Selecting the correct domain name for your site is one of the most important decisions you will make. Domain name is at least as important as the name of a conventional business. Everybody will uniquely indentify your site via your Domain Name just like they would identify any traditional business. But in addition, when it comes to online business, your domain name becomes your destination too. That is your customers will visit you via your domain name. In other words, when it comes to online business, from the customer’s point of view, you name and address is the same (Or at least you should try making so).
What is a domain name anyway?
In very simple terms it is a label for your hosting location. Typically, any server will be identified with its IP address. But nobody will be able to remember an IP address like 100.224.123.12(Even if it is possible who wants to). So the site owners will get a domain name like iGuruLive.Com. When this is typed in to the address bar of your browser, instead of the IP address, still it will load the same files making your website visible to your visitors.
If you like to learn more about domain names, you can follow this Wikipedia Link.
How to select the correct domain name for your site
You have to think about several things when it comes to selecting the perfect domain name. few of them are below.
- Purpose of the site
- Depending on the main purpose of your site domain name selection may vary. For an example, if you are trying to brand your existing company via website, you must select the company name as the domain name. It is very simple. If you are Google, you will never go for Gogggle.
- If you are trying to sell something, it is important your domain name reflects what you are trying to sell. URL or your domain name can do a nice pre sell to your potential customers even before they visit you. For an example, if you are selling Golf accessories, domain name PerfectGolfAccessories.Com will serve your purpose better than GolfHevan.com or something like that.
- If you are trying to sell advertising space on your site (that is if you are trying to make money with AdSense and affiliate marketing), your domain name must contain your main keywords. If you are selling golf balls, it is a must to have the keyword GolfBalls on your domain name. There are thousands of possibilities to get your keyword variations included in your domain names. You may use hyphens (Although I do not like it) and other related words with the name GolfBalls to get an available domain name. For an example you may buy GolfBallsSecrets.Com. This domain name will create the curiosity while serving important function of telling search engines that your site is about Golf Balls. You will get more traffic and more revenue. But if you find it is not possible to get a domain name with your main keyword(s) in it, do not worry. Still you can do good in SEO. I will show you how.
- Similar domain names(Including plural)
- This can be very tricky and needs attention. For an example as per above example, if you get hold of GolfBallsSecrets.com, it is better to buy the GolfBallSecrets.com too (I have removed the “S” from Balls to make it singular). This will add around $10 for your budget, but it is well worth it. You are going to build your site and drive people to it to make money. Last thing you want is to let someone to grab a similar domain name and mislead them to that domain name. Your sale will end there. Remember, there are large number of people will visit your site directly typing your URL on the browser. Chances are they will make mistakes (Especially with “s”, words like “the”). You must cover them as much as possible. Simply buy the obvious looking domain name URL similar to your one and redirect them to the main page, or your correct URL.
- .Com, .Net, .Org or .Info
- This confuses everyone. What is the best extension for my domain? I will always go for a .Com. I will almost always buy the .Com. depending on the purpose of the site; I generally will also buy the .Net and .Org domain name with it. For an example if I am buying the GolfBallsSecrets.COM I will also buy the GolfBallsSecrets.NET and GolfBallsSecrets.ORG too. This is to prevent anyone from taking my information and reprint on a .NET or .ORG extensions.
- Will I buy the .Net if the .Com is not available? NO. I won’t buy it. This is because people will not generally remember the extension of the site. they will assume it is .COM
- I will go for the relevant local domain names, if my site is heavily localized. For an example if you are from Japan and trying to cater the Japan market (Especially if you trying to sell something physical), it will be good to buy a domain name with .JP extension. It makes the customers feel comfortable as they feel like buying from their own country. But you may have to complete certain legal conditions before buying a country specific domain name.
Where to Buy Domain names
There are thousands of domain name registers around there who will do the Job for you. I have used few personally. Below are some of them.
- GoDaddy.Com – world’s largest domain name provider. Without any doubt one of the best providers too. I have large number of domain names with them and happy with their service. They will charge you around $10 per annum for a .COM domain name. Provides neat documentation and relatively fast support. I would love to see CHAT support though. I have used their phone support. It is not bad too.
- NameChep.Com – they are one of the leading providers of domain names. I have seen a trend among the top internet marketers for this service. They provide the few valuable additional services with every domain registration. Among them is my favorite; free Private Domain registration. With this service, your name will not appear publically on the WHOIS register. Good for privacy. Price is little less than of GoDaddy and with the extra services, they add more value to your domain name.
- Yahoo.Com – Yahoo provides domain name registration services too. I have used them in the inception, due to the brand name they carry. They are not the worst, but I feel like domain name is not their business. Their user interfaces are not very easy to use. They provided the domain name for $1.90 or something like that. Then renewed for about $10. But suddenly after 5 years the fee went up to around $35. I am planning to move my domains with Yahoo to move to some other domain name register.
Buy your perfect domain name and be ready. You will build your money machine on it very soon.




