Tuesday, November 24, 2009

5 Mistakes To Avoid When Choosing A Biz Domain Name

By Karen Sielski

Choosing a great biz domain name for your website is an important task. There are some common domain name mistakes that you need to consider when selecting a name. This process is essential, no matter how long it takes. It is difficult to change a domain name so get it right the first time.

Your biz domain name has many purposes. You want it to be congruent with your brand. You want a name that you can get to the top of the search engine results. And you want to generate maximum web traffic.

I personally like to brainstorm with a couple of people to get a long list of possible names. Then eliminate biz domain names that are already taken. GoDaddy can provide this information. Many of your best ideas will probably be taken, which is why this step can be difficult.

Now that you have your list of available biz domain names, eliminate names that contain these 5 common mistakes:

1. Names that are difficult to say or spell. You don't want any ambiguity when you tell someone your domain name. They should be able to spell it and remember it easily.

2. Not buying variations of your domain name. For example, you should register plural and hyphenated versions of your domain if it applies. Not doing this can cost you in the long run because your competitors will register these names and will legally steal some of your traffic! Domain names are really inexpensive so register as many of them as you need to.

3. Not choosing a domain that has the .com extension available. If the .com version of the domain name is already taken, keep looking and find another biz domain name. Don't settle for .info, associated with hackers and spammers, .net, .ws, etc.

4. Choosing a domain that doesn't contain your main key term. This gets into search engine optimization. Basically, you'll get a higher relevance score if your main key term is in your domain name. This is important because higher relevance means more natural traffic from the search engines.

5. Not registering your personal name. In addition to any business domain names that you buy, you should also make sure to get your own personal name and those of your kids. Use the form FirstLast.com. Even if you or your kids don't need this domain right away, you should get it now before someone else does. Domain names are going quickly!

Your biz domain name is a very important aspect of your online success. Avoiding these 5 domain name mistakes is well worth the time you will spend to choose the right name.

About the Author:

No comments: