How To Choose A Good Domain Name
Choosing a good domain name is one of most important steps in setting up your online business. And with more web sites being launched every day, it is certainly not getting any easier to find good domain names that are still available. So what exactly makes a good domain name?
Easy to Remember – Your domain name should be memorable and easy for visitors to recall and type into their browser.
Relevant – Your domain name should be relevant to your business and to the content on your web site.
Short Name – Although domain names can be up to 67 characters, your domain name should be shorter, preferably seven characters or less. Shorter domain names are easier to remember, easier to type and less susceptible to mistakes. Domain names with seven characters or less are harder to come by these days, so you may have to settle for a domain name that is slightly longer.
Top Level Domain
If your business is in the US or if your web site is targeting a global audience then you should use .com as your top-level domain. Generally .net and .org domains are not perceived as being as professional as .com domains. If however you are marketing to a local audience in another country, for example in UK or Australia, then using the local .com domain such as .com.uk or .com.au may make it easier for visitors to recognize that your site is local.
Keyword Optimized – If possible your domain name should contain popular keywords relating to your topic. This will help your site to rank high in the natural rankings of search engines. Use a keyword tool such as Good Keywords to check which keywords are searched more frequently.
Consider Hyphenated Names - If you are having trouble getting the name you want, consider a hyphenated domain name, e.g. barbecue-grills.com. However the downside of this approach is that some people will forget the hyphen when typing your domain name.
How Does it Sound? - If you tell a friend your domain name over the phone, will they easily be able to spell it correctly the first time?
No Trademark Conflicts - Make certain that your domain name is free of legal conflicts due to trademarks belonging to other businesses. Your new site at GoogleSecrets.com might attract a lot of traffic but it will probably attract even more after your court case is in the headlines for breaching Google’s trademark! Stay clear of other companies’ names and trademarks.
A good place to check if a domain name is available is Whois.org. Keep these tips in mind, and you will be well on your way to choosing a good domain name.
Your domain name is the internet address for your unique place on the web, thus undeniably important. It creates your identify and allows you to have an internet presence, whether you are just telling the world who you are or trying to sell a product or service. IP (Internet Protocol) addresses are strings of numbers separated by dots and, although every computer on the internet has one, would be very difficult to remember. Domain names make internet communication much easier.
But domain names are especially important considerations for successful eCommerce. A name that is easy to remember, and easy to spell, can make the difference between a compelling presence on the internet and wandering around in the fog of cyberspace. Domain names are as important to the eCommerce entrepreneur as store names were to Mom and Pop Shops a century ago. They are descriptive labels that tell the shopper what to expect on the site.
Domain names need to relate to the product or service you offer. For obvious reasons, domain names that don’t apply to content have absolutely no value to the company. In fact, they can effectively shut down the cyber-shopper from considering any future business with you. Descriptive domain names draw surfers who are just ‘window shopping’ and you have a greater chance of converting them into buyers. Other eCommerce business will develop back-links to your site more readily if they can recognize you from your domain name.
Domain names, if appropriately descriptive about your service or product, are an effective branding tool. You want every shopper in the world to know about your content, and to think about you when your industry is mentioned. Branding is the way that global symbol is created. A domain name describing your business reinforces your brand and makes it easier for shoppers to remember you and return to shop on your site.
Probably most important, domain names evoke a sense of professionalism and credibility for eCommerce. Having a web site with a compelling domain name says you know enough about the real world in the 21st century to have a presence in cyberspace, to invite shoppers to visit your site and to offer viable products and services to cyber-consumers. You are willing to relate with the international community and identify your place on the web and in the global market.
