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You should think about
registering a domain name before you actually do it. Many people come up
with a catchy name, or feel the need to lock in their name, and rush out to
buy a domain name. But there are several things to consider in your domain
name. After all, your domain name is an extension of your business and your
image—don't you want to project the right one?
These ten tips will help you to pick just the right domain name for you
and/or your business.
1. The extension you select makes a statement to user about where you are
and who you are aiming to attract. For example, .co.uk tells people you are
operating out of the United Kingdom, and .ca tells them you are operating
out of Canada. If that is important to you, then register accordingly. If
you would rather give them impression of being a global company, or based in
the US, then pick a .com name.
2. Use a reputable registration service. Unfortunately, some domain
registration services are little more than a scam. They are only middlemen.
You tell them the domain name you want, and they register it, for a fee
higher than you would pay! In the worst case, they actually register the
domain name using their information, so it becomes very difficult for you to
do anything with your domain name.
Do some background research into the company before you register a domain
with them.
3. Use keywords in your domain name. These will sometimes help search
engines in ranking your website. For example, if you sell gourmet dog treats
online and from your own store, but your business name is "Laura's Homemade
Snacks," you might consider two domain names: one for your business name,
and one for keywords. In this case you might select "gourmetdogtreats.com"
as your domain name to represent to the search engines and searchers what
you are about.
4. Short names are easier to spell correctly. What's easier to remember and
type in: gourmetdogtreats.com, or laurashomemadeandgourmetdogsnacks.com?
5. Avoid trademarks from other companies. Companies have been known to sue
website owners for copyright and trademark infringement, so be very careful
if you try to play off an existing business. Make sure that you register a
domain name in good faith, and think about the possibilities and connections
that might exist between you and another business.
6. Avoid hyphens. Sometimes you must use hyphens because the straightforward
name is gone. In that case, a better idea is to come up with a completely
different name. The problem with hyphens is that users may end up visiting
the wrong site. If you try to register gourmetdogtreats.com but it is
already taken, you might choose to register gourmet-dog-treats.com instead.
But you run the risk of someone trying to find you typing in the first
address. This means you lose business. Better to try and register a name
like homemadedogtreats.com instead.
7. Consider buying several different extensions so no one else can infringe
on your success by registering a similar name. For example, if you register
homemadedogtreats.com, you might also take .net and .org (with the same
name), since these are the most popular extensions after .com. That way, no
one can register homemadedogtreats.net and try to piggyback of your success.
8. Look for companies that offer telephone support. If you have trouble with
your domain name, you need to be able to contact the company and talk to
someone. If there is no phone contact, that may be a sign that you are not
dealing with a reputable company.
9. Look for accreditations (i.e., ICANN). Reputable companies will seek out
accreditations because they know it boosts their business image to be part
of a group that enforces good business ethics and practices. Failure to have
an accreditation does not necessarily mean the company is bad, but it could
mean that. If the company you are looking at does not have an accreditation,
make sure you check for other things like phone support, payment procedures,
etc.
10. After you find a company you like, do a search on Google for "domain
registration." Does your company of choice appear in the first couple of
pages of results, or just via Adwords? If the latter, they may not have been
around for a long time and may not be reputable. A legitimate company with a
solid track record will be ranked in Google's search engine, especially
within the first couple of pages. Beware of registration companies that you
can only find in Adwords.
These ten tips will help you as you seek to register your domain name.
About the Author:
Adrian Lawrence is the webmaster for Discount Domains, one of the UK's
leading
Domain Name Registration Companies.
Please feel free to republish this article provided this resource box
remains intact together with a working hyperlink
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