| |
Copyright © 2008
Keith Thompson
Domain name registration is a necessary, easy, and strategically important first step in establishing an online presence, whether for business or otherwise. A well-chosen domain name registration can set you up for success with your new site in so many ways, the most prominent of these being increased search engine traffic. Here's some vital elements to consider when executing your domain name registration.
A good domain name registration, particularly for an online business, (which is the main focus of this article) is easily done, but at the same time requires choices that will impact your site's effectiveness. So here, in no particular order, are some things to bear in mind when doing a domain name registration.
The extension - Will it be a .com, .net, .org, .info etc. Any of these will get spidered and indexed by the search engines, but if you can get a .com for your chosen name you'd be better off, as this extension is more common and carries an air of legitimacy with it.
Try not to have you domain name registration with your web host. The reason being that should you decide to part ways with your host, (and this isn't uncommon!) it's potentially a massive headache to move your domain as well. Split them up: you'll be glad you did!
Your domain name registration, purchased from a reputable company should run you somewhere between $1-10, depending on the extension and the amount of time you sign up for.
Probably the most important aspect of your domain name registration is the choice of keywords to use in your domain name. Try to use the main keyword or phrase you'd like to optimize the whole site for, and see if you can craft a domain name around it. The search engines seem to favor keyword-rich domain names. Nuff said.
Keep it short if possible. A shorter name is easier to remember than a long one.
Don't use your company name unless it has your keywords in it. There's no point in ranking high for your name if no one is looking for it yet.
Try to keep your domain name registration topically relevant. As search engines get smarter and smarter, sites that display total relevance will rank higher than catch all sites.
Lastly, be sure to avoid other companies trademarks and copyrights in your domain name. For example, let's say you're an affiliate of The Sharper Image. It's tempting to use some version of that name to promote your affiliate site, but don't do it, unless of course you'd like to meet their lawyers!
To sum up, your domain name registration is easy to do, but important to do well. It can make the difference in whether you get found or not!
Keith Thompson is the webmaster at http://www.domain-name-registration-today.com where you will find the latest news and information on domains.
 EasyPublish™ this article - publishers click here
More articles by Keith Thompson
- Guaranteed Affiliate Marketing Success! (Jeremy D'Monte)
Why many enter the business of Affiliate Marketing and only few are outstanding? Are there some secrets they know that you don't? Or could it be you are making certain mistakes which could be avoided to gain yourself the added advantage? Now, I am going to share with you the mistakes which you should avoid in this business to have guaranteed success! - Interview with a New York Web Design Company (Scott Jason)
As an SEO consultant I spend a lot of time looking for the best Web designers from the US and abroad. We exchange our best tips and then discuss the results we get. They teach me better design and I share how to get their pages to the top of Google. The most recent collaboration stands out among others and was a huge success. The information we shared helped each of us do better than ever before so we decided to publish our findings for you.
|