How to Choose a Good Domain Name for Your Business

Choosing your domain name is an important decision that should not be taken too lightly. After all, it will be on the forefront of your web presence. Here we discuss some handy information to help you choose your new domain name.

Keywords or business name?

While having keywords in your domain such as "web design" can help your rankings, from a professional branding perspective, you would be best off using your company name. If you were looking for shoes, chances are you would not go to "shoes.com", but a brands name such as "nike.com".

Of course, if your company name is something like "John and Jake's Garden Services", you may want to steer away from using johnandjakesgardenservices.com for obvious reasons.

To Localize or Not?

If you have a country-specific domain such as .co.za or .co.uk, Google will more likely bring up your website for people searching within that country. With a .com, .net or other top-level domains, this is not an issue.

If you are a South African based business and are not aiming to target an international audience, the .CO.ZA domain should suffice. However, if you think that you may set your sight on an international audience at some point, I would highly recommend choosing a non-country specific domain such as.net.

With Google Webmaster tools, you can change the geo-targeting of your website for generic top-level domains - so even if you register a .com or .net, you don't have to miss out on location-specific searches. The hard part of course - is finding a .com or .net that is not yet registered.

Keep it Short, Simple and Readable

Your domain needs to be easy to remember, easy to type and easy to sound out. Avoid words that can be mistaken for other words and ensure that people don't have to pick up a dictionary or thesaurus to understand it.

A longer domain means more space for typing errors on potential visitors behalf. So keep it short.

Don't Hyphenate

Hyphens provide more space for error - people may forget where they go or completely forget to put them in. Hyphens also make saying the domain out loud a bit harder - especially if you have more than one.

On a more opinionated note - I believe hyphenated domains look "cheap" - as if the website owner was left with only the second choice. Avoid that appearance if at all possible.

Register It Now

Don't ponder for too long, someone may as well snatch up your domain. New domains are being registered constantly.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

How to Register For a Web Address

You're ready to make your debut online - congratulations! Your first step is to register a web address. It's quite simple once you understand how to do it but can be complicating if you have never done it before. No need to worry though, you can follow these step-by-step instructions to register your web address today.

Step #1: Choose a Domain Name Registration Website

The first thing you need to do is choose one of the many domain name registration sites. Don't choose the first one you find because each site has its own pricing. Shop around to find the site that has the lowest annual fee for domain registration.

Step #2: Check for Domain Name Availability

Once you find the domain name registration website you want to use, you will need to check to make sure the web address you want is available. You may have to try several variations of the address you want, since there are so many domain names already taken.

Step #3: Add It to Your Shopping Cart

Once you find an available domain name you would like to claim your name to, you are ready to start the check out process. Simply click on the 'add to cart' symbol and it will be waiting for you to purchase.

Step #4: Pay for Your Web Address

Proceed to the checkout area of the domain name registration website. Once you are there, review your domain name to make sure it is the one you want. Also, check for other services or products thrown in you do not want. If there is, simply delete them from your cart.

Step #5: Check for Promotional Codes

Before you type in your credit card number or PayPal information, try to find a promotional code for a discount on your annual fee. Search for the website you are using with the phrase 'online coupons' after it. You should then be able to browse some websites with online coupons available. If you find one, copy the code and paste it in the promotional code section of the checkout area of the site you are registering your domain name on.

Step #6: Confirm Total

After placing your promotional code in its section and click on 'apply' you should see the discount appear in your total amount due. Confirm that all is correct and then proceed to payment.

Step #7: Pay for the Web Address

Enter in your payment information as instructed on the website. Once you have entered it in, you should see a confirmation page.

Your New Web Home

Once you see the confirmation page, you are a proud owner of a web address. You are free to go on to securing a host for your web address and then build your website.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

How Does a Domain Name Generator Work

If any of you have experienced using the coolest computer program on the Internet then there is no doubt you know about the domain name generator. The domain name generator is the most famous, most original and creative tool that is used to come up with exciting and innovative names for your websites, businesses, brands, and Internet domains. This powerful tool is the new age program that provides people with extraordinarily amazing names that they can use to promote their items. It's a simple cycle actually and the whole process is complete before you say the word "go".

The issue arises when an individual, say person A wants to name something. It could be anything for example he has started a new business or has opened a new store, he has a website that needs naming or he has a new product. Whatever he/she wants to name is the desired object. This desired object will have some way of describing it. The best word that is used to describe the desired object is therefore the keyword. This keyword is then put into the domain name generator which will instantly add and edit prefixes and suffixes on to your keyword. When your keyword has been edited you will receive a list of all the unique names that you can use.

Of course there are a few little tweaks that you should consider. How many letters should the prefix or suffix contain? What type it should be i.e. adjective, noun and/verb. Other domain name generators may have many other options which can range from the type of extension you would like your domain name to have, the type of blending your title should have. Most experienced domain name generators also have categories with which the name can associate to. As you can see, options are endless and so are the possibilities of you getting your very own name which is not only unique and also exclusive to you and your desired object.

This cycle is so easy to produce and it also involves no effort from you whatsoever. All you have to do is think of one work that can describe your object and wait and see the magic that will unfold. The domain name generator is a remarkable way to get your name in a fast and effective manner. What are you waiting for try it out and see what innovative names are chosen for you.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Expired Domain Names Are Valuable

Thousands of domain names expire, each and every day, due to either their owners forgetting to renew them or the owners inability to pay for the renewal. These become available again.This is excellent because good names are becoming hard to find.

There are over 30 million.com, .org, and.net registered domains. As you see most of the good domain names are taken. Although more are being registered, there are large numbers of domains being allowed to expire. Approximately 1.5 million domain names have expired over the last couple of years. These lists are growing at a rapid pace and the market for expired domains is massive. They can increase your cash flow, often with little work needed.

They come with the benefits of existing traffic and directory listings. By purchasing these, you are also purchasing their benefits. Some expired domain names can be valued from $135 up to $450.

First of all,there are important elements that you can use in determining the value of an expired domain name:

How much traffic do they have?

How valuable is this traffic?

How much value does the it have?

Does it have the keywords that you need for a job that you are working on?

How old is it? Age Search engines elevate older domains in their rankings.

Acquiring an expired domain is akin to getting a treasure chest full of gold coins for.nothing

With thousands of these names expiring daily and thousands being grabbed up every day, the good expired domain names are hard to find as well. Good ones are considered those with high traffic and high resell value. These are the ones you want to buy in great numbers. If you want to get a handful of these valuable names, you need the correct tools to do this job. There are websites to assist you, both paid and unpaid.

It is really important that you possess these tools to save time and to help you get the domain names that you want and to get them before some one else does.

You would have gotten a few and missed some. But as long as you get more than you miss, buy and manage your domains wisely, use the ones you can for your own sites and sell the rest for a profit at auction, you'll find a small amount of time and money invested in them can be one of the highest returning Internet investments around.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Get Good Domains Names by Negotiating With the Hardball Tactic

You want to buy a domain name either to start a site on or to try to flip, either way you need to buy that domain first. A lot of domain owners ask for the world when you want to buy their domain. Sometimes they won't budge and no matter what advice I could try to give you won't get a better price out of them. Sometimes they will budge, but you just need to play hardball with them.

Here's an example of how someone played a little hardball with me and I budged and they got the domain name they wanted for a price they were happy with paying. On the two most popular domain auction platforms (Sedo and GoDaddy) they allow you to include a note when you make your counteroffer. I had a person offer me an amount to buy a domain of mine. My counter offer was significantly higher and they came up a little and I came down a little and we went through three back and forths until the buyer sent a note and said "This is my final offer. I know you want more than this, but I've found another domain name that I can buy for this price and this is all I'm willing to spend. If you can sell it for this amount great, if not then good luck with the domain."

Now, a few things to note which are important. This domain name was not a premium domain. If this was an amazing domain like Cars.com or Life.com or Blue.com than I would not budge because as the seller of a premium domain you hold all the cards. But when the domain name is a two or three word domain, it is not a commonly used phrase, the exact searches for it in Google are not that much, and I'd consider the domain more of a brandable opportunity than anything else I have a decision to make. I'd owned this domain for 2 years. I'd never received an offer on it before. I'd paid basically next to nothing for this domain. And I could use this money to buy a better quality domain, so there is an opportunity cost here if I decline and could have picked up a better domain in essentially what would equate to a trade. I wasn't going to get the price I wanted but it didn't make sense to me to hold onto the domain and possibly get another offer in two years, or never get another offer. I took the offer and I'll reinvest the money into a domain from a domain auction in the near future. For me, as the seller, it made sense to "upgrade" my domain name rather than be a stickler and wait out a better offer that may never come.

Moving back to the buyer's side... what he did was put an ultimatum on the table for me. Some people will say I caved and should have held firm. Others will say a bird in the hand is better than two in the bush. The point being, as a buyer put the seller to a decision. Don't do it with your first offer because it is likely he'll scoff at that. Show a little goodwill by increasing your offer a little bit a time or two and then hit him with your final offer, but also put some reasoning behind your final offer. He could have very easily been bluffing but in the end I'm happy with the sale and I'll wind up with a much better domain as a result. You have nothing to lose by making a final offer and holding firm... only the seller has the potential to lose (a sale that is).

To read more tips on domain names and making money online check out the Anticareer.com internet marketing blog run by one of the premier internet marketers around.

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A Better Understanding of the Domain Name

You can use the domain name for the application-specific naming and addressing, it is also useful in various networking contexts. These are representing an Internet Protocol (IP) resource, like the internet access to the personal computer and hosting a website by the server computer.

You will find it really difficult if you have to remember the telephone name instead of the name to memorize the specific person. The domain name was invited to get-rid of the same difficulty on the internet. IP addresses (Internet protocol) are responsible for the connection between the internet and the computer; it is not easy to identify the unique series of the numbers IP address, like 216.195.78.26. On the other hand, the domain names are the humanly memorable names for all the Internet users. You can do the simple identification labeling to indicate the ownership by the use of the domain name.

A vital function of domain names is to turn the numerically addressed Internet resources into easily recognizable names. The Domain names are basically a website addresses, it is not like the home address. You have to type these names into your web browsers to get access to the websites. The web site address and the URL (uniform resource locator) are the same like the domain, but this is more common one among the people.

If you have no plan to build a website or the blog, you don't need to own the domain name. There are hundreds of the social networking sites, forums and the blog where you can participate without owning the website address. On the other hand, if you want to establish your own brand and claim your piece of the virtual real-estate then you have to buy the domain name.

There are some freebies also available in the field of domain names, but you have to follow their restricted rules about publishing the certain contents. While having your own domain name means you have more control over your content, superior flexibility and the freedom to create your own brand.

Just having a domain name will not work for you in creating a website, as it requires also a hosting account. There are some other ways to build a brand without owning the hosting account. By domain forwarding to the specific blog or the affiliate website, you can create also build an attractive pieces of the website.

On the other hand, if you wish for creating your own website, you can own the hosting account. There are hundreds of web hosting companies to choose from, you can easily get the required hosting plan for you.

To get the easy access to the foreseeable future, a lot of people are getting the news, entertainment and shop on the world of Internet. Owning an attractive and user-friendly website is essential if you want to stand apart competitively.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

The A-Z Of Making Money On The Internet - D - Domain Names

Why do I need a website?

The truth is - you don't need a website to make money on the internet. Once you equip and arm yourself with all the knowledge and information that you need you will discover that there are ways to make money on the internet without the need to have a website or domain of your own. On the other hand, if you are really serious about making a substantial income online then a website or a number of websites could make an exponential difference to your income.

Choosing a domain name

Depending on the particular niche or niches that you have chosen and the product or products within those niches, it is always useful to find a domain name that will "lend itself" optimally to the flow of heavy traffic to your website. I suggest that you spend some time making sure what type of products you would prefer to promote and then search for an ideal name for your website. There are more than enough sellers of domain names on the internet. You should find one with ease.

Choosing a domain host

It is of course possible for anyone to build and host his or her own website. To build and maintain a website is certainly no rocket science and if you have the time and the inclination you could acquire the skill in a very short time. However, the quality of your site is going to be a key to your success online. The cost of hosting varies considerably and you can expect to pay upwards from ten dollars per month for a decent host.

Simplicity

The elaborateness or number of pages is not what makes a successful website. There are many single page websites making lots of money for its owners on the internet. The effectiveness and efficiency of the content is what matters. Drawing the traffic to your site, turning that traffic into prospects and the prospects into buyers with a simple message that persuades them to make a purchase within the shortest possible time - that is what a website should do for its owner.

Lifelong learning

The internet is an ever evolving universe of its own. It does help to stay abreast of things by regularly checking your favourite search engine with phrases like "drawing internet traffic", "search engine optimisation", "pay per click" and "latest trends internet marketing". In this way you will not be left behind in the race for the internet's millions.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

How to Make the Right Choice of Domain Name for Your Niche

Once you've researched and found your niche the next important decision you have to make is the choice of domain name for your website or blog.

You really do need to spend a lot of time researching your ideal domain name and it can be quite frustrating! Stick with it and your efforts will be rewarded when you finally register a great name for your online business.

I've put together some tips and ideas which should help you in your quest for the ultimate domain name.The more keywords you can fit into your domain name which are relevant to your niche the better it will be for search engine ranking. Make use of free keyword search tools to find the most searched phrases for your niche and try to incorporate them in your domain name.

Try to keep your domain name short and simple. This makes it easier for people to commit the name to memory.

Don't put numbers or text speak in your domain name this just complicates things and can have an adverse effect on traffic to your website. For example, if pet accessories is your niche you might have come up with "petsthings4u.com" However people will tend to type in "petsthingsforyou.com" so all your potential customers will be going to someone else's website; you've done the work but they're getting free traffic!

Where possible, always choose.com. This is the most familiar ending for domain names. You could also think about purchasing the.net and.org to prevent others from using the same domain as you in the hope of trying to get some of your traffic.

If the domain name you've chosen isn't available don't give up. Try adding suffixes or pre-fixes to your name. For example, if "indianrecipes.com" is not available you could add something like "easyindianrecipes.com" or "indianrecipesnow.com". There are many ways to come up with the right domain name for you so don't despair.

You can go on a site like Godaddy.com, type in the domain you're hoping is available and see what comes up. If it's already been taken, Godaddy.com usually give you some alternative choices which could be okay.

There's nothing like going back to a good old dictionary and thesaurus for inspiration!

Get creative and try some word mapping. If you're not sure what this is check online or help keep your local library open and borrow a book.

In summary your choice of domain name can be the key to success or failure of your online business. The closer the name is to your niche the better. Make it easy for people to find you on the web by coming up with a simple, easy to remember domain name which tells them exactly what your online business is about.

Set aside some time and try out some of the methods above. It's time-consuming and frustrating at times; I know I've been there! But once you've come up with a great domain name all the effort will have been worthwhile.

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters   

Guidelines For Choosing Domain Names

There are many things to consider when you decide to buy a domain name. Firstly you need to understand that buying a domain name is different from buying hosting. Hosting is the service that hosts your website. You can buy a domain name without having it hosted.

The first part of the process when you decide to buy a domain name is that you need to decide on the name and this is the most important step in the whole process. Once you have bought your domain name you cannot go and change it if you realize that it is the wrong name, or you have come up with a better name. If you really want to change the name you will have to buy another domain name with the new name and if you do not want to keep the first one, you just don't re-register it and let it expire.

Your domain is your "signpost" on the virtual world of the internet so you need to get it right.

Think of it like this. When you go to buy property you take your time, look around, choose the one you really want then you buy it. It should be the same with a domain name because a domain name is your virtual property on the net. No one else can own your property once you have bought it and no one else can own the same domain name as you.

Make sure that the name is easy to say and say it out allowed - does it have a good ring to it? Make sure it is not unpronounceable!

Having a domain name that is easy to spell is another advantage - and don't try and get fancy with a different spelling. For example if you want blue widgets then don't register bluwidgetzz - who will remember that?

Try and keep the name short as a short name will be easier to remember than a long name. So mywebiste.com would be easier to remember than mygreatinterestingenjoyablewebsite.com

Sometimes though having a long name could be the right thing to do - if it is memorable like a rhyme or a saying that relates to your target audience.

Things to Avoid With a Domain Name Having dashes (-) or underscores (_) in a domain name is not a good idea as they may mix people up or the search engines may give preference to the same domain name without the dashes or underscores.

Numbers are also a confusing thing like the above because when people here a number in a domain name they automatically think of spelling it and not the number itself. This is because the vast majority of domain names do not have an actual number in them.

Do not choose a domain name that is a misspelling as this will only confuse people and you will actually be helping your competitors. Using the example above, if I have the domain name bluewidgets.com and you had bluwidgetzz.com people that you talk to who may go and check out your site will probably end up at mine - great for me but not for you!

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The Domaining Home Business Model for Entrepreneurs

Domaining or domain investing was the very first business transaction the public internet created even if the first private registration was not intended for that reason. Today, entrepreneurs have embraced domaining as a legitimate home business opportunity taking part in the exchange of hundreds of millions of dollars every year.

What is it about this home business model that is so attractive to entrepreneurs?

First of all, investing in domains is open to nearly everyone and you can get started for under $20 a year. It has great flexibility and many factors that investors can control to improve their investments. The internet is growing at astonishing rates, more than double that of the world population growth.

So, the domaining market is; financially accessible, flexible, and massive in size. What else could an entrepreneur ask for in a home based business model? Domaining could be considered the king of opportunities.

The domaining home business model is structured as follows.

Buy a domain name Domains can be purchased from an authorized Registar from the unregistered pool, on the aftermarket where already registered domains are put up for sale, or purchased directly from the current owners. Bank It - Park It - Build ItOnce you have your domain(s) you have the choice of banking them and letting time do all the work waiting to sell for a suitable return. Or, park your domain(s) usually with some form of monetization on them usually in the form of simple advertising in the hopes of generating some revenue as you wait for a suitable time to sell. Or, you can build a website on the property with the intention of creating a revenue stream as well as increasing the end value of your domaining investment.

After registering your domain(s) and picking a path of banking, parking, or building, you have even more options. You can sit back, invest more, build more, market, improve the property, or seek out potential buyers or advertisers to increase your roi.

There are many opinions on what constitutes a good domain investment and countless variables people use to calculate the current and future potential value of domains. The truth is that in the end an investment is worth what someone is willing to pay for it but attracting a better price for the sale of a domain can be boiled down to:

Market/Industry the domain is in Is there a developed website Does the website produce a current revenue stream How much traffic does the domain get and how much of it is unique traffic Is the name brandable or contain valuable keywords Is the domain a.com Does the domain have age and credibility Is there room for improvements and growth Does the web address have directory listings and relevant backlinks pointing to it

And the list goes on and on. There are numerous ways to increase the value of a domain investment and the more an owner works with these variables or what I like to call Influencing Factors, the better chance he/she has of increasing the roi.

Recap

Register a domain or buy one on the aftermarket Bank it, Park it, or Build it. Pick an investment path and take the steps. Hands on or hands off, you can work the Influencing Factors or you can let time take over while you pursue other pleasures. As with all investing, when investing in domains there is always a risk of losing money, but unlike traditional investment markets, domaining has many Influencing Factors you can control to increase value and roi.

Happy Domaining!

Finding a Short, Easy to Remember Domain Name - It's Possible!   Get Your Online Presence Started With An Effective Domain Name   In the Social Media Age, You Still Need Your Domain Name   Why Domain Age Matters