Domains are usually associated with certain names. Common search engines such as Google and Yahoo have domain names that can easily be memorised. The rapid growth of the World Wide Web has seen a proliferation of websites. The most favoured extensions such as .com and .net have attracted millions of commercial and personal users. It is not easy to get a catchy and unique domain name nowadays due to the inherent competition. Below are a few tips to assist you in acquiring a great domain name for your online excursions:
Domain Extensions
Choose a domain extension that is in the closest category to what you actually do. The traditional .com is mainly used by business, service providers, online directories and similar web content providers.
.org was traditionally used by non-governmental organizations, charity groups and sponsored sites.
.net is also a common extension for businesses and online service providers.
.gov is mostly associated with government sponsored links and websites.
Some countries have their own extensions such as .us (United States) .jp (Japan) and .ca for Canada.
It is usually best to stick to a domain extension that is appropriate for your business or organization. Choose a country specific extension only if you are targeting the local residents of that country.
.com is usually the best extension to go with since it displays best results with common search engines. You can have the .net extension as a back up or advertising site for your main extension. Both of these websites can be held by one web hosting service provider.
Similar Naming
A smart way of getting an ideal domain name is to give it a similar name to the website itself. For instance, a website called the �dessert parlour� can have a URL named dessertpalour.com. Users are more likely to memorise such a URL and can readily access the site. If another person owns the domain name, it can cause significant problems for your website. Potential customers and clients will be diverted to a completely different entity or to your competitor when they search for you online. This can usually be solved by tracing the owner of such a domain name and requesting to buy it.
Generic or Brand Names
Generic names have become too common and no longer work effectively for business websites. A real estate agent for instance cannot successfully obtain a suitable variation of real estate domain names for their business. Most of these have already been taken and buying can prove to be costly.
A better option is to use the slogan or brand name by which you normally operate under. The name must be specific and known to your regular, potential clients and customers.
Obtaining a great domain name is essential to get you singled out among the millions of websites on the World Wide Web. The process is as easy as choosing an appropriate extension, giving it similar name as your business as well as a fit ting slogan or brand. Your email hosting provider will also give you an appropriately named URL for sending and receiving information for your business.
