Choosing A Biz Domain Name - Avoid These 5 Mistakes (Karen Sielski)
Nov 17, 2009
Choosing a great biz domain name for your website is an important task. There are some common domain name mistakes that you need to consider when selecting a name. This process is essential, no matter how long it takes. It is difficult to change a domain name so get it right the first time.
You should select a biz domain name that is congruent with your brand. You also want a name that will help you rank well in the search engines. And of course you want to generate as much high quality web traffic as possible.
I personally like to brainstorm with a couple of people to get a long list of possible names. Then eliminate biz domain names that are already taken. GoDaddy can provide this information. Many of your best ideas will probably be taken, which is why this step can be difficult.
Now that you have your list of available biz domain names, eliminate names that contain these 5 common mistakes:
1. Picking a name that is difficult to spell or say. When you tell someone your domain name, there should be no ambiguity in how to spell it, and they should be able to remember it easily.
2. Not registering plural and hyphenated versions of your biz domain name. This is dangerous because if you don't register them, your competitors will. As a result, they will steal some of your traffic, legally! Domain names are not expensive so don't skimp on this step.
3. Not getting a .com extension. Don't settle for .net, .info, .ws, .bz, etc. If the .com version is not available, pick a different biz domain name.
4. Choosing a domain that doesn't contain your main key term. This gets into search engine optimization. Basically, you'll get a higher relevance score if your main key term is in your domain name. This is important because higher relevance means more natural traffic from the search engines.
5. Not owning your name. In addition to any other domain names you purchase, make sure to get your name in the form FirstLast.com. Even if you don't need it right away, it's better to get it before someone else does.
Avoiding these 5 domain name mistakes is extremely important for your online success. It will take some time to brainstorm and weed out names that don't meet the 5 criteria, but it is time well spent.
About the AuthorBonus Tip: After getting your business domain name, you'll want to generate highly targeted traffic to your new website..