Finding Domain Names for Your Online Business

Choosing a domain name is not something that should be rushed, especially if that domain is intended for an eCommerce website. To help your website and business flourish, you need a name that will describe what your site is all about or what makes it different from your competitors.

What is a Domain Name?

Domain names are a semantic way of representing IP addresses. They take the user to a particular IP address and are, in fact, an easier way of naming web server locations. Since they represent numeric IP addresses using words, they are easier to memorize.

Choosing a Good Domain Name Figuring out what makes a domain name good can be subjective. Below are some points you might want to consider while brainstorming for that perfect name.

• Good domain names are short, usually less than 15 characters. This makes it easy to remember and type.

• The use of hyphens in name should be avoided as much as possible. Although they make it easier to read the domain name, hyphens make the domain name difficult to repeat verbally, especially if you intend to use a viral marketing strategy. As well, chances are if someone is trying to remember your domain name, they probably won’t think about adding hyphens.

• Try to include your most important search keywords in your domain name. This will not only help in terms of search engine optimization, but it will also help with your website marketing.

• If you’ve worked hard to build up your brand identity, having it as your domain name is probably the best way to go. These days, in this case many marketing analysts believe that a domain name featuring your brand name is very important.

• If you are focusing your business or services locally, then it is advisable to use your country’s top-level domain (TLD). For example, if your business is based in Canada, then choose the ".ca" TLD. Doing this gives you the advantage of identifying your site as a local business. If your are hoping to provide your services to the US or globally, you can use the ".com" or ".net" TLDs.

• Avoid using words that are difficult to spell or pronounce. At the same time, be aware of words that are spelled differently in different countries. For example, it’s "center" in the US, but "centre" in the UK and Canada. "center.com" is not the same as "centre.com". You can try reserving both domain names, but it would be easier to avoid such a situation in the first place.

• Ensure that your domain name is not a trademark or the corporate brand of another company; this can obviously lead to legal problems. This also means avoiding domain names that are based or derived from an existing name. Again, you want to avoid potential legal problems. Besides, finding a truly unique name also differentiates you from your competition.

When Do I Start Looking for a Domain Name?

This can be a tricky question to answer. Many web designers will argue that it should be the first thing you do before starting your business. They believe attempting to retrofit your domain name to your business later on can be costly and frustrating.

Others will say the best thing is to figure out your important keywords first, then find the right domain name based on your findings.

In my opinion, basing your domain name on your important keywords is the way to go. It makes sense from a marketing perspective: your domain name will accurately describe your website. At the same time, having the right keywords in your domain name can help your website score points with the search engines.



Finding Domain Names for Your Online Business - To learn more about this author, visit Pasquale Spadafora's Website.

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