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Domain Name Registration For Your Online Business
Deciding on a new domain name is a bit like preparing for a job interview. First impressions count. Registering a name that conveys the spirit of your business; is easy to remember and has the right extension can seem a little daunting. When the URL is emblazoned on your company stationary and painted on your fleet of vehicles, theres no going back. Unlike in a job interview, you cant buy time or think on your feet if your answer falls flat.
Thats why your web site URL has to give the right impression and secure that crucial second interview. That means encouraging visitors to log on and search the site. Get it wrong and your company name will be quickly filed in the rejected pile.
No matter how seasoned the web user or experienced the business person, the simple task of deciding on a domain name and registering the address can be a complicated decision making process.
1. Think Carefully About Your Brand Principles
Before deciding on a snappy name for your new web property, what do you want your site to say about your business? Are you going to offer information only, will it be an online catalogue, will you sell online or do you just want to encourage visitors to call your office? If you already have a company registered then it makes sense to register a domain name in the same name. If you are just setting up in business try and make sure your domain name matches your trading name.
Whatever you want your web site to do, make sure the name reflects this as best as possible. A name such as Google doesnt say what they do, but because their search engine was very good at delivering relevant searches, word spread very quickly and now the world knows what Google is. In fact, its now a term in the dictionary; To Google!
So, you can either go for something very obscure such as Yakabozi or choose a domain name that reflects your business. Research your competitors. Have they chosen their company name as their web address or do they have a generic URL? Is your company name effective as a web address or is it too long?
If your domain name is long then it can make sense to break the name up using hyphens. For example instead of using drummondleisureandentertainment.co.uk you could have
drummond-leisure-and-entertainment.co.uk which is easier on the eye.
You can get help when grappling with this issue by keying in your initial ideas as URL searches with your chosen registrar. As well as seeing whats available, alternatives will be suggested to you, broadening your field of possibilities.
2. What kind of Domain Extension?
When you have the first part of the address sorted, you need to decide what kind of domain name extension you are going to go for. There are so many possibilities that theres a danger of being overwhelmed by choice.
The main rule of thumb is if your business is just aimed at the UK market, then go for .co.uk. If your business is international and/or aimed at the USA as well as the UK then it would be worth going for .com and .co.uk. There are many other variations such as .net , .biz , .info , etc .
If your brand is important to your business then it would certainly be worth registering all the relevant domain extensions. There is nothing worse than someone else registering one of the others, perhaps the .com extension because you were only concentrating on the UK market. If at a later time you choose to target the US market you might want to use the .com and this could mean having to pay an inflated price to the original registrant.
It is not necessary to buy every domain extension but it is definitely a good way to go if you are keen to protect your brand.
3. Note Down Registrar Details and Renewal Dates
After registering the domain, the most important thing is to note down all pertinent information including contact details of the registrar, confirmation that your payment has been accepted, usernames, passwords and renewal dates.
Keeping the registrar details handy means you can check back for new services and offers and youre more likely to notify the company of any new contact details. This is essential if you want to renew your domain when the original agreement runs out.
Most domain name registration companies will send renewal reminders via email and so it is vital you keep your email up to date with the registrar. Notify them immediately if your email address changes. In most cases you can do this within your online account.
Remember, you are not buying the domain name outright forever. You really own a temporary licence on that name. You pay for the use of the domain name for a fixed period. A .co.uk domain can be purchased for a maximum of 2 years and will be renewable every 2 years. Others such as .com , .net , .biz etc. can be purchased for up to 10 years at a time.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dickie_Armour
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