| > | | | | This is another area of debate. Should your domain |
| | | | be one single word or should the words be separated |
| What is a domain name? | | | | by hyphens? There are advantages and |
| A domain name is the location of your website on | | | | disadvantages to both approaches. Single word |
| the Internet. Your domainname will be what you | | | | domain names can be easier to explain, use on |
| become known by online so it's important to get it | | | | header paper and lend themselves to brand names |
| right. | | | | very well. |
| Each website on the Internet is labelled with | | | | Single word domains are in very, very short supply. |
| something called an IP address which is the actual | | | | Hyphenated domains names can be slighltly more |
| address of the website online. A typical IP address | | | | difficult to explain, may not look as well on headed |
| looks like this: 159.134.27.64. Remembering a string of | | | | paper and possibly harder to establish as a brand |
| numbers like that is difficult so a domain name | | | | name. There's no shortage of multiple word domains. |
| translates all those numbers into something like This is | | | | The single biggest advantage a hyphenated domain |
| far easier to remember. | | | | has is that searche engines can "read" the domain |
| #1 Dot what? | | | | more easily. For example in a domain like the search |
| Each domain has what's called an extension. The | | | | engine can only read the first word "foreign" and |
| most well known of these extensions is .com. This, | | | | that's it. It can't tell anything else about the website |
| however, is not the only type of domain extension | | | | domain name. |
| available. There is also: | | | | If you hyphenated that to the search engine can |
| .net | | | | read "foreign", "holidays" and "online" as separate |
| If you can't find your preferred .com domain name | | | | words and therefore knows that this website is |
| you could always choose the same domain with a | | | | about foreign holidays. |
| .net extension. It might not have the same ring as a | | | | A well chosen hyphenated domain name can be just |
| .com but is still as just useful as a .com. | | | | as effective as a single word domain name. |
| .org | | | | #4 Your Domain Registrar |
| These domain extensions were orginally designed for | | | | These are the people you pay to register the domain |
| educational and more formal websites. Anybody can | | | | for you. There are dozens if not hundreds of these |
| register a .org however so you have more options | | | | companies out there so which one do you choose? |
| for domain selection. | | | | This takes some research but things worth checking |
| .info | | | | are: |
| A more recent introduction to the domain name | | | | - Do you retain sole ownership of the domain or do |
| game are .info domains. Many of the valuable .info | | | | the registrar keep some level of control over it? |
| domains were bought up overnight but there's still a | | | | - Search Google for any horror stories relating to the |
| huge range of good .info domains available. With a | | | | registrar |
| little creativity you could really make a .info work for | | | | - Does the registrar allow you to transfer the domain |
| you e.g. | | | | to another registrar? |
| Bear in mind that most web surfers tend to | | | | - Is there an online control panel for domain |
| remember .com more easily than anything else. | | | | administration? |
| #2 Branding vs Business Name | | | | - How easy is it to change the domain Name |
| There is an age old debate on the whether or not | | | | Servers? |
| you should establish a brand name online or use a | | | | Shop around for domain registrars. What you really |
| domain that more actually reflects your real business. | | | | want to find is a previously satisfied customer to ask |
| Let's look at Amazon as an example. Amazon sells | | | | questions before you buy. |
| books online. Most people setting up a business would | | | | #5 Cheap Domain Names |
| have chosen say instead of Amazon has since | | | | You can save a lot of money on the domain names |
| established itself as a brand name of global | | | | you purchase. A typical .com domain costs about $15 |
| recognition - proving the value of building a brand | | | | to register from most registrars. However you can |
| name. | | | | get the same domain for as little as $7.95 from |
| You'll need to choose between the two. Brand name | | | | other, very reliable, companies. |
| or your own business name. Consider how your | | | | Oddly enough some of the cheaper domain registrars |
| domain sounds, how it might look on a business card | | | | are more reliable, have fewer horror stories and |
| and how well it relates to your business. | | | | offer equally good customer service as their more |
| There's no one right answer to this question. You | | | | expensive competitors. |
| need to choose what makes most sense for you, | | | | Are there any disadvantages in using a discount |
| your website and your business in general. | | | | domain registrar? Will it affect your website in any |
| #3 Hyphenated or Not? | | | | way? The answer to both is a definite No. |