Picking a domain name should be easy, right? Why, I'll just use my business name. Not so fast, Sparky. A good bit of thought should be given to selecting a domain name.
A Cautionary Note
Picking a domain name is like getting married. You are going to have to stick with it till the bitter end. People that use your site will come to know it by the domain name. Repeat visitors will often simply type in the domain name to get to the site, better known as "type in traffic". As an example, do you search for "Amazon" when you want to buy a book or do simply type in amazon.com? If Amazon were to change its domain name to Desert, there would be a lot of confusion. The same goes with your domain. Once you pick something, stick with it.
Your Choices
Well, the obvious choice is your business name, but it may not be the best. There are four significant issues to consider.
First, is there something about your business name that makes using it as a domain an unwise choice? This situation typically arises if you have a long business name or have plural words. "Halstatt's Rip'n Marketing Campaigns, Inc." is going to be a horrible domain name. Clients are going to find it difficult to type in such a domain name.
Double letter problems are a second issue that is entirely unique to the Internet. What if Sams Salon wants to use its business name as a domain? The "s" at the end of first word and beginning of the second can cause confusion. Is the domain name Samssalon.com or Samsalon.com? Confusing your users is a bad way to run a site.
The third issue concerns the nature of your site and search engine optimization. If you are shooting for a particular keyword phrase, you may be better off using that keyword phrase in your domain name. Google, for instance, looks at the domain name when evaluating a site. If the words in your domain name are spaced with dashes, many believe it will help in the ranking process. This is why you see so many xxx-xxxx-xxx.com domain names on the net. If your business focuses on a very specific area, strong consideration should be given to using relevant keywords in your domain name.
Finally, your domain name should end in ".com" and I don't want to hear any argument or see any rolling of the eyes. The simple fact is that when people think of sites, they always type in .com. Yes, there are other extensions and .us, .net, .biz, etc., may seem unique, but it kills your traffic. Pavlov and his dog experiments had it right. People have been mentally conditioned to type in .com, so don't select any other ending. If you do, a smart competitor will register the .com version of your name to get some free traffic. If you are really lucky, a porn site will do it!
Take a breath before you select a domain name. Like a spouse, it can be either a good or bad choice.
Halstatt Pires is with http://www.marketingtitan.com - an Internet marketing and advertising company comprised of a search engine optimization specialist providing meta tag optimization services and Internet marketing consultant providing internet marketing solutions through integrated design and programming services.
Have you heard of the other tlds (top leve domains)... Read More
I come across sites all the time that are obviously... Read More
A good domain name is, and will always be, essential... Read More
They're pushing for a top level domain (TLD) exclusively for... Read More
There is a lot of confusion about the use of... Read More
What is a DETAGGED domain name? We get asked this... Read More
Cologne,10 July 2004. ICANN accredited registar Secura announces today, that... Read More
You've decided to start up your own website. You've weighed... Read More
One of the most important aspects of choosing a domain... Read More
Selling a .co.uk Domain Name via SedoThis is a recent... Read More
As your Internet business grows, the value of your domain... Read More
Want to increase your affiliate link click-through rates and profits?Then... Read More
Domain names to the internet are the as necessary as... Read More
Picking a domain name should be easy, right? Why, I'll... Read More
Cologne, October 10 2004. ICANN Registrar Secura announces today, that... Read More
The one thing that annoys me most about the topic... Read More
Domain name Servers (DNS) are an important but invisible part... Read More
Well, it seems we should all be very busy registering... Read More
What's in a name? Everything! A domain name is the... Read More
The toll free number 1-800-Get-Rich belongs to the Resorts Casino... Read More
Choosing a domain name is a very important first step... Read More
The registry of ru-domains reports, that the number of domain... Read More
Are you getting ready to launch a new website online... Read More
This truly is the business to get into in 2005.... Read More
Let's just take a quick glimpse at what we've done... Read More
Ever wonder why DNS systems came into existence? Efficiency. Every... Read More
I bet this little secret is going to get YOU... Read More
After the dot com crash, expired domain names and expired... Read More
There are hundreds and thousands of websites on the internet... Read More
It's all in the NameThe domain you use for a... Read More
A plethora of websites exists to register a domain name.... Read More
When seeking domain names most people get confused over whether... Read More
I would like to explain a few things related to... Read More
When it comes to registering your domain name you want... Read More
Choosing a domain name is a very important first step... Read More
Let's just take a quick glimpse at what we've done... Read More
Picking a domain name should be easy, right? Why, I'll... Read More
Cologne, October 10 2004. ICANN Registrar Secura announces today, that... Read More
When it comes to choosing your domain name, do not... Read More
Domain Dispute is no longer news unless a Madonna or... Read More
They're pushing for a top level domain (TLD) exclusively for... Read More
As your Internet business grows, the value of your domain... Read More
For those of you with Web sites, you probably know... Read More
What's your domain name worth?Perhaps it is better to ask... Read More
Ahhh... your company name.Your identity. What separates you from everyone... Read More
This is actually an important key to your business and... Read More
Recently I made a mistake that may cost a great... Read More
"What was the name of that website? It was good.... Read More
What is a domain name? A domain name is the... Read More
Have you heard about domain names that sold for over... Read More
What is a domain name?A domain name is the address... Read More
What is .md?.md is the web address that identifies you,... Read More
So, what is a domain name, or simply a domain?... Read More
Read this brief article that reflects what we learned about... Read More
Domain names are the hottest net-real-estate on the internet. It's... Read More
In this article we will cover the basics of what... Read More
I come across sites all the time that are obviously... Read More
Your domain name is an important part of your brand... Read More
I bet this little secret is going to get YOU... Read More
I would like to explain a few things related to... Read More
The Basic StuffEvery website needs a domain name. Example "WebBootCamp.com"... Read More
A good domain name is, and will always be, essential... Read More
It is annoying to find that you have a great... Read More
Selecting your domain name Selecting a domain name can be... Read More
Domain names to the internet are the as necessary as... Read More
Whether you're someone that registers domain names on a regular... Read More
Domain Name |