Choosing a good domain name is one of the most important factors that can determine the success of your website. A carefully chosen domain name can generate large amounts of traffic for your site, increase website referrals, and help make the most of your advertising dollars.

What is a domain name?

In a nutshell, a domain name is the name that identifies your website. For example, the domain google.com represents Google’s website. Ultimately your domain name is what a user would type into their browser’s address bar in order to access your website directly.

Domain Extensions

Depending on the type of site you’re running, you may want to choose a different TLD (sometimes called the site’s extension). There are many to choose from: .com, .net, .org, etc.. No matter what type of site you run, though, there’s a certain value to registering a .com extension.

The .com extension is the standard. If a user doesn’t know your web address, but they know your business name, they may try visiting ‘yourbusinessname.com’ before consulting a search engine.

Keep in mind, you can register multiple domains for the same website, so it’s possible (and recommended) to register the .com, .net, and .org versions of your domain.

How can I pick a good domain name?

Here are a few basic tips for choosing the right domain name.

1. Keep it short – Most domain registrars will allow you to use up to 63 characters, but you can’t expect your visitors to remember a domain name that long. A short and relevent domain is much easier for users to remember.
2. Use your company or brand name – If it’s available, register your company name as your domain. People will usually try this combination first when searching for your website.
3. Register common misspellings – If your domain is easily misspelled, be proactive and register those misspellings as well.
4. Use personal names – If your personal brand is important to your business, register your name as a domain. You’ll help drive traffic to your business site from users searching for you.

How do I register a domain?

You can register your domain from one of many registrars. Some of the most popular registrars are godaddy.com, networksolutions.com, and enom.com. We recommend researching to find a domain registrar that fits your budget and offers the kind of customer service you need.

Your domain name is a valuable tool in marketing your website, and choosing the right one could take some time. If you have any questions or need help choosing a domain, feel free to contact us for help.