We all know that in this era, having an online presence is a must especially if you’re running a business. As they say: If your business is not online, you’re nobody - is both catchy and true. One of the first steps you need to do is buy a new domain name related to your business or services. Buying a domain name and registering that domain name online could be tricky for some, especially first time online business owners.
We listed these tips you can use so you don’t have to commit mistakes first time website owners do. This is not a daunting task if you know what you’re doing.
1. Choose a domain name that best represents your business
This is plain common sense and simple to implement and yet some people still buy domain names unrelated with their business. You have to choose what your business’ niche is. If you’re selling shoes buy domain names that is closely related to shoes i.e. “shoesforless.com”, “buyshoes.com”, “bestshoes.com” and others. You can also choose descriptive words/names along with shoes i.e. “johnsneakers.com” or “shoesbyjohn.com”.
The example goes on and on, but the key on these domain names is the “keyword” shoes /sneakers. You can come up with other creative names in your market and check if these domain names are available at Godaddy’s website. This is a popular site to buy new domain names. Make a list of name prospects, input them on the website and Godaddy will tell you if that domain name is taken/available. If it is taken, Godaddy will list suggested domain names you could choose.
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2. Avoid choosing loooong domain names
As much as you want to make your domain name creative, catchy and related to your business you should keep in mind of your customers who will be visiting your site in the future. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes, what will you think of “www.myshoesarereallyamazing.com” or “www.shoesforlessbuyitnow.com”?
Not only they are annoying and irritating to read, these kind of domain names are very hard to remember. What you want is for your customers to “remember” and be “curious” about your site. I need to emphasize very quickly that there are many factors to consider in order to entice your customers in your website (not only your domain name). You have content, your website design, photos, banners etc. All of these will decide if the customer/visitor will buy and visit your website again.
Back to our topic, try not to exceed 3 words in choosing a new domain name for your website. Like in our initial examples above, choose your domain names wisely by picking words that are ‘simple’, ‘easy’ to remember and names that best describe your business. Try asking your son or daughter for tips, you’ll be surprised how creative they can be!
3. Avoid incorrect and hard to spell domain names
If you’re doing an on-air campaign about your new website, you want to stay away from domain names that could be hard to spell. For example if your business is about soap, don’t choose domain names like “soap4sell” or “soap-4-u.com” or “soap2buy.com”. Upon hearing it, your customers may think you are referring to another website. Now, what if that “another” website is your competitor and sells the same product-line as you do?
I’d say it’s both big and stupid loss in your part. Tracing it back, it all started with choosing and buying the right domain name. How to check? Again, ask people around you, your family, friends and relatives. What is the exact words that came into their minds upon hearing your site’s name?
Ask them to write it down, if all of them got it all wrong, change your domain name immediately.
4. Choose a .com domain name
Some people may argue at this, you can choose a domain extension name of .net, .biz , .org , .ws or even your country’s code .uk,.ca, .ph etc. In my opinion, .com is the best, most common and easiest to remember extension name in the cyberworld today, hands down. There might be a couple of online business owners who prefer to use other domain extension names, that’s fine. But for me, I’ll stick with a .com domain name simply because big online companies use them like Google, Yahoo and Microsoft.
Some domain name salesmen may entice you to buy .ws domain names by telling this is the next “frontier” in the internet world and the .com domain names will soon fade out. This might be true but I guess when that finally happens you and I are rich with our “.com” business sites.
5. Don’t use registered trademarks for domain names
I want to be rich, I know everybody does, and I don’t like headaches cause by lawsuits and court cases. When buying a domain name for your website don’t use legal or patented trademarks of other businesses i.e. nike, lacoste, adidas, speedo etc. Some people are stubborn (and stupid) by choosing domain names like “www.buymynikeshoes.com”, “www.addiddas.com” or “www.speed-o.com”. Unfortunately, in the Philippines, some website owners prefer to use such domain names wantonly thinking that they are more “catchy”, “creative” and easy to remember.
This is illegal and may get you in trouble in the future. Plus, customers/users may think your site is “cheap” and doesn’t have “creativity” on it. Being a “cyber monkey” and practicing web piracy goes a long, long way and not limited only at domain names. If you want to get rich, do it legally and avoid copying other people’s works.
There you go. You can search for other online tips in buying domain names online. The internet has tons of information in almost about everything. Make sure you do your homework so you won’t get ‘busted’ in the end.
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Tags: domain name, how to buying domain name for your business, tips on buying domain name, website domain, website hosting
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