing you with an efficient, up-to-date reselling tool without overhauling your existing interface.

• Control and flexibility – As you incorporate the API, you gain full control over how domain purchase features will look, work, and scale on your platform.

This level of integration allows you to automate the domain registration process and scale it with your platform as it expands. 

Preparing for API Integration: Top Considerations

When preparing for your API integration, it’s important also to consider the advanced technical knowledge and security features you’ll need. While your reseller partner can provide technical support when implementing the API, configuring, maintaining, and troubleshooting the integration involves technical expertise.

Additionally, cybersecurity may become a concern because APIs function by sharing data between multiple systems. Implementing security measures into your platform can help protect you and your customers—but working with a trustworthy domain services partner like name.com, an Identity Digital company, is the key to protecting your data.

Maximizing Impact with name.com’s API: A Case Study

When Beacons, a platform for content creators, introduced their personalized landing page solutions, they immediately recognized the value of offering domain names to their customers to help them establish their digital identities further. In under two weeks, Beacons integrated the name.com API into their platform to offer seamless domain registration options within their established checkout process. 

With name.com’s API solution, Beacons gained access to a flexible, customizable way to resell domains. As a result, they created a streamlined checkout experience that provided their customers with convenient access to high-value, custom domain names. 

Additionally, by making domain names available to customers only through their $10 per month pro plan, Beacons established a new revenue stream and encouraged free trial customers to convert to a paid subscription. 

Implementing Your Name.com API: The How-to

You can register for API access with name.com by requesting an API access token through your account. For support on the authentication and setup process, view the documentation for version 4 of the name.com API, or submit an inquiry to the name.com team.

Domain Reselling Using an iFrame

An iFrame solution is another option to implement domain reselling. Unlike an API, an iFrame is a simple code that embeds a registrar’s domain reselling functionality directly into your platform. 

This solution lets you keep site visitors engaged with your platform while giving them access to the domain services they need via your chosen registrar.

Domain Reselling Through an iFrame: A Simplified Experience

iFrames streamline the process of integrating domain services into your platform. Because you can simply insert the iFrame code into your current interface, iFrames offer a fast, simple, and cost-effective way to connect your customers with domain name services. 

In other words, an iFrame immediately lets you experience integrated domain resale benefits without extensive setup, technical knowledge, or resource investment. 

Integrating an iFrame into your platform allows you to offer domain services while keeping customers on your platform, which helps create a more consistent customer experience. And by making basic customizations to the appearance and function of the domain reselling interface, you can further enhance your branding. 

Finally, because an iFrame doesn’t redirect your customers to a third-party service, you can avoid the potential security risks associated with APIs. 

Considerations for Using an iFrame: What to Know

Despite all of these benefits, iFrames have a lower level of integration than a custom API, so there are some limitations. 

For instance, when reselling domains through an iFrame:

• You aren’t eligible to receive recurring revenue from domain renewals – This could limit your potential income streams. 

• You’re limited in terms of customization – Although you have some personalization options, an iFrame doesn’t offer the full customization power of an API. 

Getting Started With name.com’s iFrame Solution: A Fast and Simple Process

The lightweight, low-code nature of Name.com’s iFrame allows you to get started in just a day or less. Simply add a single line of code to your platform, follow the security setup instructions, and easily bring integrated domain services to your customers. 

After you launch the iFrame, you can collect data about your customer orders through an additional JS script. By gathering this information, you can learn about which domains and extensions your customers are buying, plus gain valuable insights about the purchase rate for your new domain offerings.

How to Choose the Domain Reselling Solution That’s Right for You

When deciding on the best way to integrate domain reselling into your platform, consider your current resources and long-term goals. Assess your priorities to determine if the quick implementation of iFrame or the maximum integration of an API is a better match for your platform. 

Other factors that can influence the suitability of each solution include: 

• Your desired customer experience
• Your access to technical support
• Your budget and timeline
• Your need for customization and control 
• Your overall goals for domain reselling 

Explore Domain Reselling Integrations With name.com

API and iFrame integration each offer different levels of customization, revenue potential, and technical involvement. By carefully assessing the impact of each option on your platform, you can choose the optimal solution for your business. 

For expert advice on domain reselling, contact name.com, an Identity Digital company, to explore how different reselling options can best support your business needs.

Sources: 

Tech Crunch. Beacons debuts a ‘link in bio’ mobile website builder that helps creators make money, not just list links. https://techcrunch.com/2021/02/10/beacons-debuts-a-link-in-bio-mobile-website-builder-that-helps-creators-make-money-not-just-list-links/

Name.com. BETA IFrame Integration Documentation.https://www.name.com/resellersolutions/docs/iframe#docs