| There are literally thousands of online services that | | | | of marketing possibilities open up to you as well. |
| can offer you a web presence. However, many of | | | | Sponsors and advertisers seldom partner with a |
| these services come with quite a few restrictions. | | | | business that does not operate under its own |
| One of those is that you will be at the mercy of the | | | | Domain Name and specified URL address. Possessing |
| provider's Domain Name. | | | | a website with your own Domain Name give you a |
| Plenty of these providers will allow you to "create" | | | | professional degree of respectability. |
| your own website using their online tool. However, | | | | Register Your Name |
| once completed, the site address will always include | | | | Once you've decided upon your Domain Name, you |
| the provider's name, for example, | | | | will need to register it with an organization called the |
| websiteprovider.com/yourname. Although this may be | | | | Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and |
| an extremely inexpensive method to gain an Internet | | | | Numbers (ICANN). You can do this through using a |
| presence, if you are a business looking to get known, | | | | domain name registrar. Your name with the extension |
| this is not the best way to accomplish it. | | | | you choose, like.com, will be registered for your |
| There are a number of great reasons to secure your | | | | exclusive use for a nominal fee that allows you the |
| own Domain Name as well as select an independent | | | | use for a year with renewal options available. You |
| web host where you can "store" your website. | | | | can do this at 123 Domain Register. |
| Your Domain Name is your property. If you change | | | | Where Have All The Names Gone? |
| hosts, the name goes with you. This way, no matter | | | | Many people claim all the good Domain Names are |
| who provides hosting services, once you have | | | | taken. I don't agree. Yes, most of what are called |
| selected a Domain Name (yourname.com), you'll | | | | "intuitively picked" Domain Names, ones that are |
| never need to inform customers you've made a | | | | easily identified with either a company or product |
| move as you would if you had a brick and mortar | | | | might be taken. However, with a little creative |
| business where you changed locations. All your clients | | | | activity examining your choices, a suitable name |
| and new visitors simply do is type in your Domain | | | | should be found that will work well for you and your |
| Name and there you are. | | | | business. |
| Securing your own Domain Name will add credibility to | | | | One last note, you may wish to purchase renewals |
| your business or organization. As the Internet | | | | up front. They are usually less expensive - per year - |
| becomes more increasingly popular, more web users | | | | this way and protect you from losing them if you do |
| become hesitant visiting sites with a URL address | | | | not act quickly when your annual renewal date draws |
| like... | | | | near. There are unscrupulous vultures who snatch up |
| Selecting a Domain Name reflective of your actual | | | | non-renewed names they try to sell at exorbitant |
| company name will help people easily remember you | | | | fees to "previous" owners who forget to renew. |
| and travel to your site without having to look up | | | | Ted Smolkowicz |
| your address. Additionally, if your name also reflects | | | | KAT-enterprises. |
| the type of service or product you offer, a number | | | | |