| Registering a domain name and setting up a website | | | | tell someone about the site they don't know |
| may seem very straight forward but doing it right | | | | whether to use the symbol or spell it out. The point |
| isn't necessarily that easy. If you are new to | | | | is that when you tell someone your domain name |
| registering domains and setting up websites this | | | | there should be no question as to the site address or |
| advice will save you a lot of time and money. In | | | | what the site is about. Before you purchase your |
| years of working on the web these are some of the | | | | domain also be sure to consider any alternate |
| things I have learned. Save yourself a lot of | | | | meanings and spellings too. |
| frustration by taking your time and doing things right | | | | Don't Get Discouraged: It may take a long time to |
| the first time. | | | | find a great site name. Keep trying! Use tools to |
| Idea: You need to have a strong sense of what this | | | | make sure your site name is available and to provide |
| site's purpose will be. What is the idea or theme | | | | you with new ideas. Instant Domain Search is a great |
| behind the site? What function will the site have? | | | | tool for quickly checking if your idea is available. If |
| Who will the audience be? What type of content or | | | | the name you want for your website is not currently |
| service will you provide? What will people come to | | | | available and you must have that name exactly you |
| your site for? Once you have answered these | | | | can use the Whois directory to find out who |
| questions you are well equipped to begin your domain | | | | currently owns the domain name. You can contact |
| search. | | | | the owner with the Whois look up information and |
| Research: Once you know who your audience will be | | | | see if they are willing to sell. Sometimes people are |
| and what the site will be about it is wise to take that | | | | willing to sell domain names that they own but |
| into consideration when choosing a domain. It is | | | | depending on the desirability of the name they can |
| important that your domain name describe what your | | | | get very expensive. |
| site is about and builds confidence with your audience. | | | | Registering and Hosting: Once you find your |
| You will greatly benefit from having some description | | | | prospective domain name you will need to register it |
| of the site's purpose or keywords in your domain | | | | and get hosting for it. I have used a lot of different |
| name. Choose a domain with either or.org ending as | | | | businesses for hosting over the years and I find that |
| these extensions are the most popular and most | | | | Godaddy and JustHost both have great support and |
| browsers and shoppers recognize and trust them. | | | | offer great deals. I highly recommend JustHost as I |
| Try to keep your domain name three words or less | | | | have used them for years and the services and |
| so people can easily remember it. | | | | support are great. |
| Ideally your site name will be something that you | | | | I will be publishing more articles for people getting |
| could tell someone in conversation that doesn't need | | | | into creating web sites soon. Good Luck and best of |
| explanation. I recommend not using numbers, dashes, | | | | success in your domain search! |
| hyphens, and dots in site names because when you | | | | |