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8 Tips for Choosing a Domain Name
If you're just starting out on the Internet,
choosing a domain name is one of the first
major decisions you will have to make. I
won't say that choosing a name for your site
will determine the overall success or
failure of your online business. It will,
however, affect almost every aspect of your
business. Finding a good domain name
requires extensive planning.
I would like to offer some tips for
successfully choosing a domain name:
1) Use the .COM extension. This is still the
number one choice for the majority of online
businesses. While, .NET,.ORG,.INFO,.BIZ, and
.US are viable alternatives they are not as
widely recognized as .COM. The .COM
extension will immediately give you and your
business more credibility. Also, because we
are creatures of habit many people
automatically include .COM when typing in
almost any web address, so why not
capitalize on human nature?
2) Keep it Short. Whenever possible your
domain name should not be longer than 13-15
characters, numbers, or hyphens. It is much
more difficult for the average person to
remember longer variations of a web address.
3) Make it Sticky. You want your domain name
to be easy to remember. Make it stick out in
people's minds. Be creative. Be Unique.
4) Minimize Confusion. You should never lose
a prospective customer because they
misspelled your domain name, or they used
the wrong extension. If you can afford it,
register other variations of your domain
name and have them redirect to your main
site.
5) Include Keywords in Your Domain Name. Try
to include at least 1 and if possible 2
keywords in your domain name. Many of the
experts believe this can help with the way
some of the search engines index and rank
your site.
6) Be Descriptive. Your domain name should
have something to do with your business.
Make it descriptive of your site, your
product offerings, or your service.
7) Search for Deleted Domain Names. Domain
names that were once registered but have
expired turn up every day. With some
research you might be able to find one of
these names that would be a good fit for
your business. You can search for deleted
domains at http://www.deleteddomains.com
8) Check for Trademarks. You should do this
before registering your domain name. Search
as many existing trademarks as possible and
look for possible conflicts. Obviously you
want to choose a name that is unlikely to
cause you any legal problems. Trademark
research can be done at the following sites:
U.S Patent and Trademark Office - http://www.uspto.gov
Thomas Register - http://www.thomasregister.com
The Trademark Association - http://www.inta.org
Nameprotect - http://www.nameprotect.com
If you need help with researching your
domain names try the following websites:
1)Nameboy - http://www.nameboy.com
2) GoDaddy - http://www.godaddy.com
Both Nameboy and GoDaddy are well-known
registrars and will allow you to search for
and register domain names.
You can register a domain name today for
less than it costs for a nice lunch. There
is really no reason not to put forth the
effort and money to register a domain name
that you can begin building your online
presence with.
Your domain name is your first chance to
build credibility with your visitors. Keep
in mind that you never get a second chance
to make a great first impression.
Remember, choosing your domain name is one
of the most important first steps you will
take in building your online presence. Make
it a step forward. Happy Hunting!
About The Author
David Cooper is the editor of the
1Source-WebMarketing Newsletter. David
specializes in helping people with their
internet marketing efforts by offering real
world tips and strategies. Subscribe to his
FREE newsletter at:
http://www.1source-webmarketing.com
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