While keywords and good content can get you hits and ranking with search engines, you can’t forget your domain name affects your website’s ranking, too. It seems that with all the talk about keywords, domain names are getting lost in the shuffle.
Your domain name is like the title of a book. A domain name, good or bad, will set the tone for visitors before they even see your site. Make sure that the name you choose is appropriate for your business image.
While you’re brainstorming domain names, say them out loud. Some domain names might look cool on paper, but spoken aloud may not sound cool at all. Someone visiting your site might want tell a friend about it, and if your domain name sounds laughable, strange, or is a tongue twister, you’re in trouble. A straightforward domain name has a much better chance than one that is complicated.
Choose a simple domain name that relates to your site. If the URL is too long or too complicated, no one will want to type it out. For that matter, try typing out the domain names you enjoy. If your fingers trip and stumble, or the feel of the finger reach isn’t great, chances are that other people will have the same difficulties.
Have a backup name (or a few) and some choices on domain name. As more and more people join the virtual world, good domain names are getting harder to find. Your first, second, and third choices might already be taken.
Not only that, cover all your bases by figuring out the potential misspellings of domain names or variations. You may want to buy up those domain names too, as common error happens frequently with typing, and you can get hits from misspelled URLs.
Be prepared for the possibility that you won’t be able to get a .com attached to the end of your domain name. You might have to go with another option like .org or .net. There are different country options as well, and where a .com might be taken, a .ca might not be.
If there is one name that you really want, you can always put yourself of a waiting list and hope that you can grab the name when the other person gives it up. You might end up waiting a very long time before the name is released. You could also contact the webmaster that has the domain name directly and buy it from them, but be prepared to pay for the purchase.
Domain name fees vary, so do some comparison-shopping on pricing and which merchants are authorized to sell domain names for your particular country. Some hosting services allow you to pay for your domain name several years in advance or include a free domain name in their hosting package.
