| Say you're starting a website, and you've done your | | | | their web hosting providers to direct all those names |
| research on domain names. You've done a trademark | | | | to the main site. For example, if your main website |
| search and have found a domain name that you like, | | | | name is yourawesomewebsite.com, you might want |
| that did not show up in a trademark search, and that | | | | to register yourawesomewebsite.org too. Then have |
| is available with the extension you want. First of all, | | | | your web hosting provider point |
| congratulations. It's not that easy to come up with a | | | | yourawesomewebsite.org to the main site, There are |
| good domain name that has the extension you want. | | | | people who will register domain names with |
| When it comes time to proceed with domain | | | | keywords in them and also have them point to the |
| registration, you may ask yourself: "Should I register | | | | main site. And it is possible to get carried away with |
| my domain name with as many extensions as | | | | this process, too. |
| possible to keep them from being hijacked?" | | | | Perhaps the best strategy is a combination strategy. |
| Some people will tell you the answer is yes. | | | | Once you've found the domain name you want with |
| Registering a domain name is not that expensive, and | | | | the extension that you want, and it hasn't been |
| it would keep everyone else's dirty paws off all the | | | | trademarked, and it's available, while you're going |
| versions of your name. But then again, what would | | | | through the domain registration process, go ahead |
| stop someone from registering a common misspelling | | | | and register it with the top two extensions you |
| of your domain name and using it to siphon off your | | | | want, and.org. If you can afford it, register the most |
| web traffic? Maybe you should register all the | | | | common misspelling of your domain name with the |
| common misspellings of your domain as well. This is | | | | top two extensions. Register your domain name's |
| the kind of thing that can go on until you're steeped | | | | trademark. Have your web hosting provider point all |
| in paranoia, not happy until you register every domain | | | | the domain names to your main site's domain. |
| extension in every misspelling of your domain name, | | | | You will have most of the bases covered by doing |
| which can add up to a lot of money. And if you're a | | | | this. Anyone with malicious intent will have to go to |
| small start-up, you may not have that much money | | | | some trouble to get a name similar to yours, and will |
| to throw around. | | | | probably have to use one of the less common |
| A better idea is to trademark your domain name. | | | | domain extensions. And if someone is this determined |
| That's expensive too, no question. About the | | | | to either ride your popularity or harm your site, you |
| cheapest way is to do all the forms yourself then file | | | | will have the protection of a registered trademark |
| them along with the filing fees. It will add up to | | | | giving you legal standing to tell them to stop, or |
| around $300. But once you have a registered | | | | threaten to sue, which is usually enough to get them |
| trademark, you have legal protection that comes | | | | to back off. |
| with it, and you have legal grounds to stop someone | | | | More domain extensions are a good idea in some |
| who is trying to either capitalize on your site's | | | | situations, and to a certain extent. If you can afford |
| popularity or maliciously make a similarly-named | | | | it, register your chosen domain name and the most |
| malware site in an attempt to ruin your business. It's | | | | common misspelling when you go through the domain |
| sad, but true. People actually do this sometimes. | | | | registration process. Trademark your domain name. |
| And sometimes business will go ahead and grab up | | | | Then you can focus on the most important thing, |
| the other top level domain extensions when they go | | | | which is making your new site a big success. |
| through domain registration because they can use | | | | |