Registering a domain is one of the first steps when building a website. A domain name is your “virtual” internet address and is what your potential consumers will be using to find your business online. Take your time; it is important not to rush into this process. Remember your domain will be used often and in many areas of your business. It should be show on your business cards, vehicle decals, radio ads, tv commercials, billboards, print ads, and paperwork.
Here are the basic rules when choosing a domain name:
– Using an extension that matches your type of business entity.
– Keeping the domain name as short as possible.
– Including words that are easy to spell.
– Choosing keywords or key phrases as part of the domain name.
– Using words based on your business name or the product or service you offer.
Ideally, it is recommended to choose a domain extension based on your company name. If your company name is not available there are alternatives to choice from. The domain name can be based on the product or service you offer. It can also include the geographic area where your business resides. The domain can be any combination of words and numbers. Most special characters are not allowed as part of the domain name although a hyphen is allowed.
There are also many domain extensions to choose from. The more popular and most recognized extensions are .com, .net, .org, .gov, .us and .edu. Here are other domain extensions that are becoming more seen: .biz, .info, .ws, .mobi, .web, and .firm. The domain extension should reflect the type of business entity you are. An example would be a non-profit organzation should use a .org domain extension while an education institution should use a .edu extension. There are also hundreds of domain extensions based on geographic regions of the world. The United States would be .us for example.
As you can see, there are many things to consider when deciding your domain name. Choose your domain name wisely as it is an important part of owning a website.