Choosing the Best Domain Name

When choosing a domain name you need to consider these points. 

1. Short and Sweet! – you need a domain name that people can remember. Otherwise, they probably won’t be able to find you again unless they find you through a search engine or bookmarked your site on the first go round which isn’t that common.

2. Keep the dashes and numbers to a minimum – people mess this up a lot. Where to put the dash and where to put the number – or worse – BOTH!  Again – if they can’t remember how to get back to the site you see them once and maybe never again.

3. It depends on how you plan to market the site… if you’re relying only on search - maybe the stuff above doesn’t matter so much. You should probably get one with keywords in the domain name and make sure it’s a good top level domain extension such as .com, .net, .org.  If you’re planning on marketing the site on billboards or TV then you need it to be SHORT and EASY to remember so #1 and #2 will be of great importance.

4. Which extension? It’s tempting to go with some .biz and .info when you’re searching for names because nearly all the good .com names are taken these days. Once in a while you will find a gem that has good value that nobody thought of. These days – domaining is bigger than it’s ever been. More people are getting into it because registrars and ad companies are making it easier to register and monetize domain names. Most of these big domaining guys use automated scripts though which don’t capture everything. So you search for that .com and don’t give up so easy – it takes time.

The extension may matter to search engines a little, but it’s more important for user memorability. If you have a .biz, .info, .ws, etc. Then your business gets big – some people will try to go to the .com version of the site naturally. So whoever owns that will be monetizing that traffic somehow. You lose out. 

5. Premium Domain Names - sometimes the best way to go is to find a domain you want and if there is no site – offer to buy it. Don’t overpay. There are many online appraisal services and a lot of documentation about past domain sales in the marketplace. .com versions always command the highest prices. Prices can range from hundreds to millions, but don’t be intimidated by price. Just because a guy says he’s asking $10,000 doesn’t mean he wouldn’t take less. Also, ask the seller how they are justifying the price.  Is there type in traffic, how many words is it, how many characters, is it a common name, does it describe the product, etc These are a few of the must know questions. Also when buying a domain name – you should check into the history by visiting archive.org – you might not want a name that was promoting viagra or some adult product if you’re looking for a family friendly domain. Remember – everything on the internet seems to live on the internet for quite sometime so you may have some challenges on a used domain. The highest value domains have been untouched for the most part… aside from a one page advertising scheme which is usually on topic of the domain.

Hope this help in your quest for the best domain names.

Thanks and good luck!