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Choosing The Right Domain Name

When it comes to choosing a domain name many people rush to the registar with their first idea, but the quality of your domain name can have a great impact of the success of your website so it pays to get it right first time. In this article you will find some key thinking points and tips on how to choose the perfect domain name.

Choose your keywords first: the process of choosing your domain name should only begin once you have picked your key words, as it is these that you should be aiming to include in any prospective URL. Getting the right keywords within your domain name will make your site easily ranked and recognized by search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN. When choosing the right keywords try to make them as specific to your sites 'purpose' as possible so words that will be cropping up regularly within your sites content. There are many internet tool that can be used when choosing your keywords but I would recommend Seobooks keyword search tool or Googles Keyword Tool to get you started.

Keep it simple: as a general rule the shorter the name the easier it is to type and remember, plus a memorable name will increase the number of people passing it on. The attention span of the average reader is incredibly short so a major part of choosing the right domain name is picking one that makes the process of getting to your content as simple and straightforward as possible e.g. don't make your viewers struggle to remember your name and then spend ages typing it (just because you can make domain names 63 characters long doesn't mean you should... ever).

Keep it pronounceable and easy to spell: a good site will get people talking and recommending it to their contacts so choose a domain name that makes this process simple. Things to think about regarding this point is avoiding words that can could be spelt in different ways e.g. the word 'queue' in a domain name will result some people trying the word 'cue' instead. Also remember that some words are spelt differently but mean the same thing e.g. 'color' and 'colour' or 'jewellery' and 'jewelry' so don't miss out on international traffic by only using your regions spellings (the purchasing multiple domain names with alternate spellings and then redirecting traffic can get round this problem).

Keep it relevant: when it comes to choosing a domain name creativity is definitely a good thing BUT don't go overboard and confuse your message, your domain name should stay relevant to what your site is about, this is especially true if you intend to run any type of commercial enterprise from your website.

Get the extension right: the extension is what your domain name ends with e.g. .com .net .org etc. The domain market is being topped-up with additional domain extensions which can indeed offer good value for money and open up otherwise closed choices (e.g. domain names ending in .mobi or .tv). Different extensions suit different markets but as a general rule .com is nearly always best as this is the standard to which web users automatically first jump, for example you could have a perfect site at www.shoeshop.net but when customers try to return to your site many of them will automatically type www.shoeshop.com and go straight to your competition. So even if you think the majority of the domain is perfect don't compromise on the extension if you are concerned about type-in traffic or site branding.

Consider the pros and cons of hyphens: Many webmasters avoid using hyphens in domain names because visitors might can get confused and enter the wrong URL, whereas others claim that the potential for search engine success makes the hyphens worth the risk. As a general rule opt for an unhyphened domain as your first choice but as availability can be low the hyphen can be a fine compromise, and as mentioned a hyphenated domain can make for easier reading by both humans and search engines alike!

Use the Domain Selection Tools available: Websites like AJAXWhois and Domjax make it easier to determine availability of a domain name, but don't rush to buy the domain through these sites as there are much cheaper alternatives out there.

I hope this article has given you a few pointers to consider when choosing your domain name, if you have any questions or suggestions please email me at info@better-hosting.com.