Social Media Tool: 8 Tips for Choosing an Effective Domain Name

Finding your niche domain name is a huge hurdle for many people, as many of the most popular domain names have already been taken over. If you are new to the internet game, your domain is a unique identifier for a particular URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The URL is your web address and it becomes the center of your identity or personal brand.

There are many things to consider when determining your domain name as it becomes your brand and sets a roadmap for your site. The best advice is to be actively creative and not get discouraged when looking for a name. Always keep in mind that your domain name represents both you and your business. It is extremely important that you choose your domain name carefully.

Enter your domain name

Start by thinking of your ideal domain name, and then discard as many words and word combinations related to that ideal name as possible. The key is to start thinking of a long list of possibilities and think of something uniquely yours. Share some ideas with your friends, family, and anyone who will listen. If you’re having trouble figuring out a name, use your dictionary and thesaurus on your computer and play with the words. Sooner or later, something will come to mind and you will find a potential domain name that can work for you.

Based on my research, the following are eight key things to consider when choosing your domain name:

Get a “.com” extension: The first question you will face when considering registering a domain is what ending or extension you want. The “.com” extension, in my opinion, is best if it is for your main website. I have used the “.org” extension for a company website that I developed several years ago. Again, it all depends on what you are trying to achieve.

As you do your research, you will notice other domain extensions such as: “.net”, “.biz” and “.info”, just to name a few. There are some new country-specific extensions that can be an advantage if you are marketing in a niche within a specific country.

Based on what I have learned, you should register a domain name with the extension “.com” for personal or business branding and “.org” for an organization, as most people are used to the website address I finished. I used the “.net” extension for one of my websites. I found that the name with “.com” was not available and the “.net” ranked as well as the “.com”. At this stage, it is your choice what you want to do, depending on what works best for your desired website or application.

Easy to remember: The key is to choose a name that, when someone reads or hears your website name for the first time, they can easily remember it. Of course, there is often a give and take between trying to find a name that is easily understood and one that is “branded.”

The easier it is to type your domain into a browser, the greater the chances that people will remember it. Think of the “elevator talk.” Can you get your message across in seconds or at a glance?

Andrew Carnegie put it very well when he said, “Quality is the most important factor in business.” A friend of mine says: “An image in the head is worth more than a word in the ear.”

Try to make your domain relevant to your chosen keywords – If you’re trying to reach a particular niche, consider including at least one or two of your selected important “keywords” in your name.

One way to do research is to determine which keywords or keyword combinations are searched the most often. Several free and paid programs will allow you to perform this search. Knowing where your chosen keywords are located should make your selection decision a bit easier.

Keep the name short, if possible – try to keep your name as short as possible and still get the message out of your website. (Not including the suffix “http: // www”).

Consider avoiding words like “best,” “top,” and “number 1,” and don’t use intentional misspellings. These can confuse and lower the rankings.

If all desired domain names are taken, add a short word to make it unique. You can do this by trying different combinations of your chosen name. For example, add the word “my” in front of the domain name if applicable. You can verify the domain names at your chosen registrar.

Try to avoid hyphens and / or numbers – Some experts suggest that if you use hyphens and / or numbers, there is a much higher chance that people will make mistakes when trying to enter the name in their browser. The person may forget to add the hyphens and / or numbers and will see the wrong site. Again, it is your choice to decide what works for you.

What is your budget? You can usually register a new domain name for less than $ 10 – $ 15 per year.

One may not be enough – it may not be a bad idea to register several similar domain names, depending on your budget. If you have your “.com”, you may want to register the “.net” or “.org” version so that no one else can take it. The best advice is to buy only the domains you need, unless you intend to become a domain broker!

Avoid Trademark Names: A trademark is “a name or symbol officially registered in the name of a third party and, unless otherwise specified, the owner of the trademark is the only party who can make legal use of a trademark name “. This mistake is not made very often, but it can create potential legal problems.

To ensure that you are not infringing any copyright with your domain name, visit the websites of the International Trademark Association or the US Government Copyright Office, which handle copyright and trademark information. commercial. It is good practice to search for the selected name before purchasing.

Don’t forget the new mobile names – you might consider registering a “.mobi” domain name. Again, everything goes back to budget.
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