Choosing a Domain Name

Part 1: Finding a Marketable Domain

A good domain name should be easy to remember, easy to spell, and preferably short. The name of your company is always a good choice. If your desired domain name is already taken, you can search if the .net or .org variation is available. You may also use hyphens to create unique domain names.

A domain name is essentially your address on the World Wide Web. Because your domain name is how most people will find you on the Internet, it should be personal, reflective of what your site offers and be easy to remember. The trouble with finding a good name is due to the fact that most english words in the dictionary are already registered. There are very few names left which is why you have to be creative. Here are some tips for choosing a domain name.

Tip 1: Keep Your Domain Name Short
Having a short name versus a long one will help people remember your site and therefore people will be able to come back more readily. (Example: "mysite.com" is better than "myveryownpersonalwebsite.com")

Tip 2: Be Search Engine Friendly
Serach engines will actually give your site a slight boost in ranking if the search term is located within the url. (Example: myKEYWORDsite.com)

Tip 3: Avoid Homonyms (Same Sound Different Spelling)
The last thing that you want is for someone who is looking for your site to find the site of your competitor. (Example: "principletoys.com" could be mistaken for "pincipletoys.com")

Tip 4: Avoid Numbers and Letters
Having numbers and letters in a site makes it difficult for people to type in your URL because there are too many options. (Example: "gamblin4money.com" or "gamblingfourmoney.com")

Part 2: Purchasing Your Domain

Registering a domain name is easy and can be done through web hosting providers such as FlashWebHost.com, HostOnNet.com. Most web hosts offer domain registration services. If you'd rather not deal with the technical hassles and need to have your site up quickly, it's easier to register your domain name through your hosting company. But if you don't plan to launch your web site soon, you may register the domain name and host it later, this will save hosting charges for a non-existent web site.

Once you have a registered your domain name, your search for the best hosting company for your business objectives can begin.