Choosing Your Domain Name
One of the most important descissions you will make is your choice of
domain names for your website. It is the center of your Internet identity
and makes it easier for people to find your site. So what do you need to consider
when choosing your domain name?? Keep the domain name
short: Although it is possble to buy a domain of up to 63 characters, it is better
to keep it short and memorable.Try abreiviations, or anograms, or just a funky,
memorable name.
Which dot? There is a wide variety of domain
extensions available today. Good "dot.com" addresses are normally more
difficult to find than "dot.net" or "dot.org" web addresses.
There are other options such as dot.net, dot.biz.
Another
option you should consider is a local address. Depending on which country you
live in you could get a .co.uk (UK), .com.au
(Australia), or .at (Austria).
Avoid
Trademarked Names: There are two really good reasons for this. First, it's
not very nice. We have all heard the stories about the zany guy who thought ahead
and bought "some-huge-multi-million-dollar-company.com" and sold it
to the company for enough money to retire on. But, remember that those companies,
like yours, have spent lots of time and money creating their brand, and what goes
around comes around. Also, companies are no longer opening their pocketbooks to
get their names back. They are calling their lawyers.
Don't
wait too long. Once you have decided on the domain that you want, get out
there and buy it. Domains are being snatched up quickly. There is nothing more
frustrating than finding a domain "unavailable" that was available last
week when you thought of it, (and should have baught it)
One
May Not Be Enough. Sometimes, it's a good idea to register several similar
domain names. If you have "yourname.com", register "yourname.net"
so no one else can get it. You can register your full company name and a shorter,
easier to remember version. Some people even register common misspellings of their
company's name. (You don't need a separate web page for each. Several domains
can point to the same site.)
Character Types: Just
a reminder. Domain names can only use letters, numbers, and dashes. Spaces and
symbols are not allowed. Also, domain names are not case sensitive.
Ask
Around: When you have settled on a short list of possibilities, ask you friends,
clients and family what they think of it. A name that may make perfect sense to
you may be too hard for other people to remember. Is your domain easy to say?
Is it hard to spell? Do you have to explain why you chose the name?
