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How To Choose A Domain Name For Your Business
website's domain name your address is
(also know as a website "www.mybusiness.NET", and visit
address or URL) is an your competitor at
important consideration when "www.mybusiness.COM" by mistake.
developing your online presence. Choosing the ".com" extension
Choosing an appropriate domain gives your website the most
name is the first step in the credibility in the eyes of your
process of building online customers.
credibility. Remember to choose
carefully because this online If your business only caters to
address may be where your the local community, then it
business resides for the rest of makes sense to get a country
its operating life. Now, some specific domain name, such as the
important tips to consider before ".ca" extension. A country
choosing your domain name: specific domain benefits you in
two ways: both your customers and
Choosing Your Domain Extension search engines such as Google
will know that your website is
A domain extension or top level registered to a Canadian and
domain is simply the suffix of operates in Canada. Potential
your website address: (.com, customers will feel more
.net, .org, .ca, etc.) Most comfortable knowing that they are
Internet users are familiar with dealing with a Canadian company,
the ".com" extension, and will and not a U.S. based business
generally use this extension by pretending to be a Canadian
default when typing an address company. Also, search engines
into their browser. Choosing a will give your website higher
".com" extension should be your placement in the search results
fist choice in case your when a user is performing a
potential customers forget that Canadian specific search.
It is best to choose a keyword
I personally recommend that my that you think your potential
clients, if possible, register customers will use to search for
both the ".com" AND ".ca" your business. A search engine
extension. This way, your optimization (SEO) professional
Canadian based website will such as Cost Effective Design can
benefit from using the ".ca" assist you in choosing your
extension, while at the same time keyword(s). These type of domain
ensuring that they reach your names are used in instances where
website if they accidentally type the client does not want to use
the ".com" extension into their the business name because it is
browser. either already registered by
another company, or the company
Using Your Business Name name is simply too long. Any
company that is serious about
The first choice for any domain generating traffic through search
name would be your business' engines should acquire a domain
name. This ensures that your name with a keyword in addition
customers will remember your to your business name.
website's address. You can't
expect your potential customers Don't Confuse Your Customers
to remember a phrase that just
relates to your business. If possible, try not to use
domain names that include: "2"
Choosing Choice Keywords for "To" or "4" for "For" or "u"
for "You". These may make your
Including specific keywords in domain look "cool" or "hip", but
your website's address will help in reality they are not very
your rankings in popular search practical. These domain names
engines such as Google or Yahoo. create a problem when directing
your clients to your website they look better and search
verbally or over the phone. For engines can easily distinguish
example, if you owned the separate keywords for better
www.UsedCars4U.com, every time search placements, but the
you verbally directed someone to disadvantages are that they are
your website, you would have to difficult to verbally communicate
specify that the URL uses the and type.
actual number 4, and letter U.
The best solution would be to
To Use, Or Not to Use Hyphens register both the hyphenated, and
the un-hyphenated version of the
Given that more and more domain name to ensure that there
businesses are registering domain is no confusion.
names every day, getting the
website address you want is Domain Name Length
becoming increasingly difficult.
One or two word domain names are Even though you are allowed to
usually already registered, use 67 characters for a domain
forcing new registrants to choose name, the general rule of thumb
URLs containing three or four is: shorter is better. Although,
words. To some people, these URLs in some instances, the website
can look like a big mess of address may be more memorable if
words. Using hyphens in between it is more descriptive. For
the words can make them visually example a domain consisting of
more appealing. For example, initials only, such as
"www.used-cars-for-you.com, looks "www.waa.com", may not create a
better than lasting impression compared to
"www.usedcarsforyou.com. The jury the domain name
is still out on hyphenated domain "www.windsorautoassociation.com".
names. The advantages are that Therefore, it is best to choose a
name that, while short, contains these types of domains, although
enough description for your they make cost several hundred,
customers to easily remember. or even thousands of dollars.
There are advantages to
Buying an Existing Domain Name purchasing an existing domain
name. In addition to getting the
Maybe the domain name you really domain you want, it may also rank
want is already registered, highly in the search engines for
either by a legitimate company, certain keywords and / or
or by a "domain squatter" who generate topic specific traffic
merely registered the name to that you will benefit your
sell for a profit at a later business.
date. You can make an offer for
About the Author:
Paul Coulter owns and operates a custom web design company in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. If you would like to read more web design articles geared towared small business, or would like to contact Paul, visit his website: Cost Effective Web Design, Windsor ON http://www.cost-effective-design.com/
Read more articles by: Paul J Coulter
Article Source: www.iSnare.com
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