Blog Domain Name

Internet Domain Registration FAQs

2008-11-29T17:01:00.000-08:00

Website addresses have two parts, the domain name and the top domain. The domain name refers to the main part, for example, yahoo in www.yahoo.com. The top-level domain is the latter part, as in com. The top-level domain name gives the visitor a brief idea as to what the site is about: net for network providers, ?edu? for educational institutions, and ?org? for non-profit organizations.

All domain names in the US are registered in the DNS (Domain Name Server) database, which is managed by the regulatory body ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). Different registrars like Go Daddy register the domain names, depending on the availability of the domain name. When registering a domain, a small fee is charged. For those users wishing to have anonymous domain registration, this fee will be a little higher. The InterNIC (Network Information Centers) that is responsible for US domains, charges $70 for a two years registration.

Domain names can also be accessed without typing WWW in front. The domain name availability can be checked on sites that are linked to the WHOIS database. This database provides the information related to the contact details such as name, phone number, and addresses. Sites such as www.easywhois.com can be used to check domain availability.
Domain names are allowed to only have characters between 0-9 and A-Z. The hyphen (-) is allowed, but it cannot be placed at the beginning or at the end of the domain name. The maximum number of characters allowed is 63.

A domain name can be registered for a minimum of 1 and maximum of 10 years. Usually renewal is required between 2-5 years.

Once the InterNIC specifies that the domain name has been registered, it takes about 72 hours for it to become active.

Files must be transferred to the website by a FTP (File Transfer Protocol). Each site will have a user-set login and password, which will protect the site from other people accessing it to change the data.

Some website providers restrict the number of hits that a site can receive. A better option for sites that have a lot of traffic is to shift to a dedicated server.
Internet Domain Registration provides detailed information on Internet Domain Registration, Cheap Domain Name Registration, Domain Registration And Hosting, Domain Registration Information and more. Internet Domain Registration is affiliated with Generic Internet Domain Names.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Riverside

5 Tips When Choosing Multiple Domain Hosting

2008-11-29T16:40:00.000-08:00

If you have or are planning to have several domains running on the web, then you should consider getting a multiple domain hosting. Multiple domain hosting allows you to host several domains under a single hosting plan. Most web hosting companies call it shared hosting.

The main advantage of multiple domain hosting is it helps to consolidate all your domains under one hosting plan. It makes domain management a breeze. It also makes it easier to modify any settings since you are doing it from the same control panel.

Here are a few tips you might want to bear in mind when looking a shared hosting service.

Hard Disk Space

Nowadays most shared web hosting plans provide more than enough disk space to satisfy your needs. It is important you know before hand how much disk space your web site will be using not just currently but projected 6 months, 1 year and 2 years down the road.

Some web applications requires more disk space than others. One example are file hosting sites. Also remember to check the cost of upgrading your disk space in case you need one. Most web hosting providers charge on a per GB basis.

Bandwidth

Most web hosting providers cap a limit on each hosting plan’s bandwidth. Check to make sure it provides sufficient bandwidth for your current websites and also room for growth. Most web hosting providers will charge you on a per GB basis for exceeded bandwidth.

The speed is also important for websites. No one wants to visit a website that loads slowly. File hosting and video sites for example requires an acceptable speed in order to deliver file download or streaming video.

Number of Domains Allowed

Some web hosting limit the number of domains for each hosting plan. It is best to get one with unlimited domains so you have to worry about the limit.

Emails/FTP accounts

You probably will need separate email accounts for each domain you have. Most web hosting services provide webbased or as well outlook based email accounts. Preferably try to get one that has unlimited email/ftp accounts.

Ease of control panel

With many domains, emails, ftp accounts etc to manage, it is important that the control panel is easy to use and all information can be accessed easily. Most web hosting services provide cpanel. Some web hosting services do use their own customised control panel. A good example is godaddy.

Whichever control panel you are using, familiarize yourself with the interface and get used to it as fast as possible.

Ricky Lim runs a best cheap web hosting reviews site. Visit his site today for more info on cheap virtual dedicated server and cheap web hosting reviews

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ricky_Lim

Picture Domain Name

2008-08-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

Make Money With Popular Cartoon Coloring Pages

2008-08-08T19:02:00.000-07:00

By Tim J Bennett

Once upon a time, when I was a child, the of the first forms of art that kids discovered were coloring books and crayons. These days it seems that these tools for kids are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that computers will ever replace the temptation kids have for drawing on walls and on our expensive books, but the computer is becoming part of children's lives at a very early age.

"If you can't beat them join them" the saying goes and so as technology encroaches into our lives, we need to embrace it rather than fight it.

One of the great advantages about online coloring books is that obviously, first you don't need to spend any money doing it. There is a lot of artwork out there in cyberspace for free. Secondly, if you don't like it, you can just download it again and start from scratch rather than have to throw the book out.

Nothing will ever replace a real book - I hope. There is something about a book that the computer cannot replace, but the computer allows us to do graphic design and testing without destroying the original artworks and once the testing is finished the artwork can begin in production.

Also this type of use of the computer allows the kids to become familiar with the computer without having to conquer the fear of learning it. They learn what they need during fun times rather than classroom style.

there are lots of social sites that allow kids to mingle with other kids of the same age swapping of ideas and artworks and this is also a great learning tool for kids and some adults).

One of my hobbies is public domain content. There is an incredible world of graphics out there in public domain waiting to be found and used. Hundreds if not millions of cartoons are around for kids to color and can even be sold or made as a collection.

I have a website kids domain for my 8 month old son selling Aesop's Fables as a book. these were all public domain images and are absolutely beautiful. I got them all for free. It took about 10 hours to put them all together and all of the sales go towards his school fees.

My goal with this as he grows is to help him have his own online business before he even finishes his school and he can generate enough money online to pay all his school fees.

What a saving!
The world of public Kids domain and cartoon coloring makes this all possible and I am only doing it part time for him.

The world of cartoons is huge, public kids domain is huge, the internet is huge and the earning capability of all of that is huge!

http://www.cartoon-coloring.com provides information and ideas relating to making money while being online and cartoon coloring. You can stop by our site and get a free education on how to make money with a cartoon coloring online business.

Be sure to check out our page on how to make money cartoon coloring online
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_J_Bennett

How to Do a Cheap Domain Name Registration

2008-08-06T05:28:00.000-07:00

By Peter Gitundu

When you have a cheap domain name, the next thing you think about is how to get a cheap domain name registration. But, if you have trouble getting that cheap domain name, you need to make sure you get the right information that will guide you to landing on a very good and cheap domain name. Firstly, it is good to establish what exactly is a domain name and why exactly it is important. When you want to have a website, you must come up with an address or a name that you can use to refer to your site. The name is called a domain name. You can get the name from companies which are licensed to offer the service. What you get from these companies is the registration service and you get to invent your own name.

When you come up with a name and find that it is already taken, you can buy already existing domain names from domain name resellers. They are people or companies who own the names in bulk and are willing to offer them to the public at a price.

Therefore, you can search your ideal domain name and get a good offer for it. This good offer is the cheap domain name. This market is a bit unregulated and demand for a particular domain name determines the price. But, before you even think of a cheap domain name registration, make sure that the name is appropriate or suitable for its function. There are several things that you need to consider while choosing a cheap domain name and they include the following.

Firstly, let the name be short and clear. Nothing beats simplicity and if possible, cut all the technical details and let people identify with a name they can pronounce and remember. Let your business aspect come out from the cheap domain name. There are names that you hear about and they totally have no connection with the kind of business they represent. It is not easy to choose a name that meets these qualifications in an almost perfect way but, the secret is real simple. It is taking time and not rushing the process of cheap domain name registration. Many people get some of the best ideas after taking time to think about it. Let your business and personality inspire you to choosing the right domain name.

Cheap domain name registration is done by registrars who are authorized by the internet governing body. You should therefore make sure that the company meets this qualification. The process is simple and your domain name has to meet the right requirements like the non use of symbols. You will then decide on which company has the best offers in terms of price and service. The internet will enable you search and know all you stand to gain when you have a cheap domain name registration with the particular company. You will be happy to make the right decision and there are no two ways about it, you have to have the right information about the process.

Peter Gitundu Is A Web Administrator And Has Been Researching And Reporting On Domains For Years. You Can Post Pour Views About Cheap Domain Name Registration On My Blog Here Cheap Domain Name Registration. Feel Free To Read My Other Articles On Cheap Domain

Name Registration Here Cheap Domain Name Registration.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Gitundu

Buying and Selling Domains - How the Business of Names Can Help You Earn Profits

2008-08-06T05:21:00.000-07:00

By Mark Salter

Who would have thought that money could be made from names? With the advent of the Internet, industry regulars slowly realized the gold mine sitting literally under their fingertips in the form of domain names. These days, buying and selling domains has become a real business, with some highly sought-after names selling for five-digit figures. The domain name ClearDay.com, for example, reportedly sold for $60,000 while Mercury.com made a lot more -- $700,000. Think there's a market out there for your domain name? Here's how you, too, can make money from a name:

Find domains that you can sell later on.

Generally, people who buy or 'grab' domain names don't really have industry-specific monikers in mind. If you like jewelry, for example, you don't have to stick to buying domains such as PreciousGems4U.com or SparklingJewelries.net. You can pretty much pick any name that strikes your fancy and then buy it.

However, paying for names that won't sell later will considerably drill a hole in your pocket if you're not careful. You could buy dozens of names for a small fee but if you're not going to use them or can't sell them later, what's the point of grabbing them, right?

Do a search on domains that have a potential or those that have shown some sort of following in the past few months. Use the Alexa toolbar to find out which domains or sites are these. Look for names that have registered a minimum of 1,500 to 2,000 hits 30 to 60 days prior to your search. If you're willing to pay more, look for domains that have registered five-figure hits because that's an assurance that these domains already have a strong following. You can either sell the domains back to their former owners or have interested parties bid on them. Either way, you'll profit from your efforts.
Automatically bid on domains.

You can't always spend hours online searching for domains to buy. Try online grabbing systems that let you automatically bid on domains you're interested in. Sites such as Pool.com and Snapnames.com are just two of these sites. You'll pay them a fee if they successfully grab the name on your behalf.
Get your domain name listed.

Before you can sell your domain, you have to be registered. That's how you can be 'legally' recognized. Getting the name registered also bestows upon you the right to claim it and if you so wish, sell it later.

Registering a domain name may be done for a limited period of time, usually as short as 12 months to as long as 10 years. Beyond the chosen period, the registration expires and you can choose to renew it and continue to claim ownership over it. Or, you can choose not to; at which point the domain name will be made available to another buyer. This is where you can sell the domain.

Register a potentially valuable domain.

Many people scour popular shows and events to try to find out which personalities, events or gadgets are developing a following. If you've been watching shows such as American Idol, for example, and you check out sites that register domains, you'll find a few that are familiar. This is because some people will try to register a name of some rising star who will potentially become famous enough to want to build his own website someday. Since his name is already registered, he will want to buy it back and thus earn the investor a nice profit.

If you don't mind speculating, this may be a good route to take. Just remember, though that it can go either way in which the domain name gets sold or it gets ignored.
Build traffic to your domain.

If you want to take this route and build your domain from scratch, prepare to work. If you have a domain name that you created by yourself or bought, you need to make it valuable to potential investors. Offer high quality content, build a reputation, link up with quality sites, allow your visitors to interact using your website. Once you start appearing on major search engines' radar and gain a good following, you raise the value of your website and your domain. When the time is ripe, you can then sell that domain for a nice, fat profit.

Plug-in-Profits - Proven Internet Business Affiliate Programs and Opportunities.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_Salter

What Everybody Ought to Know About Info Domains

2008-08-06T05:18:00.000-07:00

By Justin Briggs

A .info domain is a generic TLD , which stands for top level domain. The .info extension stands for .information and they were developed to be used for information websites. The domain is used for many purposes since there is no restriction on its use like .edu and .gov TLD. The .info domain was part of the ICANN release of new domains in 2000. It was meant to be an alternative option to the traditional domains, like the .com, .org, and .net, which were becoming over crowded.

The .info TLD has a reputation of being used by black hat SEOs to generate spam sites. This does not mean all .info domain websites are spam, but many spammers use .info domains due to their low cost. They're able to buy hundreds or thousands of domains at a fraction of the cost of .com domains. Since spammers work high volume for success, .info domains a strong option.
The domain has been highly successful. The .info TLD has millions of registrations. One great benefit of the .info domain is that it is usually cheaper than a .com domain. During the early summer of 2008, Godaddy provided a sale where .info domains were sold for 99 cents.

Recently the 99 cent .info domain sale at Godaddy changed the domain landscape. Spammers purchased thousands of domains during the sale and Google was flooded with .info spam sites. Although Google does not admit to treating various .tld differently, Internet marketers started to see an effect on Google's treatment of .info domains. Google seemed to raise the bar a little for .info. Many .info domains were having a hard time with indexing and rankings. Google seemed to be treating these domains differently in an attempt to slow down spammers.

This change has be seen by those running .info BANS sites. BANS is a store script called Build A Niche Store and can be used to promote the eBay affiliate program. Many Internet marketers have had a difficult time getting their .info BANS to index and rank. The change seems to be in response to the hundreds of BANS sites flooding SERPS using .info domains. Those who ran their .info domains as thin affiliate sites were having the most problems.

The .info domain is a solid option for anyone wanting to create an informative site or who needs a cheap domain. The domain does have a spam reputation, so extra effort will need to be made to prove the site is legit. As long as your .info is not spam, it will see the same level of success as a website on any other top level domain.

Justin Briggs runs a blog about SEO and Internet Marketing that provides a Search Engine Optimization guide that teachs basic SEO lessons.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Justin_Briggs

Why Free Domain Parking Services Are Costly

2008-08-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

By Peter C Johnson

Free domain parking services are essentially services which will host your parked domains for no charge. Initially this can seem like a very inviting idea. They say they will generate all the advertisements and forward you the revenue generated from clicks. More often than not such free services will not allude to the actual percentage of revenue you will get back from the parked domain, and for good reason.

Why Free Domain Parking?
Some at this point may be asking why the services are offered for free? Generally they are large sites which will sell a variety of other products apart from domain parking which will generate enough revenue in themselves. Further to this they will take a significant cut of the revenue earned from each site- somewhere between 20% - 50%! Now imagine if your site was generating a mediocre $10 per day. That would equate to approximately $100 to $150 of lost earnings every single month - not an insignificant amount at all.

Furthermore free domain parking services rarely offer the ability to create fresh content- normally it is essentially a site filled with links. Such 'link farms' have very little weight in the eyes of Google, and the traffic such sites receive is normally minimal and undesirable.

Paid Domain Parking
Paid domain parking services are normally provided by sites which specialize in this only. If it is a reputable site this is a distinct advantage as the level of service will be greater than a free site. Normally if you are paying for domain parking, you should also be credited with 100% of the revenue generated via your domain name.

Further to this paid services should offer the auto-creation of fresh content which is optimized for the search engines. The advertisements such as Google Adsense should be imbedded in the content and not obviously stand out as ads. This will serve to ensure the domain name receives higher levels of qualified and quality traffic.

Conclusion
Free domain parking services can seem enticing at first, however you will be losing significant amounts of revenue over time - specifically if you have chosen quality domain names and are looking to park more than 5-10 domain names. Paid domain parking offers the ability to create a long term reliable source of income which will receive higher amounts of relevant traffic.

Interested in a quality domain parking service which will allow you to generate traffic and revenue from your unused domain names? Please visit: http://www.whyparksecrets.com(Visitors receive free Ebook ‘Expired Domain Fortunes’.)

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_C_Johnson

What is Public Domain?

2008-08-06T05:07:00.000-07:00

By Peter Woodhead
Whatever it is you're looking for you may have struck gold by arriving at this website.
Yes, works including books, software, photographs, music, images, maps, movie clips, and much more are to be discovered, and more importantly, are there for the taking - from the Public Domain.

Whatever it is you are looking for, it is highly likely that you will find it in the relatively unknown world of "The Public Domain."

So what is "Public Domain?"
Public Domain as its name implies, refers to works that belong to the public. That means, anyone is free to use them in any which way they like. More technically, it means works that have been created, and are not protected by copyright (for whatever reason).

The more obvious works that are not copyright are the complete works of Shakespeare, Dickens, and the music of Mozart and Beethoven. But there is much, much more than that. To understand what is, and what is not, Public Domain - you need to know what copyright means.
Copyright means that the owner of the work created has certain rights. These rights include the right to freely make copies of the work, the right to sell the work, and the right to adapt the work into anything.

The reason for copyright is so that no-one can come along and just "take" the work and use it for gain or profit. Should that happen, the owner of the copyright can sue for losses. And there are many such cases.

Now here's the juicy bit. Works are not covered by copyright indefinitely. Copyright does expire. And it is these works that then fall into the Public Domain.
Works created today are covered by copyright for a good 70 years after the creators death. So there's no point hanging around for anything modern to fall into the Public Domain. What is of interest to us are works that were never copyrighted at all, or works that have entered the Public Domain.

Such works can be freely copied, sold and made into Derivative Works.
It is the making of Derivative Works that offers the greatest potential.
But first, you need to understand a few basics.
Works enter the Public Domain for several reasons. The main reason is that the copyright has expired, other reasons are:

The work was published before there even was any copyright protection, e.g. the works of Shakespeare.
The copyright owner "gave" the work to the Public Domain, e.g. some computer software is donated this way
Copyright protection was lost
The work was never entitled to copyright protection
As a rough guide, works published in the United States before 1923 are in the Public Domain. Works created between 1923 and 1963 (inclusive) may be in the Public Domain.
Copyright Law has seen many changes. The Berne Convention (1976 but not effective until 1978) effectively got rid of "common law" copyright which was essentially a state run system protecting all unpublished works whilst, published works were protected by federal laws. All copyright is now protected by federal law.

Now, works published between 1923 and 1963 had to have their copyright renewed (under the old laws) in the 28th. year after publication. And the reason so many works fall into the Public Domain during this period is because most creators of the works simply forgot to renew in the 28th year, or their families did if the originators were already deceased.
What this meant was that if a work was published in 1923 the copyright had to be renewed in the year 1951 (or thereabouts). If the creator, or his representative, failed to renew in a timely manner, then the work automatically fell into the Public Domain.

If the work was renewed, then this protected the works for a further 47 years, making a total of 75 years (28 + 47).
So, a work published in 1923 and renewed in 1951 was due to fall into the Public Domain by 1923 + 28 + 47 = 1999.

But, certain copyright holders were edgy at the prospect of their work becoming free to use so early. In fact, a work published in 1930 would be entering the Public Domain by 31st. December 2005. Just imagine great literary works and great movies published in the 1930's being available.

But, this is not so because......
Copyright law was tweaked again. This time the Sony Bono Copyright Extension Law added a further 20 years to all copyrights. This effectively meant that anything published in 1923 will now not enter the Public Domain until 2019. And anything published in 1924 not until 2020. And so on.

Who's to say that copyright law will not be extended again to protect these works? Does it matter? Yes and no.
If you want a specific topic, say something published by Walt Disney, then yes it will matter, but there is a whole mountain of stuff already in the Public Domain right now.
And this is what you should be looking for.
Rich pickings!

"Interested in knowing more about creating your own digital portfolio? You can get access to a 52 week training program that explains, step-by-step, and with the help of screenshots, exactly how to research, create, and market your own products. Go to:

http://www.MillionDollarPublisher.com to find out more."
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_Woodhead

How to Buy Cheap Domain Names That Will Get a Lot of Web Traffic - Are Domain Auctions For You?

2008-08-06T05:04:00.000-07:00

By Jonathan Souza

Having a hard time getting just the right domain name for your website? Well you are not alone. Since the drop in price of domain names it can be very difficult to find the domain name that fits your business. No matter what your reason is for having a website, it is important to have a domain name that not only can be remembered but one that is also better for the searches people will be doing in search engines like Google.

Well you can look for what is available under dot.com names but I highly doubt you will find what you are looking for there. Even many dot.net domain names are difficult to get. So what is the better solution.

Give domain auctions a shot. Even in the late 90's business investors were gobbling up domain names so that they could sell them for more. Well, lately even the casual online venture capitalist has purchased domain names merely so they can sell them. This may not be for everyone, but if you are looking for a great domain name, you can try bidding on one at a domain auction website.

So why is this a great idea? Why not just pick up some cheap dot.info domain name?
There are several reasons. For one, .info names can be targeted by search engines like Google as spam sites and can easily be de-indexed and no longer appear when people search for them. This can pretty much cripple your business if it depends heavily on volumes of traffic. Also, it's a great idea because not only will you be buying a shorter name with .com at the end, and one that is easy to remember, but you will be buying a domain name that possibly has been around for a while. Why is this important. Websites that have been around for a while usually rank higher in Google. There are some that will be a domain name on an auction and then find that right off the bat they are getting loads of traffic, simply because it has been in the database for so long.

There are many kinds of domain names you can bid on in an auction. You can buy .com, .net, .biz, .ca, .us and many more. The cost of these domain names can range from a few dollars to a few thousand dollars, depending on the popularity of that word or term in the search engines.

You see, say the domain name you bid on is "buywidgets".com If a lot of people are searching for the term "buy widgets" in Google than you are going to get a lot of traffic from those searches on your website because they regard your domain name as high importance. A great domain name can make or break your business so choose wisely.

I would even suggest looking on a domain auction site before naming your business because you might get some great ideas for a domain name or even build your entire business around this perfect domain name that you found online.

Bid wisely and enjoy that perfect domain name that you can take pride in actually winning. Remember, you can bid on domain names at Buydomainauctions.com.

http://www.buydomainauctions.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jonathan_Souza

Choosing and Registering Your Website Domain Name

2008-08-06T05:00:00.000-07:00

By Dr Ian

You need to carefully consider how your domain name will affect your future search engine rankings and user friendliness. It is very important to know exactly what your website is going to do for you.

Should your domain name be your company name?
It is usually a good idea to go for a for a domain name that represents the type of product or industry you operate in. If your company is Jones & Smith Ltd and you are accountants you then have the choice of "jones-and-smith.co.uk", or "expert-accountants.co.uk" . How do you choose an effective name? This is a name that is going to be connected with your business forever so it is important to make sure you are 100% happy with your choice.

The older a website, the more credibility it has within the search engines, so you cannot afford to come back later and change it!

A domain name should be relevant and easy to remember. It should reflect the keywords of the industry it operates in. A sensible and pertinent choice, like "expert-accountants.co.uk" is great. There is a balance, in fact it has been suggested that Google prefer two-word domains, and we would certainly not recommend more than three. If your business only covers a certain geographic area, it might be useful to include that in your name - instead of "best-plumber.co.uk", your domain could be "best-plumber-dorset.co.uk".

This would greatly improve your rankings within your local area. but do think carefully about future expansion.

Should those keywords be hyphenated or not?
It is important where a string could become tricky to spell (i.e: "yellow-widgets.co.uk" is easier than "yellowwidgets.co.uk"). Also, be careful that you choose words that are easy and unambiguous to spell and understand - optimization/optimisation; program/programme - your searchers have a 50% chance of getting it wrong!

Which domain extension is right for you - .co.uk .com .net ?
This can be a bit confusing, as there are more and more extensions appearing all the time. Partly you are limited to what is available, and it's not a bad idea to have a look at who owns the others, then you need to consider carefully if your business focus is a certain geographic area. A website ending in .co.uk is seen by Google to be based in the UK. It will therefore feature more strongly in searches in the UK. A .com extension is viewed as international and will not feature as highly in a UK wide search. The .co.uk extension is no longer the only way of being recognized as a UK website, .uk.com is an alternate domain for the United Kingdom, and extensions such as .org.uk and .me.uk could also be used. Have a look at what's available to you.

Also, bear in mind that the physical location of your hosting company will impact on this. If your hosting company is based in Germany, your website (and therefore your business!) may well be seen as being based in Germany, particularly if you use a .com extension.

Should you try and buy all the extensions for your domain?

If you can afford it, why not, simply to prevent anyone else from buying them - but be careful, you could end up owning a lot of unnecessary websites. A lot of UK companies try to buy both the .com and the .co.uk. If your site is well designed and well optimized, it will attract visitors regardless of other similarly named sites!

How do you register your website domain name?

Your hosting company should be able to register your domain name for you, and it is probably best to keep it all together if you can. Domains are registered for either one or two years (usually two), and then need to be renewed. Your hosting and registration company should remind you when your domain is due for renewal, but you can always check yourself by using http://www.whois-search.com/whois/.

Always check that you will own the domain name, as some domain registrars will insist on having control over the domains they register. Registration can take up to a couple of day before your site appears online. Your site will be "parked" until a web server has hosted it, and will then appear with a "site under construction" page until you have created a website with content.
Have you considered your future business plans?

Although your domain name should reflect the keywords most relevant to you, be careful that you have left yourself scope to expand your business. You may have a site called "website-hosting.co.uk". Great - except the internet opens up and you want to add website advertising packages. Then you expand and you want to sell website design. Suddenly, your domain name is inappropriate and does not reflect your full range of services. Maybe "internet-marketing.co.uk" would have been a better idea in the first place. This is also relevant if you include a town or county in your name and then decide to move or expand to other towns or counties.
Is it easier to buy an existing expired domain name?

There are two possible reasons you may want to do this:
The domain name you want is already registered but is available for sale - be sure you are paying a fair price and that you are buying it outright
You are impatient and want a website that already has a page rank. This used to be a "back-door" to quicker page ranking, but Google have become wise to it, and any page rank or search engine "goodwill" that you think you are buying will be lost as soon as the name is purchased. If you do buy an existing domain, try to change as few details as possible i.e: keep the same hosting company, domain registrar etc. thus appearing as part of a total business transfer and not just a domain sale.

Remember, no-one has yet got rich registering and selling domain names. The value prescribed to a domain rests largely with the content .
Summary.
A website is a vital marketing tool for all businesses! Choosing a domain name for your website is just the first of many equally important decisions you will need to make before your website becomes a reality. It is not easy trying to reflect everything your business does in two or three words, but it is worth it. The value of this step will make other decisions further along the line so much easier and clearer.

Marketing for Profits can help you choose your domain name. Their extensive marketing knowledge and experience will ensure that you confidently make the right choice

http://www.consultancymarketing.co.uk/cheap-domain-registration.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr_Ian_Smith

All-Time Top Domain Sales 2007

2007-05-07T16:19:00.000-07:00

Only these 29 domain names are known to have received over US$1 million in the public domain name aftermarket, lead by sex.com in 2006. There are many more names which have sold in the private market for substantially more. Of the nearly 26,311 sales in our database, only 181 (0.6%) have been sold for more than US$100,000.

Amount Year Domain
$14,000,000 2006 sex.com (est)
$7,500,000 2006 diamond.com
$7,500,000 1999 business.com
$5,500,000 2003 casino.com
$5,000,000 2002 asseenontv.com
$5,000,000 1999 korea.com
$3,500,000 1996 worldwideweb.com
$3,350,000 1999 altavista.com
$3,300,000 1999 wine.com
$3,000,000 1999 eshow.com
$3,000,000 1999 loans.com
$2,750,000 2004 creditcards.com
$2,500,000 2000 dotnology.com
$2,500,000 2000 tom.com
$2,200,000 1999 autos.com
$2,200,000 1999 coupons.com
$2,000,000 2000 britain.com
$2,000,000 2000 celebrities.com
$2,000,000 1999 express.com
$1,900,000 2000 savings.com
$1,600,000 2006 branson.com
$1,500,000 2000 deposit.com
$1,500,000 2000 fly.com
$1,500,000 1999 marketingtoday.com
$1,320,000 2003 men.com
$1,200,000 2000 feedback.com
$1,100,000 2004 mercury.com
$1,030,000 1999 wallstreet.com
$1,020,000 2005 fish.com

About Our Methodology
Zetetic has been independently collecting secondary domain name market research since September 2003 and updates the top sales with known sales over US$1 million. Any sales reported on this chart prior to September 2003 are sourced through various secondary research methods and have been confirmed as accurate. Read more about our collection and analysis methodology.

Link : http://www.zetetic.com/domain-name-sales.html

3 Keys to Make More Money with Domain Names

2007-05-02T16:31:00.000-07:00

By Raymond Nesa

You can make more money with domain names just by following few key ways. Right and popular domain names always have demand in the market whether they are used, new or expired. When dealing with domain names choose the common and popular domain names.

Buy and sell- Buy Domain names and sell them to others. You can become a reseller of domain names. You can buy domain names from wholesaler at a discount and can sell them to other people who want them. You can also buy domain names in discount and sell them to retailers and become a wholesaler. You can earn a huge profit if you have the right domain names and the right buyer for it. IT may need some time in some cases to get a good price for the domain names that you have.

Get a popular domain name – Get a popular domain name. People always try to get a common and popular domain name for their business. They will like to pay more for a popular domain name. These domain names are popular because they have the potential for becoming popular as their names are very common and well known.

Park Your Domain Names –When there is potential for resale in case of your domain name, park it on the servers of companies which deals in selling and buying of domain names. The used and expired domain names sell well if they have the keywords or popular words in their names.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Raymond_Nesa

Domain Names and Domain Name Importance

2007-05-02T16:29:00.000-07:00

By James Krawder

The host name or the name which can identify one computer on the internet from the other is called the domain name of that computer or computers. The domain names which are registered with the registrar are called as registered ones. These domain names are the property of the business which has registered these names. Some of the domain names are considered to be of the top level. These domain names include.com and .edu. These names are considered to be better domain names than others. Some times people consider that the domain names are actually the web addresses of the websites we are talking about, but this is not true. The domain names and the web site addresses are two different things.

If you want your domain name to be helpful to your business, it needs to be something related to your website. If, for example, your website is related to selling information regarding foreclosures, foreclosurehere.com can be a good name. This name will be search engine friendly as well and thus the chances of getting more traffic will increase. While choosing a domain name you should keep in mind the way your potential customers can search the web. They may not always search the web while using a very proper key word. If your domain name is the right one, it will be picked up by the search engine.

Domain names are important to the success of a website. If the domain name is related to what the website is all about, the chances of getting more traffic increase as in that case the domain name will be more search engine friendly. Keeping this in mind you need to choose your domain name with care.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Krawder

Free Domain Name Searches

2007-04-10T05:53:00.000-07:00

By Ross Bainbridge

Quite often freebies of different kinds are offered on the Internet. In fact, though, very few of them are really free. Those making the offer will more often than not expect something in return.

Under normal circumstances, you have to pay some amount of money to get your domain name registered. Recently however some companies are offering free domain names. In return, they may require customers to add banner ads to their websites or to participate in other marketing schemes. The provider of the free domain is in most cases likely to remain the owner of the domain. Among the defunct companies that offered free domain names were NameZero and Freeservers (a subsidiary of NetZero at present).

Belgium is one European country that offers free domains in the .be TLD. Perhaps part of a temporary promotion, there could well be a renewal fee eventually for the registrants to maintain their domains.

But compared to other offers, there are relatively few that offer you free domains when you sign up for an offer. It may be because the costs of these services or products are too low to deserve much interest. There indeed are a few free domain offers on the net, but they expect you either to buy hosting or to sign up and post at forums. But remember, most web hosting companies will register the 'free' domain in their own name. If you are annoyed due to some reason or the other and want to change the web host, you lose the domain name. That means all the hard work you put in to develop the brand image goes up in smoke. However, it is not exactly an intelligent move to refuse a free domain name if there is no catch involved. You can find about free domain names from various databases through various Web sites.

Domain Name Search provides detailed information on Domain Name Search, Australian Domain Name Searches, Free Domain Name Searches, Domain Name Owner Search and more. Domain Name Search is affiliated with Cheap Domain Names For Sale.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ross_Bainbridge

Domain registration is inexpensive and protects your business

2007-03-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Author: Paul Wilson

In an ever-changing world it is important to have some stability. To this end you should look into registering your domain name because:

• Your domain name becomes a point of association for you. Clients remember your site and services by the domain name.
• Even if you change your web host the domain name would go with you and clients will be re-directed to your web site.
• Since brand recall is the basis to good marketing a permanent domain name will become the "brand" that represents your company.
Registering a domain is cheap. It only costs between US$ 1 and US$ 3 per month. Many registrars also offer free parking for the domain names. The registration can be done by the web host or you as an individual.
• Make a list of domain names you are using in your business and are likely to use.
• Write down the DNS IP addresses and the names of the primary and secondary servers.
• Choose a method of payment. Using a credit card is highly recommended as the registration is immediate.
• Select a registrar from the many available like, Yahoo, GoDaddy.com, Dotster.com, or Register.com. Read the terms and conditions carefully and do not hesitate to ask any relevant questions.
You must:
• Consider seriously the costs of re-registering the domains owned by you.
• Whether you will be in a position to sell any of the domains.
• If you should purchase other permutations of your domain to prevent cyber squatting. Think about dot.net; dot.biz; dot.co and so on.
• InterNic at http://www.internic.net/ provides information on Internet domain name registration services. It has an accredited registrar directory as well as an FAQ section.
• Network Solutions at http://www.networksolutions.com/whois/index.jhtml has a WHOIS database where one can find out which domains are registered and by whom along with website data. The search spans multiple registrar databases and throws up registration information on millions of domain names with different extensions.
• Yahoo Small Business Directory at http://dir.yahoo.com/BusinessandEconomy/BusinesstoBusiness/CommunicationsandNetworking/InternetandWorldWideWeb/DomainNameRegistration/ is a comprehensive directory of 334 domain registration sites along with a brief description.
Valuable Insights:
• Make a list of domain names as well as extensions that you want to register. Ask yourself why you need these domains and what you plan doing with them. Of all the extensions dot.com is the most popular.
• It is not advisable to register the domain names with the web host . If you decide to use a new host you will save yourself immense trouble of moving the domain name as well. Always register with reputable and accredited companies.
• Choose the keywords carefully. Search engines favor keyword rich domain names. This will help in the marketing of the site.
• Coin a short domain name. Short names are remembered and are know to have better recall in memories of clients and casual browsers.
• Ensure that the domain name has topical relevance. It must convey a definite meaning and represent your business.
• Keep in mind applicable laws while choosing a domain name. Pay special attention to trademark and copyright laws.
Register your domain and gain peace of mind. It is inexpensive and protects your website and intellectual property.

http://www.articlesbase.com/web-hosting-articles/domain-registration-is-inexpensive-and-protects-your-business-13839.html

Choosing a Domain Name - 10 Things to Avoid When Registering Your Domain

2007-03-03T20:25:00.000-08:00

Choosing a Domain Name - 10 Things to Avoid When Registering Your Domain
By Paul Flyer

When choosing a domain name you want to be sure to avoid certain qualities. While ANY domain name will work, you may save yourself future hassle if your remember the following ten items.

1) Don't use a made up word unless you really don't care or you are really good at branding/marketing. While made up words maybe cool, they won't provide your readers with any context clues as to the content of your website. Consider as well that made up name won't have any kind of search engine relevancy. ONLY if your tag line adequately captures the essence of your website should you consider a made up word.

2) Don't use lots of words in the domain name. welcome-to-my-really-cool-website is way too long. Instead consider mycoolwebsite. Try to keep the name at 4 words or under.

3) Avoid grouping words that do not make sense in context. piratetreasureisland is far better than islandtreasurepirate. Make sure your name makes sense for the average reader.

4) Similar to point number two, don't create names over 21 characters in length. Long domain names are laborious for many reasons.

5) Dont user numerals in your domain name if at all possible. Your "four chickens" website could either be "4chickens" or "fourchickens" . The latter is preferred. If you must include a number at least the number four is simple as opposed to 354.

6) Avoid hyphens. I know you have seen tons of names that includes hyphens. Hyphens are confusing to users, plus they are difficult to communicate when spelling out your domain name. That is actually a good tip. For any domain name your choose, spell it out loud to yourself and then to a few friends. If anyone is confused, refine it.

7) Do not infringe upon the copyright of others. Your domain name can still stand on its own without using copyrighted brand names.

8) In most cases, avoid using abbreviations. Abbreviations are meaningless to most people. There are cases where abbreviations do make sense. However, if you're a beginner, choose a word based domain over an abbreviation.

9) Avoid obscure domain name extensions. Most people recognize the .COM extension. If your domain is available in the .COM version, then buy it!

10) Obscure domains are not memorable. Simple plain language domain names are the best!

Paul Flyer writes about the registration of domain names on his Recommended Web Tools website. For more information on choosing, registering and managing domain names, download his free ebook, The Domain Name Handbook at http://www.recommendedwebtools.com/index.php/domain-name-handbook

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_Flyer

How Important is a Domain Name?

2007-03-03T20:23:00.000-08:00

How Important is a Domain Name?
By Alastair Harris

A Domain name is a unique name for a website. It is also called a URL - that is it appears in address bar on the top of your browser. Domains are formally registered under a series of numbers, however as the average human has difficulty remembering large series of different numbers and because it is also difficult to associate a series of numbers with a particular site Domain names exist.

Wonder how many domain names are registered out there - here are some recent stats.

.com - 64,222,598
.net - 9,071,818
.org - 5,655,512
.info - 3,986,868
.biz - 1,609,429
.us - 1,193,471

As you can see there are a lot of domain names, millions in fact. .com is the most popular meaning that it is very difficult to get a domain name you want without it being sold out. Even the .biz and .us are in the million plus. Whats more with .us you are associated with just being an United States website which may limited your international flavor or international market potential. One not mentions here is .ws . Originally designated for Western Samoa, this small pacific country realized it had little use for an internet address. It entered into a licensing arrangement with Global Domains International to sell this address on the worldwide market and remarket the .ws as standing for Website, much as .com stands for commerical, .biz - business.

How much is a domain name worth? Well previously domain names have sold for more than $100,000. Those days are behind nowdays that their are more available endings - .org, .biz, etc. However at two letter URL address still goes for $50,000. How much is a domain name worth to an internet business. That also is debatable, but most agree that a website with a poor thought out domain name will not perform as well as a great one. Some domain names are instantly associated with certain things - example it doesn't take a genius to figure out .ny.com would be on New York city. Take the time when creating a domain name to ensure it is easy to remember, easy to associate with your website and catchy.

If you are struggling to find the domain name you want because its already taken .ws is an option you can take. Each domain name is associated with provider package and this prevents deliberate hording by domain name speculators. It also has the advantage of providing you with a MLM business if you so desire.

Interested in getting that .ws domain name you want - visit http://getfinancialfreedom4u.ws

This article is the property of Alastair HARRIS and his immediate family. It may be freely republished over the internet but must include original links.

Alastair HARRIS is the main promoter for article-gems.com article directory (visit http://www.article-gems.com) and the getfinancialfreedom4u family of websites, blogs and projects (visit http://getfinancialfreedom4u.ws) specializing in online business opportunities and education, income being generated by affiliate marketing, google, GDI, eBay, ebooks, clip flipping and more. Alastair is rated as an expert author on numerous article directories and is very open to assisting others on the internet

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alastair_Harris

Domain Name Registration Do Keywords Matter?

2007-03-03T20:22:00.000-08:00

Domain Name Registration Do Keywords Matter?
By Michael Shield

How to select

The most important part of the web site concept is the domain name. Get it wrong and your site may never show its full potential. What makes a good domain name you ask? Unless you are going to the trouble and expense of establishing a new trade name business where you will have thousands of domain choices with a new word or new words added to your industries strongest keyword, for example "chameleonpaint.com" or "giraffedomain.com" you are going to have to buy or register the best keyword name that you can afford.

Keywords

The most searched keywords for this site are domain name, so in the ideal world you would choose "domainname" with .com or .co.uk, but as you have properly realized these names have long gone. Some are being used for web sites, but most are parked with one page adverts which can produce revenue and with the hope making a sale and profit in the future. Domain can be combined with the next most important keyword which is "domainregistration" or "cheapdomain" or you can add a descriptive word which will sound nice, "wonderfuldomain" or "insantdomain" but this may be an existing trade name you will need to check. The main point is that these are not good keywords, not many people search for a wonderful domain. It is still better to combine the top keyword with a lesser one to make the name, we had to settle for "domainweb" which are both keywords to this industry.

Are keywords really that important?

There are three main reasons why keywords are paramount.
1, Some of the major search engines add weight to web sites that have keywords in their domain names. Search on msn Windows Live, using your industries keywords and a large proportion of the results contain domain names as keywords. For new sites this may be the only organic traffic you will receive for many months.
2, When people search, organic or ppc the click rate is significantly higher if the domain name is the same or very similar to their search word or words.
3, The sale conversion rate is much higher, customers trust short keyword impressive domain names.

Test the domain name before you buy or register

Lets face it we are all so absorbed in the world of our industries and business that we can convince ourselves that we have found a great domain name. Ask people who know absolutely nothing about your industry what the domain name means, the response should be instant without prompting. A good domain name should instantly tell your visitor what you sell or the information or services that you offer. If the name is technical or specialized to your industry you will have to test it on junior members of your organization.

Michael Shield is a writer and web site developer from Essex in the United Kingdom learn more about domain name registration at http://www.domainweb.biz

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Shield

Domain Name Trademarks

2007-03-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

Domain Name Trademarks
By Richard Chapo

As your Internet business grows, the value of your domain name increases. The issue of a domain name trademark should move to the top of your list. You need to guard against unscrupulous competitors that may try to incorporate your domain name in their meta tags to obtain search engine rankings under your name. If you have a domain name trademark, you can go after these individuals and compel the search engines to remove their listings.

What Is A Trademark?

A trademark is a distinctive item that is used to identify a logo, product, device, package or service. The trademark identifies the item as being provided by a particular firm. To protect these items you can obtain a mark from the patent and trademark office that prohibits others from trying to gain economic advantage from your mark.

Domain Name

The patent and trademark office views domain names in a unique way. The office views the “http://www” element as a part of the file transfer process, not your domain name. The “.com”, “.net”, etc., designations are considered top-level domain identifiers and are also disregarded for the purpose of a domain name trademark. For example, our domain name is http://www.sandiegobusinesslawfirm.com. If we submitted the domain name for registration, only the “sandiegobusinesslawfirm” portion would be considered for a mark.

Locators Cannot Be Registered

A domain name is a locator for file pages. When you type in your domain name, a server locates and displays files. If a domain is used solely for this purpose, it will not be granted a mark. Instead, the domain name must be incorporated into the site. For instance, Amazon is recognized as an online bookstore and the site actually has the word “Amazon” on every page. Since "Amazon.com" is more than a locator, Amazon can apply for and receive a trademark. If Amazon used the domain name, bookstore.com, the company would be able to register “Amazon”, but not “bookstore.”

Generic and Descriptive Terms

Domain names that are generic or descriptive in nature cannot be registered because they fail to designate a distinctive product or service. For example, “sandiegobusinesslawfirm” is comprised of generic terms and describes who and where we are, to wit, a San Diego business law firm. This domain name cannot be trademarked. The same result would occur with bank.com, book.com, advice.com, etc.

You may be thinking, “What about ‘Coke?’ "Coke" is a trademarked term because it is a distinctive term for a soft drink product. It just so happens that a brilliant marketing plan has convinced most people to refer to soft drinks as “cokes”, even if they actually prefer another brand!

Trademarks are an important factor in protecting your Internet business. Armed with a trademark, you can keep competitors from pulling traffic off the search engines when people search for your site.

Richard Chapo is with http://www.sandiegobusinesslawfirm.com - a law firm providing legal advice to California businesses. This article is for general education purposes and does not address every facet of the subject matter. Nothing in this article creates an attorney-client relationship.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Chapo

7 Domain Name Tools

2007-03-03T20:13:00.000-08:00

7 Domain Name Tools
By Paul McGillivary

One of the hardest things about getting a domain name is coming up with one. If you haven't tried it, you will be amazed. So many names are already taken. This wasn't always the case. In the early 1990s, people rushed to create websites and online ventures. And as they did, opportunists started buying up domain names. They were hoping that they could speculate in internet real estate. For many in those early days, their work paid off. Fast forward to the present. You will definitely see how good domain names are becoming ever more scarce. So, with that in mind, let's take a look at some tools that may help you.

LoudSign (http://loudsign.com/) - LoudSign incorporates a domain name search tool on the front page. Type in the name that you want and click on search. Most likely, it will be taken. Now, on the second page you will see a small link under the search button labeled "Try Smart Search." If you click this, it will bring up many more options. Some of those options are: add popular prefixes, add popular suffixes, view choices with dashes, and view choices with related keywords.

Random Words (http://unique-name.perceptus.ca/random-word.php) - Sometimes coming up a word is simply way too hard. When that's the case, try this word to get your mental juices flowing.

WordConstructor (http://www.wordconstructor.com) - When you want to make a word from a common one, then this tool hits the spot.

RhymeZone (http://www.rhymezone.com/) - Rhyming a name makes for a memorable one. This little tool helps you find rhyming words for the one you input. It can also find antonyms and synonyms.

Noemata Name Generator (http://noemata.net/nbng/) - When you want a unique name that requires branding, this tool can help.

Random Domain Generator (http://blog.outer-court.com/domaingenerator/) - Here is another tool to help you generate away.

Dislexicon (http://www.robobunny.com/cgi-bin/dislexicon) - A nice tool that puts prefixes and suffixes on names to generate new ones.

If you are lucky, you will find a great name quick. Just remember, the shorter and more memorable the name, the better. Try to go after names that sound similar to something very familiar. And, if at all possible, go after names that contain keywords around your website. Happy searching.

Paul McGillivary has been a technologist for 15 years. In that time, Paul has experienced thousands of technology problems, challenges, and products. He brings this experience to bear in the articles that he presents.

Paul is also the owner of Loud Sign Internet Services. Loud Sign provides domain name register services for individuals and businesses. If you need a domain for your website, LoudSign can help you cheaply and quickly hone in on a good domain name.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_McGillivary

How Do I Register A Domain Name?

2007-03-03T20:10:00.000-08:00

How Do I Register A Domain Name?
By Donald Lim

You can register a domain name by going to any of the worldwide domain name registrars. As long as the domain name is still available, anyone will be able to register a domain name for himself under normal circumstances.

Some of the popular domain name registrars are as follows:

http://www.godaddy.com

http://www.namesecure.com

http://www.hostway.com

Generally, you can register a domain for under USD$10 per year! Do not pay more than that for a domain name! There are some very established domain name registrars that provides domain name registration at rates which are 3oo% to 400% more expensive than the other popular registrars!

If you need to register a country specific domain name such as donaldlim.com.sg or donald.sg, you can go to any of the local registrars based in Singapore to submit your request for a localised domain name registration. Some of the registrars that offer Singapore-specific domain names registration are as follows:

http://www.webvisions.com

http://www.pacific.net.sg/business

http://business.singtel.com

If you are registering a Singapore specific domain name. you will need to have a company or business registration number with the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority of Singapore, also known as the A.C.R.A. This is a governing unit of the Singapore government. The mission of ACRA is to provide a responsive and forward looking regulatory environment for companies, businesses and public accountants, conducive to enterprise and growth in Singapore. You are required to have a business presence in Singapore before you can register a Singapore specific domain name. More details about A.C.R.A can be found at http://www.acra.gov.sg

About The Author: To get more time and money saving tips while striking out online, you can subscribe to his newsletter at http://www.donaldlim.com.

Donald Lim is an Internet Business Coach that teaches individuals on how to create new Internet Businesses on a tight budget. He knows exactly how to leverage on the Internet to help individuals and businesses market their products and services. Armed with the valuable knowledge on the most cost effective and proven ways to generate publicity and revenue online, he can help anyone start an online presence or leverage on an existing one to increase profits generated online. He is also the founder and owner of Nu Edge Technologies (http://www.nuedgetech.com), a leading IT and web services provider based in Singapore.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Donald_Lim

Domain Name Strategies

2007-03-03T19:53:00.000-08:00

Domain Name Strategies
By Paul McGillivary

What's in a name? Just ask Coke, Procter and Gamble, or Honda. And yet, many people simply choose a domain name that is available. That is a big mistake. This is especially the case if you are buying the domain name for a business. But it's also important if you are wanting to build traffic and gain presence on the internet.

Let's start with some basics about domain names. Once we have established the basics, we can move on to some more advanced topics around domain names. First, a domain name is your internet real estate. Would you just grab any piece of land to build your house or business on? Of course you wouldn't! Think carefully about the name. It's best if you can find a name that is memorable. I remember the first time I heard the name Google. I had to ask the person to repeat the name because it was so strange. That made the name stick in my head. Get the idea? And please don't select a long domain name. For example, if your web address is www.topfinancialbrokerslimited.com, people won't remember it.

Your domain name should contain your targeted keywords. And if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you should step back and review your web strategy. Keywords mean everything on the internet. People find things on the internet by searching for them. And they search for them using keywords. Having a keyword in your name will help in the long term.

Now let's talk about extensions a little. Domain extensions are the end of the domain name, like .com, .net, or .biz. The premier and default names end in .com. You will be surprised to find that a ton of names are already taken. You may have to buy the name off a domain broker. Yes, folks actually buy and sell domain names now. If at all possible, buy a .com name. You may even want to consider buying the same name in other extensions like .net. Then you could forward that web address to your .com. This would capture any folks looking in the .net space. It may also be advantageous to get misspelled names. This can also capture more traffic.

One of the first things you will notice as you start to search for a domain name is that a lot of them are taken. The logical next step is to start utilizing hyphens in names. This retains keywords but makes them unique. For example, if redcorvettes.com is taken, you could try red-corvettes.com. The main problem with this approach is that it is harder for people to remember a hyphenated web address. Also, spammers have tended to utilize longer, hyphenated domain names in their web sites.

What's in a name? A whole lot! Take your time and settle on a domain name that is short, memorable, and keyword oriented. Remember that a .com domain is going to be a lot more effective. Don't back peddle after buying your domain name, start off on a good foot and choose well.

Paul McGillivary has been a technologist for 15 years. In that time, Paul has experienced thousands of technology problems, challenges, and products. He brings this experience to bear in the articles that he presents.

Paul is also the owner of Loud Sign Internet Services. Loud Sign provides domain name register services for individuals and businesses. If you need a domain for your website, LoudSign can help you cheaply and quickly hone in on a good domain name.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_McGillivary