Choosing a domain name for marketing on the Internet is important.
Its primary function is to identify computer addresses on the Internet.
When choosing a keyword phrase it should best relate to one's business.
It is a good idea to buy both the singular and plural versions of the domain name and then redirect the weaker sounding domain name to the better sounding one.
The ".
com" top-level domain (TLD) continues to be the most commonly accepted extension for a website address.
This is important when looking for a business domain name.
It provides a credibility boost when marketing.
There are successful businesses that have their website addresses ending in ".
net" and ".
org" but it is risky.
Customers could type in ".
com" out of habit.
The exception is if the business is located outside of the US.
It would then be smarter to use a local top level extension such as ".
au" for Australia,".
de" for Germany, ".
ca" for Canada, etc.
It is best to avoid hyphenated words since people will forget where the hyphens go.
Hyphenated names are more prone to having traffic forfeited to the same web address without hyphens.
For some people the hyphenated name has less credibility.
It is also recommended to locate a name that is spelled in only one way.
Most people are poor spellers so choosing a web address with easy spelling is best.
Challenging spelling will end up being a marketing nightmare.
A short domain name is easier to remember and type.
Imagine the domain name on a billboard.
If in the mind's eye it has marketing appeal, then this quick test will help in the domain choosing process.
The availability of the website address is found by going to a hosting company which provides space on its server to host the website, and also provides a search and registration service.
It is recommended to register the domain name for three to five years.
If the perfect domain name ending in.
com is found it should be bought instantly.
This will make marketing easier.
The other common extensions that are available should also be bought and redirected to the desired domain name ending in ".
com".
Type-In traffic is when someone navigates directly to a website by typing in what they are looking for and then addong ".
com" into the browser URL bar.
Locating an exact match keyword website address will provide an increased likelihood of adding in traffic to the domain.
There is a benefit of SEO optimization as well when the search engine locates the keywords that people are using to look for information.
A new domain name will cost approximately $10 a year.
The web addresses can also be bought at auction where the cost could be anywhere from five dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars plus the annual registration fees.
The following are additional suggestions for guidelines to choosing your web address for marketing success: • numerals can be integrated into the name - the numeral "O" is often mistaken for the letter • avoid slang • it is best to avoid the names that could infringe on current copyrights - this can be checked by referring to the US Copyright Office • the more unique a domain name is the better the chances of having created a memorable brand - the thesaurus can be helpful • searching dropped domains where domains have changed from registered status to unregistered status • a good strategy is to incorporate industry buzzwords for the website niche increasing the marketing credibility of the website Finally, resorting to brainstorming to conjure up that ideal domain name for marketing success has often brought about the perfect name when least expected.