HOW IMPORTANT ARE DOMAIN NAMES?

Auhtor: Scott Miller

The term domain name may seem like a highfaluting term that has meaning only for computer wizards and for those who spend days and nights in their computers. The truth is that the term domain name is a simple geek term referring to the address of a website.

To make it simpler, domain names are essential to websites in the same manner that names are important to people. Can you imagine people being addressed or being called using a series of pin numbers instead of their names? Remembering names is already a problem for most people so you can just imagine how chaotic it would b e if people do not have names but just numbers.

This works the same way with websites which are addressed using domain names instead of a series of numbers commonly referred to as IP address. Like most numbers, IP addresses can be hard to remember and they are permanent meaning a new IP address for a new web hosting company.

While an IP address is just a series of hard to remember numbers, a domain name is something that can be given character and can be easily remembered. Try to browse the internet and if you want to know the domain name of the site being viewed, look at the browser bar.

The last word or series of letters after the domain name is the domain extension under which the website address is registered. Examples of domain extensions are com which refers to a commercial domain, org which refers to a non-profit domain and even no or fr which stands for France or Norway and which refers to the country domain. The extension domains are usually preceded by a period which is read as dot.

Both the name of the website, which I called the sub domain and the domain extension make up the complete domain name of a site. People who are abut to register their domain names should think carefully about the name because domain names are unique and it is what gives the website a unique characteristic. Domain names are unique because they are controlled in a centralized database.

Having your own domain name does not come free because with registration comes payment. By registering your domain name, you get the exclusive right to use that domain name but only for a certain number of years depending on the policy of the company where you bought your domain name. When that period expires and you want to continue using the domain name then you can renew your contract.

When choosing your domain name, you can use a maximum of 67 characters made up of letters from A to Z or number from zero to nine or a mixture of both numbers and letters as well the hyphen. The maximum of 67 characters already includes both the sub domain name and the domain name extension. SO if you want to have an easy-recall website then you better start thinking about a witty domain name, The key is to make your domain name catchy, easy to remember and more or less gives the user an idea of what the website is all about.

However, you can already register a domain name even if you do not have a website. On the other hand, registration of a domain name does not carry with it a website. While some domain registering companies offer web hosting, you can register your domain name with them and choose from the various web hosting companies.

Never attempt to register a domain name which contains a trademark or name already belonging to another, unless you want to be prosecuted as a cybersquatter.

The author is a regular contributor to Primo Domain Names where more information about selecting and registering domain names is available.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

YOUR OWN .COM

Author: Art-Luff

Before obtaining your web site you'll need to have and register a domain name for your site. Now a domain name is nothing more than the web address that potential clients and customers will use to locate your site. This is also called the URL of the website. This is what you and your customers will type into their internet browsers top window in order to go to a specific website. Your web sites theme should be built around you domain name. So taking care to chose the right domain name is very important. You'll want your domain name to say something that describes the content or theme of your site. This can't be stressed enough.

The availability of your domain may take some trial and error. Since there are so many sites coming online every day, it stands to reason that your first choice, in all probability, will not be available. It may take many variations of your domain name of choice before you find one that is available.

However, there are services available in the internet that offers domain name search. These websites will search for similar domain names and tell you if the domain name you chose is unique or if it is unavailable before you register it.

When creating a website, thinking of a domain name for your website is the first thing you have to do. The next step would be finding out if your domain name is taken or if it is available. It can be very frustrating to find out that your chosen domain name is already being used and is unavailable. This is why it is recommended that you should think of several potential domain names for your website and try them out one by one.

To check for your domain name availability, there are websites that offer domain name search. These services usually come from websites that offer domain name registration. Your domain name can also be the same as other domain names, provided that the extension is different. An example of a domain name extension is the “.com”. Today, there are different kinds of domain name extension. Here are some examples:

• .com
• .info
• .biz
• .net
• .us

Any and All of these extensions may be used for your upcoming website. If at all possible, try and stick with the .com extension.It is the most widely used and if you or a potential visitor forgets the extention. Your machine, will by default, resolve to the .com extension.

As I said before, the process of chosing your domain name may take a bit of time since there are thousands of new domains coming online every day. All needing and looking for a domain name. You'll be amazed at just how many variations of your particular domain will come back as unavailable. Don't give up. You'll eventually get the one you want.

Once you chose an available domain name for your website, the next step would be registering it. This can be done right from the source of search. If not there are numerous domain registration websites that offer this service. Domain name registration websites usually charges a fee for their domain name registration services. These websites differ in prices for domain name registration services; it is up to you to choose what domain name registration website you want to use. My choice would be Go-Daddy.com or Yahoo.com. Both have specials that offer your first years registration fee for cheap. Only to revert back to the regular $8.99 per year for the 2nd and 3rd years.

After registering your domain name, you will now be ready to create your website. Always remember that before creating a website, you will first need a domain name in order for you to put the contents of your website on the internet.

Art Luff is Webmaster/Owner of http://www.yournamecheap.com/ Visit his site to chose and register your domain for just $4.99 per year.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

HOW TO SELECT YOUR DOMAIN NAME

Author: J Dubo

Copyright 2006 business-cards.com

There are many different opinions on how to select the best domain name for your business online. You want to draw the maximum number of customers to your site, and selecting an appropriate domain name will help you achieve that goal. A really good domain name serves not only as a piece of the technical jigsaw, but more importantly, it is your identity, brand and personality online.

At the present time, there seem to be two main theories on the best way to go. One belief is that you should use keywords in your domain name, for example, if you are selling extra size shoes in Chicago, then you may choose something like “bigshoeschicago.com”.

The other school of thought is that your domain name should reflect your brand, and most people seem to favor this approach. An example of a branding style domain name is this. If you own a company called Asian Art then your website would be called “asianart.com”.

The power of branding is greater than all other considerations, providing that you are willing and able to spend a vast amount of time, effort and money on it. Compare an auction house called “williamsofwales.com” with the mighty “eBay.com”. If you were searching for an online auction house, even if you lived in Wales, which would you choose?

Another consideration is if you decide on a keyword rich domain name, will your customers remember it? Will it look easy on the eye? How long should it be? If you go for four or five words, will your customers remember them? Will they remember if you have hyphens between words, or underscores?

You will need to strike a balance with this consideration against the fact that search engines do look at your domain name and analyze the content. It is important to understand the basic workings of various search engines. They are more likely to list your domain name in search results if the name contains common search keywords for the area of interest to which your site belongs. But not only do you need to consider the search engines behavior, you need to consider internet users behavior too. You would be wise to keep it simple.

If you decide to go with the simple classic branded domain name, but you see the sense in using keywords, then how about using your favourite keywords as directory or page names on your website? You could use: www.brandname.com/keyword/ for example.

Whatever you decide about selecting a domain name, whether you go for keywords or branding, remember that it is your own personal brand and personality when you are online and that, as important as it is – and it really is – content is king.

http://www.business-cards.com/ is one of the leading business stationery websites on the internet today. For more business related articles please take a look at their journal at http://www.business-cards.com/business-cards-journal
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

CHOOSING A DOMAIN NAME AND CHOOSING THE RIGHT ONE

Author: S. Jax

A domain is the title of your webspace. This name will become the title of your website and it will appear in your web address and URL and depending on your server it may also appear in your email address too.

Your domain name is usually your first contact with your potential customers. When you appear in a list of links on a link page or when your website turns up in a search engine results, your domain name is a crucial factor effecting your clickability.

So How do you choose a domain name?

There are four main points that you need to bear in mind.

What does your domain name say about the content on your website? Does it convey assumptions to the visitor of what they should expect to find when the click through to your website?

What subliminal messages does your domain name give to your prospective customer? Does the name sound - serious, business like, sleazy, cheesy, humorous? Your domain name needs to portray the genre of the subject matter of the website to ensure quality traffic.

When choosing a domain name, always double-check the word(s) meanings especially if you are using foreign words or human names. Baby Name books are a great help when choosing and checking domain names. They often have names in assorted languages, they also offer alternative and interesting spellings. This can be useful if your chose domain name is already taken.

The fort point for you to think about is a catchy tag line that will compliment your domain name and inform your visitors of your websites most redeeming features. This might include your - promises, aims, service, goods, selection, cheap prices or quality.

Thinking of a tag line might seem a little like jumping the gun so early on in the website process, but this is the sort of forward thinking that will give your website a shine, and give you the edge on your competitors.

S. Jax writes for http://www.affiliate-exchange.co.uk/ Please publish and link to my website at http://www.affiliate-exchange.co.uk/
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

HOW TO FIND THE BEST DOMAIN NAMES

Author: Tom Takihi

Registering a domain name is a pretty straightforward matter. You find a web hosting site, register with them, look for a desired domain name, select one that suits your business or personal fancy, choose what’s available and then you will be on your merry way to building the website’s innards. Easy, right? Not exactly because there is more to it than just getting a name that is appropriate for the business or a personal preference. The steps mentioned earlier would result in an ill constructed site that is going to be nameless in the world wide web and will be doomed to failure on the get go. This crude way of doing things will get you nowhere fast. Now why would anyone want that?

There is a better approach in making a name for your business or yourself on the net. It will be a presence that will be felt and sensed by your target audience whether they are your customers, prospective clients or a particular group of people. It’s easy enough to do this. You just have to know the right place to go on the web for help. Searching for the right domain for personal use or for a business is job best suited for professionals who understand the significance of internet jargons like keyword density, key phrases, search engine optimization, ranking and tags. What all these means is basically to have your site primed for search engines to find when people put in a search that concerns the subject, business identity or personal matter of your particular website.

Websites that exist for the sole purpose of locating or creating a new domain name for you are very reliable in terms of achieving their goal of increasing the likelihood that your site will come up on top of the list of sites when search engines spews out seek results. These so called domains finders are essential in any enterprise that is bent on achieving an online presence immediately. It is an established fact that search engines churn out sites that have been around for years. In other words, the age of a site does count when it comes to search results. How does this concern your site?

The domain finders are in the know as to which existing domains would not be reregistered or renewed by the current owners. Just imagine if your business coincides with a domain name that has been around for years. You’ll have first dibs with that domain name through a domain finder, in effect, they’ll claim it for you resulting in a well positioned new website with old rankings that will put you on top as quickly as when your site is ready. Another advantage of having a domain finder in your corner is that you can consolidate your entire site building needs from creating or finding a domain to the theme and content of your site. This would mean lesser legwork and lesser expenses since their comprehensive service would cover everything so you won’t end up paying more.

Tom Takihi is the owner of the Domains Finders website. To gain more information, please visit http://www.domainsfinders.com/


Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/

THE A-B-Cs OF DOMAIN NAME REGISTRATION

Author: Chris Robertson

Before registering a domain name, know the facts. Domain name registration is easy - finding the perfect domain name for your personal or business website is not! There are thousands of possibilities for your domain name, but you can only choose one domain name for a website. So, you must make it count! Here are some pointers to get you started with domain name
registration. It's easier than you think.

Keep your Domain Name Simple

A domain name should be simple so visitors will remember it easily. What's easier to remember - three or four words, or only one or two words? Obviously a short, simple domain name is easier to remember. The shorter the name, the less likely people are to misspell it as well. Your goal in choosing a domain name should be to find one that is easy to remember, easy to spell, and will stand out in the minds of visitors. It should be related to your products and services, or personal website theme.

TIP: Avoid using your company name initials or your own name initials. These do not describe anything at all about your website's theme. Visitors will not remember it unless you promote it heavily on national television and all over the Web. But, we'll leave that to "Corporate Web" for now!

Domain Name Registration Pricing

Don't be fooled by high domain name registration prices. Whether you pay a cheap domain name registration fee or a high fee, you're still getting the same thing - a domain name! There's no secret add-on service that can benefit you unless you're getting web hosting or a low-cost web site with your domain name. Otherwise, domain name registration is the same whether you order a cheap domain name or an expensive one. Be sure to shop around before you register.

Checking Domain Name Availability

You can visit almost any web hosting site to check the availability of a domain name. Never assume a domain name is available just because it doesn't show online when you try to bring it up in your browser. If a domain name is not showing online, it could be that the site's server is down at the moment, the owner is still designing a new web site and hasn't put it online yet, or the owner might be trying to sell the domain name. When you check to see if the domain name is available, you do not have to purchase it from the site where you checked. You can purchase it from any company that offers domain name registration once you know it is available.
Beware of Expired Domain Names

If you are considering buying an expired domain name, do research before completing the domain name registration process. You could be wasting your money! Ask the registrar questions about why the domain name has expired, what type of site it was before expiring, etc. Some expired domain names have been banned from the search engines all together because they were used by spammers or those selling illegal products or services. If that were the case, you'd be better off finding another domain name. Once a site is banned from the search engines, getting it listed again is almost impossible. Your chances for good, targeted traffic are next to none.

Web Hosting and Domain Names

Some companies offer both web hosting and domain name registration. Others might offer one or the other, or a combined package where you can get a low-cost web site along with a cheap domain name and web hosting. Though it's easier to keep up with billing and expenses if you do all this through one company, you are not required to host your site with the same company where you register your domain name. It will not affect how your web site services are handled, or how you operate your site.

Domain name registration can be an easy process once you decide on the right domain name. Your domain name will be a key player in your online success, so take your time to choose a winner!

Chris Robertson is an author of Majon International, one of the worlds MOST popular internet marketing companies. For tips/information, click here: domain name registrationVisit Majon's Internet directory.
Article Source: http://www.articlerich.com/