Wednesday, December 31, 2008

How to Choose and Register Your Own Domain Name

By Ricardo d Argence

The way to register a domain name is by signing up with a service that provides domain names called a registrar. ICANN is the main organization that provides standards and procedures for domain name registrars to be certified.

When it comes to the InterNIC servers only one domain name registrar is permitted. The registers determines the fee for you and some of them have unique domain name.

Domain names can be used for branding purposes, and also you use a domain name to create an identity on the Web. You must come up with a domain name that will catch people's attention. You can use your business name as your URL. If the name of your company is currently in use, then obtain a URL name similar to what your business is. Purchasing a business name domain name isn't the only way to go, and when a keyword domain name could do just fine.

Use common sense when choosing a domain name because your domain name, or URL, can have an impact in both the online and offline marketing of your website. Long or difficult to spell domain names can make people ignore your web site and it has to be pretty good for them to stick with it. Short domain names register better with people's memory and are easy to remember.

After you choose a domain name, you need to get it registered with a domain name registrar service. Charges are likely to consist of a one-time installation cost to cover the background technical job that has to be done. Then pay your service provider a monthly, semi-annual or annual fee for Web site hosting services.

Many domain registrar services have competent online tools to help you get your domain name and hosting site up and running.

I strongly recommend purchasing a .com domain name as opposed to a .net, .info, .biz or anything else. If your chosen domain name is not available in a .com, keep looking until you find one that isn't taken. There is nothing wrong with the other extensions but when you have a .com extension, it sounds like you've been on the net a long time.

Then you might consider looking at the lenght of time your competitors have regstered their domain names, if you want to stay ahead of your competition. If your domain name expires, there's a good chance that someone will register your domain name immediately after it expires. Renewal of domain names regularly is an assurance that you keep it for several years.

Remember, your domain name is an extension of your business and your brand of product or service.

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