What is a domain name
A domain name is the address of your website and it looks like this: (http://www.ebizmodelsyoucancopy.com/). Website addresses are unique, just as your personal ID; no one else in the world can have the same ID number as you. Likewise, once the domain name has been registered by you, no one else can register a domain name which is the same as yours.
Choosing the best domain name
The best name you can choose is always one that follows the theme of your business. If the theme of business is starting your online business then you should include words like e-biz or internet or maybe internet business in your domain name.
You see, the best domain names out there are ones that are easily remembered. Visitors are likelier to come back if they remember your domain name. So, if you want a great domain name, choose one which is short and easy to remember. Here are some tips to choose a good domain name: The name you choose should not exceed 5 words or 20 characters and it should be easy to spell. Try making use of keywords or popular search terms whenever possible and try not to have it more than 3 4 words long.
Registered vs. Free
Now, it is time to decide between a free domain name and a paid one. Tell me, what would think if someone is selling a $97.00 ebook using a free domain name A big cheapo right Even If that person is selling a popular ebook that comes with a 90 day money back guarantee, youll probably wonder if he would ever return the money if you decide to ask for a refund. Here is another point, If I were to name my business ebizmodelsyoucancopy, would it be much better if I registered www.ebizmodelsyoucancopy.com rather than www.geocities.com/internet/public/business/ebizmodelsyoucancopy/ After all, registering your own domain would cost less than $15.00 per year. What is $15.00 a year compared to a potential loss of sales
Registering a domain name
The last step here is to register a domain name. Write down possible domain names that you like, then do a quick search to see if that name you want is available at the registrars website. For your information, most domain names that you might have thought of would have been already taken. So, you might have to do a lot of searches to find available domain names of your choice.
Next, Jot down all available domain names you like, then keep searching until you have about 5 7 good names that you can choose from.
Finally, choose a domain name you like best, and register it at a domain name ICANN Accredited registrar.
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Selecting your domain name
Selecting a domain name can be a very frustrating process as a lot of domains have been sold already. With 30.000+ domain names being sold each day it can be a challenge to find the appropriate domain name for your company. So what do you do Your business name might not be available or be too long. If you did think about doing business on the Web when you started, your name might not be appropriate for the web. What if your domain name is available for the country code extension but not .COM Should you buy the .CA anyway How long is too long
Create a short list of domain names and variances. Talk with people that you trust and opinion you value or ask your regular customers. However, dont wait too long about as 30.000 Domain Names are being sold a day now. Below you will find a few pointers or things you should have in mind when selecting your Domain Name.
Using your business name
Using your business name as your domain name could be a great idea. However if your business name is really long or very complicated you might want to consider searching for an abbreviation or an alternative.
Recognizable
You want it to reflect what you do ... that makes it easier for people to remember your address and will increase the chance of people guessing your web address right without having to search for it.
Uniqueness
Choosing a Domain name that is unique can avoid that you loose business to your competitors as it cannot be confused with other domain names. You still have to consider if the Domain name is easy to type and not too complicated. Most unique Domain Names for .COM are gone and a lot have been bought to re-sell a lot more expensive. If you have a look on eBay you will see a lot of Domain names for sale.
A person had already registered the Domain name for Pope Benedict XVI before they announced the new Pontiffs name and had put it for sale on eBay immediately after the announcement. He sold it for $200.000+. Think carefully about buying your domain name from another person. First of all you would have to pay a lot more than registering a new name. Second, you might not have full ownership of it. Maybe find alternatives as the one for sale by a person might never be sold and then end up being available through a Domain Registrar a couple of years down the road.
Easy to type
You should select a domain name that is easy to type so avoid complicated domain names. You would like people to be able to enter your Web Address very easily. Spelling errors might make them end up at the wrong site. Or if your domain name contains a hyphen - and your competitors domain name has none. They might end up there instead. One example could be (note that only one is a real site):
www.pc-world.com
www.pcworld.com
These could be very different web sites but the name is very easy to mistake.
Where in the World are your customers
Should you choose a Country Code Domain like .CA or just buy a .COM If you are a Real Estate agent and you only sell houses in your town should you then only buy your Country Code domain Not necessarily. What about the potential clients that are trying to relocate Are you a local landscaper Then a Country Code domain might be the best solution. As the domains are selling very quickly now for the .COM then people start to use the Country Code domains more. Clients and potential customers are getting more computer/internet savvy and as businesses are starting to use the Country Code domains more, they will catch on to that quickly.
Multiple Domain names
If you are a business in Canada that expect to have clients all over the world you might want to consider selecting your domain with both .CA and .COM extension. How this would work is that your main web site could be your .COM address but if people type in your .CA address they are automatically forwarded to your .COM address. You have to ask for your .CA to be forwarded to the .COM address. Its that simple and with the low prices on domain names not a big expense.
Another advantage is that if you have a unique domain name you can avoid someone else reaping the benefits of your advertising. People still tries to enter Web Address with a .COM first so if you had bought the .CA address and someone buys the exact name using .COM they would open your competitors web site first.
Author Anette Petersen is Web Consultant with Create IT Simple a Web Design, Hosting and Domain Company based in Halifax, Canada. They offer Website Templates and Unique Webdesign. Their Web Site is
For more information, email her