domain registration

Choosing a domain name for your business is perhaps one of the most important decisions that you ever make for your business. A catchy domain name not only helps you with your branding efforts, but it could also help bring a lot of traffic to your site. That is why you shouldn’t take your eyes off the ball when it comes to choosing a domain name for your business. Domains  may be cheap but that doesn’t mean you should take them lightly.

Here are a few tips that you should keep in mind in order to register the perfect domain for your startup or small business:

1. choose a clean domain name (no curse words)
2. choose a meaningful domain name.
3. go for a catchy domain (e.g. Digg, Treehugger, …)
4. stick with a short domain. Long domains are harder to remember and inconvenient to type out.
5. avoid using hyphens and numbers in your domain if possible.
6. avoid using other companies’ trademarks in your domain (that includes YouTube too!).
7. register all versions of your domain name.
8. register sibling domains for your future business plans.
9. do not register a .net domain without getting its .com version first.
10. work with domain registrars with a good track record.
11. do not choose a silly domain name, unless you are in the right niche.
12. keep an eye out for your brand in other people’s domains.
13. register your domain privately, if you are concerned about your privacy. Make sure you use a registrar that allows you to do this easily
14. ask your domain registrar to lock your domain.

There you have it. Choosing a domain name doesn’t have to be difficult, but you need to pay attention to what your business goals are and who you can afford to work with. Here are a few websites that allow you to get ideas for your domain names:

• http://www.dotomator.com/web20.html
• http://www.webscriptlab.com/domainnamegenerator.php
• http://www.hackslash.net/?page_id=48

I have personally worked with the following companies as they have the best prices and give you the best bang for your buck.

• 1&1 Domain registration
• Netfirms Domains
• GoDaddy Domain hosting
  
• Dotster Domains registration service

If you are looking for an affordable solution for your business domain needs, you can go wrong with the above companies.

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