Domain Name Availability

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Basics of Acquiring a Domain Name

Before you start searching for your name, here are a few basic facts that are handy to keep in mind:

• Anyone can register domain names
• You can register as many domain names as you like
• You can register a domain name even if you don't own a website
• You can register a domain up to 67 characters long
• You can register up to 10 years in advance

 

The Benefits of a Good Domain Name

Having a good domain name sometimes gives you a decisive edge over your competitors that they often find hard to surmount. Your position in your industry can often be dictated by how good your domain name is. The following are the benefits of a good domain name.

• It Gives Exclusivity
  Your domain name allows you to carve out a piece of the Internet real estate and it's yours forever. No one can use it or take it away without your consent. Having your own slice of cyber turf can help build name recognition for you and your company.
• It Adds Credibility to your Site
  In business-to-business dealings, people tend to choose business partners with sites that have their own domain names. Having your own domain name gives you and your organization a professional, business-like image that is normally associated with large companies. It tends to project you as a serious business person, operating an established enterprise in a professional manner.
• It Allows for Permanence while giving you Flexibility
  Ownership of your domain name gives you the option of moving your website to any host while maintaining your address. It thus allows for the continuity of your business and allows you to shop for the hosting service that gives you the best bang for your buck.
• It Promotes Branding
  Your domain name can help shape the way your company and your products are presented to your market. If the domain name is descriptive of the services and products that you offer, then you have an effective marketing tool.

What an Effective Domain Name Should Possess

Here are the characteristics of an effective domain name:

• It should be Memorable
  Your domain name should be easily memorized from casual conversation. People should hear it once, and know it forever. A successful domain name sticks on your mind while an unsuccessful domain name requires a lot of advertising to establish itself in the mind of the consumer.
• It should be Simple and as short as Possible
  Your domain name should be easy to remember, straightforward, uncomplicated and as short as possible. The spelling of your domain name should be obvious from the spoken word. Moreover, it should convey only one idea.
• It should have the .COM Extension
  You should do whatever you can to get a .COM name as it has become the default extension for most everyone. The .COM extension seems destined to remain the standard default extension for commercial websites, at least for the foreseeable future. Don't use a .NET, .ORG, or .WEB, etc. as your primary extension as it seems second nature for internet users to type-in .COM in their browsers when they want to find a site.
• It should contain the Benefit
  If your company's name is taken, try registering your benefit. If you company's domain name is taken (e.g: Wendy Pens, Inc.), then you can use your product's benefit as a domain name (www.durablepens.com). In another example, a company called Resort Sports Network registered their benefit, www.fasttravel.com, instead of their full name or an RSN acronym.
• It should contain the most important Keywords
  Some search engines give better listings to sites that include important keywords in their domain names. Think of keywords that people might search for when they use the search engines in looking for the products that you have to offer.

Useful Advice in Domain Name Registration

After having chosen your domain name, bear in mind the following points in registering the name:

• Register Multiple Extensions
  It would do you good to register various domain name extensions (called top level domains). People often type in different extensions because they want to be sure to explore all websites that have the same name. So, if you own www.Google.com, you should also buy www.Google.net or www.Google.org, then point one site to the other. This guarantees that you don't lose traffic due to mistaken extension.
• Register Multiple Variations
  It is advisable to register different variations of your domain name so that you are assured of catching visitors who type-in words that are very similar.
• Register Misspellings
  If your company's name can be misspelled, chances are that it will be. Be proactive and register the misspelled name so that you are assured of catching the traffic.
• Register both the full name and its acronym or abbreviation
  If your chosen name is quite long, register both its full version, as well as its acronym. Many big companies failed to do this and have seen the consequences of this oversight. An example is General Motors which only registered www.gm.com but not www.generalmotors.com.

These are strong points to consider as you weigh the potential benefits of registering your own domain name. Ultimately you'll have to consider what your goals are and whether the cost of domain registration is warranted. Whatever your decision is; try to keep in mind the points presented above so that your potential customers will find you on the web.