| you are comfortable with working online, you should | | | | If you're fortunate enough to find both extensions |
| buy a domain name for your site or sites. Domain | | | | for your domain open, and if you run a British |
| name registration, if you do it right, is one of the key | | | | company, it doesn't cost much to buy them both, |
| components of having your site rate high in the | | | | and you definitely should. |
| search engines. The right domain name is memorable, | | | | It also gives your online presence an immediate |
| and can get your site to rank higher than other | | | | “identity” geographically which can be |
| names. The wrong domain name won't do you any | | | | crucial in building online relationships- where trust is a |
| good at all. | | | | key component. By being a .UK domain, you are very |
| The Basics of Domain Name Registration | | | | likely to gain UK clients. |
| The first thing you have to do is come up with a | | | | The .UK domains market is one of the fastest |
| good domain name for registration. Don't even think | | | | growing and lucrative registration areas on the |
| about a one-word domain name; they're all gone at | | | | internet. |
| this point. Instead, come up with dual-word combos. | | | | Tips for Domain Name Registration |
| If you're putting together a professional site, try your | | | | Have a website ready to plunk into your domain as |
| name before anything else. | | | | soon as you buy it, and submit it immediately to the |
| Don't get fancy with spelling when selecting your | | | | search engines. The search engines take time to |
| domain name registration, or use 2s and 8s to | | | | index new sites and your domain name registration is |
| represent their sounds. You can try the number 1; | | | | only as valuable as the search engines make it. |
| that sometimes works. You can also try the names | | | | You can also have more than one domain name |
| of products you offer, or a description of your site | | | | pointing at a single site. If you've bought multiple |
| content offerings: Romanceforgirls, popcornpalace, | | | | extensions for your domain name (as in the |
| fluffykittens. Memorable is always better; short and | | | | previously-suggested .com/.uk combination), you can |
| memorable is best, but very difficult to accomplish. | | | | set up your site under one domain name and then |
| Come up with a couple of dozen names that will do | | | | direct traffic from the others to the main site. This is |
| for your site, and test them on a registry. Don't buy | | | | called web traffic forwarding and has been around |
| a domain name for which the .com extension is gone, | | | | for years. It may be as simple as parking your |
| but you have access to the .net or .info. These | | | | domain name on a server and putting a line of code |
| domain names are not by any means as valuable as | | | | on the page, or as complex as going through another |
| the .com. If you pick up the .com, though, and you | | | | website to use their online web forwarding services. |
| expect the site to be lucrative or have a lot of | | | | When you do register a domain and start building |
| competition, it's not a bad idea to pick up the other | | | | traffic to it, go out and renew for multiple years |
| extensions as well. Domain name registration is NOT | | | | before your renewal is due. It is surprisingly easy to |
| expensive, and if you register in bulk you can get an | | | | forget to register your domain name on time, and if |
| even better price. | | | | someone else sneaks in and registers it, you've just |
| The .UK Extension | | | | lost a ton of work on that domain. |
| This doesn't mean you should avoid anything but | | | | By making your domain name memorable, you will |
| .com. If you have a business in the United Kingdom, | | | | help other webmasters remember your site easily |
| you have access to the .uk domain name set, which | | | | when building anchor texts in their links- a crucial |
| UK customers are likely to look at before anything | | | | component of SEO. |
| else for UK-specific businesses. | | | | Final tip: don’t just think about price when |
| If you anticipate most of your business will come | | | | looking for a domain registration company- also think |
| from British customers who are aware your business | | | | about quality of service. While you shouldn’t |
| is in Britain, the .uk extension may be a better choice | | | | be paying over the odds, it really is better to be safe |
| than the .com; and if your customers are unhappy | | | | than sorry and go with the more established |
| with Internic's control of Internet domain registration | | | | registrars. Then you can have peace of mind that |
| or they are very pro-Britain, the .uk extension is | | | | should any problems arise, you will be well looked |
| certainly a better choice. | | | | after. |