For any Webmaster developing a new site, there's a lot to think about -- design, content, promotion, backend development, and satisfying the client. The problem is that many seemingly unimportant items don't get the attention they deserve, and the site's name is one of these.
Why Does It Matter?
OK, so you know that your site is built around a name. You'll use it as a domain, as a page title, in your logo, and possibly in the design. A name is much more than this, though. Your site or business name will be:
the way in which people find your site,
the way they will refer to it and, most importantly
the thing they'll remember when they leave.
If you don't really believe this, think about it for a moment. You want to buy a book on the Web. You don't go to a search engine and type in "books"; you go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and of course when you want Webmaster information, you go to SitePoint. Similarly, when you have a good experience on a site, you might say to your friends "I read a great article on SitePoint", or "I found great book prices at Amazon".
Whatever the name of your site -- and however you promote it -- it's vital to realise that the name is going to be a major part of your success.
What IS A Good Name?
So now you understand the importance of your site's name, how can you ensure that you pick a good one? The first thing you must think of, obviously, is domains. There's no point in having a great name for a site if you don't have the domain, so the Whois databases are the place where you'll do your research.
So, what makes a good domain?
Good Extension
Short
Easy To Spell
Descriptive
Keywords
Good Extension
If you believe the spam which arrives in your mailbox every morning, .ws is the new .com, .us is the new .com. .tv is the new .com... But the reality is simple: there is no new .com. Whatever develops in the Internet industry, the .com domain will always be synonymous with the top Websites. If you're surfing around looking for a site, and you know its name, 9 out of 10 times you'll try .com.
So, for the Website owner who wants their site to be found, the rule is: if at all possible, get a .com name.
But as many of you will know, it's not always possible to get a good .com name that relates to your site. So what extension should you pick instead? I'd say that .net, .info and country level domains are also viable for a Website, but only in certain circumstances:
You can use a .net for most types of sites, but it works best for technology-related sites. If you can get a short, snappy .net, it's almost as good as a .com, but don't bother with anything that's too long or complex.
Consider .info if your site is informational. For example, if I was looking for the Web host 'HostRocket', I'd go to the .com site, but if I wanted to get more information about using it, I'd try the .info version of the domain (which just happens to be the customer-driven informational site). Don't bother setting up a non-informational site on a .info domain, though: it'll just annoy people.
Country level domains are useful for particular Websites. If you're building a site for a business that's established in a particular country, or you plan to aim for a specific county's audience, then you may be better off with this than a generic .com (although I'd buy them both to be safe). As with .net, it's really not worth buying a country level domain for a worldwide site, unless you can get something very short and memorable.
Short
I've mentioned length before, but it's important to understand why short domains are so good.
Firstly, of course, they're easier to remember. Anyone who has tried learning "Hamlet" quotes will tell you that a word is easier to remember than a phrase. Two word domains are probably fine -- three at the most, but if you have a really long domain it will just be confusing, especially if the words aren't capitalised.
A simple name will also:
roll off the tongue more easily in conversation,
look more professional and
have less chance of being mis-typed by potential visitors.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
8 quick tips to choose a Domain name
Your domain name is the center of your Internet identity. So what type of things should you take into consideration when choosing the name that will represent you on the Web? Jumpline.com offers these 8 handy tips.
1. Keep it short
Although some places allow you to register a name with up to 63 characters, you have to keep in mind that people need to be able to remember it, and easily type it into their browser. Try to register the shortest name that your customers and visitors will associate with your Website. The general rule of thumb is, keep it under seven characters if possible. (Not including the suffix.)
2. Dot What?
There are many different extensions available right now. For businesses, we recommend a .com suffix. It is the first extension that most people try when searching for a Website. Also, since it is one of the oldest extensions, .com shows that your business has been around for a while and that you have a well-established presence on the Web.
3. Avoid Trademarked Names
There are two really good reasons for this. First, it’s not very nice. We have all heard the stories about the zany guy who thought ahead and bought "some-huge-multi-million-dollar-company.com" and sold it to the company for enough money to retire on. But, remember that those companies, like yours, have spent lots of time and money creating their brand, and what goes around comes around. Also, companies are no longer opening their pocketbooks to get their names back. They are calling their lawyers.
4. Register Your Domain NOW
Domain names are being snatched up faster than candy at the St. Patrick’s Day parade. You must register soon unless you want to get stuck with "the-domain-name-that-no-one-wanted.net". You do not have to have a Webmaster or an ecommerce department or a Web design consultant or... Heck, you don’t even need a Web page. Just get out there and register before you loose the opportunity to get the name you really want.
5. One May Not Be Enough
Sometimes, it isn’t a bad idea to register several similar domain names. If you have "yourname.com", register "yourname.net" so no one else takes it. You can register your full company name and a shorter, easier to remember version. Some people even register common misspellings of their company’s name. (You don’t need a separate Web page for each. Several domains can point to the same Website.)
6. Character Types
Just a reminder. Domain names can only use letters, numbers, and dashes. Spaces and symbols are not allowed. Also, domain names are not case sensitive.
7. Ask Around
When you have settled on several available name choices, see what your friends and clients have to say. A name that may make perfect sense to you may be too hard for other people to remember. Is your domain easy to say? Is it hard to spell? Do you have to explain why you chose the name?
8. Don’t Shell Out Large Amounts of $$$
At one time, companies were able to get away with charging reservation fees plus a "mandatory" $70 InterNIC fee. Recently, it was decided that other companies should be able to compete to sell domain names. This has lowered prices dramatically.
And remember, if you think that if you have found the right domain name, but you're not quite sure if it's the one... register it anyway before someone else does!
1. Keep it short
Although some places allow you to register a name with up to 63 characters, you have to keep in mind that people need to be able to remember it, and easily type it into their browser. Try to register the shortest name that your customers and visitors will associate with your Website. The general rule of thumb is, keep it under seven characters if possible. (Not including the suffix.)
2. Dot What?
There are many different extensions available right now. For businesses, we recommend a .com suffix. It is the first extension that most people try when searching for a Website. Also, since it is one of the oldest extensions, .com shows that your business has been around for a while and that you have a well-established presence on the Web.
3. Avoid Trademarked Names
There are two really good reasons for this. First, it’s not very nice. We have all heard the stories about the zany guy who thought ahead and bought "some-huge-multi-million-dollar-company.com" and sold it to the company for enough money to retire on. But, remember that those companies, like yours, have spent lots of time and money creating their brand, and what goes around comes around. Also, companies are no longer opening their pocketbooks to get their names back. They are calling their lawyers.
4. Register Your Domain NOW
Domain names are being snatched up faster than candy at the St. Patrick’s Day parade. You must register soon unless you want to get stuck with "the-domain-name-that-no-one-wanted.net". You do not have to have a Webmaster or an ecommerce department or a Web design consultant or... Heck, you don’t even need a Web page. Just get out there and register before you loose the opportunity to get the name you really want.
5. One May Not Be Enough
Sometimes, it isn’t a bad idea to register several similar domain names. If you have "yourname.com", register "yourname.net" so no one else takes it. You can register your full company name and a shorter, easier to remember version. Some people even register common misspellings of their company’s name. (You don’t need a separate Web page for each. Several domains can point to the same Website.)
6. Character Types
Just a reminder. Domain names can only use letters, numbers, and dashes. Spaces and symbols are not allowed. Also, domain names are not case sensitive.
7. Ask Around
When you have settled on several available name choices, see what your friends and clients have to say. A name that may make perfect sense to you may be too hard for other people to remember. Is your domain easy to say? Is it hard to spell? Do you have to explain why you chose the name?
8. Don’t Shell Out Large Amounts of $$$
At one time, companies were able to get away with charging reservation fees plus a "mandatory" $70 InterNIC fee. Recently, it was decided that other companies should be able to compete to sell domain names. This has lowered prices dramatically.
And remember, if you think that if you have found the right domain name, but you're not quite sure if it's the one... register it anyway before someone else does!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)