In order to have a presence on the web you need three things: a domain name, a web host and content. Today we are going to talk about Domain Names.

One of the first hurdles you must jump is the Domain Name challenge.

How on earth do you find a good domain name? There are already millions taken. Is there any good names left?

What makes a good domain name? Knowing the answer to that question can spell your success on the Internet. The fact is, a good domain name is the best asset you can ever have. Contrary to what many have said the domain name you choose does not have to describe your business, although many do. However, take a good look at three of the top domains in the world today: Yahoo, Amazon and Google. Why are these good domain names? They are short. They are memorable. Their owners advertised them until they became household words. Would you ever guess that a business called Yahoo is, indeed, a very profitable search engine. Or, that Amazon.com sells millions of books every day? What about Google? The list goes on.

Short, memorable, easy. Keep these features in mind as you think of your own domain name. It will be challenging for you to find a good one, but it still can be done.

I started my web experience with AppleCity.com in 1995. The name had never been bought before, and, at that time you could only get domain names through Network Solutions. I think I paid $70 for a 2 year registration. I chose the name “AppleCity.com” because I am surrounded by apple orchards. Duh! I wish I had been more creative but I’m glad I purchased the name then. It is worth a lot more than I paid for it. Since then I have purchased several domain names, some long (such as the one where this blog resides: AwesomeWebEssentials.com), some meaningless like Ateau.com, and others that describe the nature of the site like: IBelieveInAngels.com, WhereAngelsWalk.com and TrueSoulMate.com.

Some people have paid ridiculous prices for certain domain names: Men.com sold for 1.3 million dollars. Business.com sold for $7.5 million dollars. The domains Loans.com and Wines.com were both sold for $3 million each. AsSeenOnTV.com was bought for $5 million dollars. Telephone.com was purchased for $1.75 million, while Bingo.com sold for $1.1 million. Phew! $35 per year is the highest price I have ever paid. Thankfully, there are many companies offering domain names for a much lower price today!

Don’t worry if you can’t find a name that you feel fits your product or service! As stated earlier, just think of Google, Yahoo and Amazon. But, also think of physical companies like UPS, FedX, McDonald’s, Yamaha and Harley Davidson. Everyone has heard of these companies. Why? Because they advertise. They create excitement through the media. It is all about branding and advertising your brand.

Okay, to sum up, here are a few tips on creating your killer domain name:

* KIS and S — Keep it Short and Simple!
* If possible, make it suggestive of your business category
* It should be unique
* It should be easy to say
* It should be personalized
* It should be easy to spell
* It should be memorable

Domain Name Extensions

There are many domain name extensions from which to choose and the choice is up to you, subject to availability. The Dot Com extensions are by far the most popular, but it is getting very hard to find a good name with a .com extension. Other choices include .net, .org, .tv, .info, .biz, .us, .name and .ws

Domain Name Registrar

Domain names can be registered through many different companies (known as “registrars”) - a listing of these companies is available at ICANN: http://www.icann.org. You can register for 1 to 10 years - prices can vary anywhere from $10 to $20 per year.

I also offer a domain name registration service for those who are interested. You can check it out here. The prices are great and I’ll make a couple of dollars if you buy through my link.

Today — start thinking about your domain name. Write down your thoughts and then visit a domain registrar to see if the domain is available. If it is available, go ahead and purchase it. The Domain Registrar will park it for you until you find a web host — in most cases this is a free service!

-Linda

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