Choosing a Domain Name
Choosing a good domain name - an effective domain name - one of most important steps in setting up your online business. As more web sites are being launched every day, it isn't getting any easier to find good domain names that are still available. So what exactly makes a good domain name? Your URL should help brand you, so that it works with your marketing efforts to create an image your customers will remember.
 
What makes an effective domain name?
An easy to remember domain name. Ideally your domain name should be easy for your customers to remember. A domian name wgich they will automatically type into their browser. A domain name which is relevant to your business or the products and services you provide.
 
A short domain name is always far better than a complicated long domain name. If your business tragets mainly the UK - then you will want to register a .co.uk name - if you are targetted wider areas such as the US - then you will also want to register a .com domain name. As domain name registration has now become so popular and the best names are getting snapped up - many busineess register both the .com and the .co.uk and many also register other extensions .net, .info, .uk.com and many more. How does your domain name sound? When you tell a customer or a friend your domain name over the telephone - consider - will they easily be able to spell it correctly the first time? The name should be easy to interpret and to pronounce.
 
Can I register more than one domain name for a single web site?
Yes, you can have as many domain names as you like and use them all as aliases for the same site. Any domain name you register can point to a particular page on the website. Provided your domain name is registered with us there are no additional charges for domain aliases. We make domain registration easy for you!

Should I choose a domain name that will get lots of direct requests?
A direct request is where you type the domain name of the site you want to visit directly into your browser, rather than following a link from a search engine or another site.

Yes you should choose to register a domain name that will get lots of direct requests. And naturally if you have an established brand or company you should also register your company name as a domain name.

Should I register my domain name with dashes or without?
If you can afford to and both permutations are available - then register both. e.g. my-domain.co.uk and my-domain.co.uk. The words stand out more to the user in a domain name which is hyphenated making it very clear what it says. Search engines may find it easier to define keywords in the domain name associated with the content of the site if they are hyphenated. As many domain names have now been taken - sometimes adding a hyphen to a domain name means the difference between getting the name you want or not!

Should I get a dot-com or a .co.uk?
Dot-com domains are very popular and usually it is advisable to register both the dot-com and the dot.co.uk if they are both available. Obviously if your market is solely in the UK, then you may prefer to just register the.co.uk name. If you are just creating a website for a local business, getting traffic from all over the web may not be as important to you. This is because your customers will be local and you may want to grow your brand name in a specific area. If this is the case, it may make more sense to register your company name and create brand awareness locally instead of trying to capitalise on search engine presence.


You are not limited to the standard 3 extension anymore, there are many other extensions to choose from. Here follows a little detail about some of these. Of course an added benefit when choosing a domain name which is country specific e.g. .co.uk - is that when using a search engine users often select results from country specific searches (eg on Google – selecting the ‘pages from the UK’ option)and the returning sites with the extension for that country may take priority in the listing.
 
Generic Domains – Brand Name Domains
It was recently reported that "direct navigation" web traffic has started to outnumber search engine traffic. In other words, more people visit sites by typing in the URL directly than they do by perusing the search engines listings for results. Many domain registration companies are therefore recommending ‘brandable' domains.
 
Keyword Domain Names
A keyword domain is a domain chosen to take advantage of search engine traffic. By choosing a domain that matches a keyword search, the search engines are able to rank your website higher for targeted keywords. . Also there is the added advantage that potential customers who are actually searching for the product or services you offer - may just type the keyword into their browser and your website may be returmed for them. Try to register a domain which contains a popular keyword applicable for your industry. This will help your customers remember your domain name better.

Generic Domains – Not Regionally Specific