Domain Name Registration: Choosing a Domain
Thousands of domain names are registered every day. With such a daily volume, it is important that the domain name you register is capable of standing out in the crowd. Quite how this can be achieved is a lengthy topic to say the least, but the following domain name registration guidelines may prove useful in making a decision.
Three approaches to domain name registration:
Customer-friendly domain names: The 'short and memorable' approach
Search engine-friendly domain names: The keyword intensive approach
Protecting online identity: The multiple domain name approach
This approach to domain name registration is for those who wish to place particular focus on the site visitor. The core idea is to register domain names that are short, non-complex and easy to remember.
Domain name length: The longer and more complex the domain name, the less likely it is that the site visitor will recall it after their initial visit. If the popular links directory Yahoo! had registered the domain name http://www.yetanotherhierarchicalofficiousoracle.com instead of their current domain http://www.yahoo.com, the volume of traffic they enjoy might be considerably less.
Pronounceable domain names: To best allow your newly registered domain name to propagate through word of mouth, pronouncabilty is key. For best results in this field, choose a domain name that is pronounced as it is spelt.
Domain name spelling: Even the slightest misspelling of a domain name will result in a stray visitor. To this end it is best to avoid domains with complex or unorthodox spellings such as http://www.dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane.gb.com/ in favour of unmistakable domain names such as http://www.ddt.gb.com
Search engine-friendly domain names: The keyword intensive approach
There is an alternative to visitor friendly domain names which primarily involves the registration of domains solely made up of hyphen-separated keywords. The end goal of this technique is to gain higher rankings in certain search engines.
Keyword intensive domain names: Keyword intensive domains are made up of the keywords for which the webmaster desires high search engine rankings. This is based on the fact that some of the more advanced search engines - such as Google - break these domains down into their component keywords and use the words therein when deciding how prominently placed the web site should be in their search results.
For example, a domain name registration company based in the UK might register the domain http://www.uk-domain-name-registration-company.co.uk. Depending on this and other factors (such as how search engine friendly the site behind the domain name is as a whole), the site may rank highly when surfers search for a combination of the keywords in the domain.
Although it is obvious that registering keyword intensive domain names may go against the principles of 'customer-friendly domain names', more and more websmasters are attempting to use this technique to climb the search engine ladder.
Protecting online identity: The multiple domain name approach
Once a decision has been made and a domain name has been registered, it could well be beneficial to look into protecting your investment.
Consider multiple domain name extensions: Purchasing http://www.mygreatdomains.co.uk might be a sound investment for the short term, but consider what might happen if a competitor realises your success and sets up a rival website with the domain name http://www.mygreatdomains.com. Your competitor will be using your brand name to bring traffic to their site. To avoid this, it is always worth registering your chosen domain name under as many different extensions as you can afford.
Consider future developments: If you have an idea for the future, or are working on a project that is about to come to fruition, it is certainly worth acquiring a domain name now, rather than later. As stated at the beginning of this article, thousands of domain names are registered on a daily basis and there are absolutely a domain name available today will still be available tomorrow. Can you - or your business - afford to be hesitant?
Choosing a domain name
The techniques outlined in this article are merely example guidelines to be employed when choosing the domain name to register for yourself or your business. Both people-focused and search-focused domain names have their benefits and drawbacks, but either technique can be profitable if used correctly. The choice, ultimately, is yours.
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