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 How to Pick a Domain
Name
I know many people who have "creating
a Web site" on their list of goals for the New Year. The first step in this
process is deciding on a domain name. A domain name is your unique address, or
location, on the Internet. Below are a few guidelines to consider when
choosing the best name for your online business. 1. As a first choice, try to match your
business name with your site. That seems like a no-brainer, but what if this
is not the best choice because it is too long, hard to spell or unavailable? Keep
reading for more tips... 2. Keep the name short, but not too short.
Shorter names can be easier to remember -but be careful not to abbreviate your
name so much that it becomes unrecognizable. Focus on one or two words in your
name that have the most impact. 3. Make it catchy. The easier your
domain name is to remember or the more fun it is to say,
the more people will talk about it. Word of mouth is still one of the most cost-effective
ways to boost traffic to your site. 4. If possible, put a keyword in your
domain name. This may help boost your site's rankings on search engines and
directories. 5. Try to register the .com version first.
When people look for your site on the Web, they are likely to first try your company name with the .com suffix.
6. Consider registering additional names.
You may also want to secure variations, alternate spellings or common typos and
point all of these domains to your site. Also, if you are registering a .com address for your
business, you can secure the .net and .org versions as well to keep them out of
the hands of competitors. Once you have come up with some options,you can check the
availability. Search the WHOIS database records (see link below). Once you
verify that your desired domain name is available, the next step is to register
your domain name. I will discuss this step in my next newsletter. Whois LookUp | 
