Select the Perfect Domain Name

One of the most important components of any web site is its domain name, URL (Uniform Resource Locator), or most simply, its address.  All of these terms refer to the same thing: what people type into the address bar of their web browser to reach your blog.

Technically, computers don’t care what your domain name is.  They actually find and refer to each other by IP (Internet Protocol) address.  You may have seen IP addresses before, but if not, they currently look something like 209.85.171.100.  This particular address is that of Google.com and entering it into your browser will bring up the Google web site.  There is a vast system of special computers in the framework of the Internet that resolve all of the requests for domain names into the IP address so that your  computer can connect to the proper destination.

However, for most people, using the recognizable address is preferable and the reason why domain names were invented very early in the history of the World Wide Web.

Your Domain Name

There are over 100 million active domain names.  There are another 360 million or so domain names that are not currently in use, but still registered by someone.  In short, everyone wants to have a unique name to go with their unique content on the web.

Unfortunately, the simplest, catchiest name for your web site is probably already taken by someone else.  However, it is still important to pick a name that is relevant to your content and easy for people to remember.

Why do you even need a domain name?  Some web site providers (especially free ones) will give you some unique name tacked on to the end of their domain name or worse, a random string of characters no one would remember.

It is important to have a domain name of your own for several reasons:

1. It’s professional.  You will not earn much respect or trust from your visitors if your address is www.somefreewebhost.com/somethinghardtoremember23412.
2. Portability.  If you decide to change web hosts down the road, you can take your domain name with you.
3. Making money.  If you want to show third party advertisements or promote products on your web site and try to make a few dollars, the vast majority of advertisers will expect it.  See number one above.

Key domain name considerations

• Relevance – Your domain name should be your web site name or very close.  It helps when the name can explain what you have to offer and contains key words that reflect your message.
• Length – Domain names can be any length from 1 to 67 characters.  However, shorter names are easier to remember and type than long ones and hyphens and numbers are generally frowned upon by serious marketers.
• COM/NET/ORG/etc. – There are many suffixes (technically called Top Level Domains or TLDs) available to choose from.  While they all work the same, people generally expect an address to end in “.com” (in the U.S. at least) and may have a hard time finding your site otherwise.
• Trademarks – even if you love soda so much that you want to blog about it, you will have a hard time convincing the lawyers at Pepsi that should have the rights to MountainDew.com.
• Characters – Domain names can only use letters, numbers, and dashes. Spaces and symbols are not allowed and domain names are not case sensitive.
• Price – domain names are cheap, typically less than $10 a year to own (yes, you have to buy them).  Don’t pay too much for your name and be sure to either pay in advance for a long time or keep up to date on the registration. If you let it lapse, the name is up for grabs!

Finding Your Domain Name

When you are ready to shop for a domain name, you first have to see if it is available.  As unique as your idea(s) may be, someone else could have thought of it first and bought it.

Some good tools to use when you are searching for the perfect name include:

• Nameboy.com
• Bustaname.com
• Domaintools.com
• Domainsbot.com
• Stuckdomains.com
• Your domain registrar – if you use a separate registrar than your web host (such as those suggested below), they will probably show you other names that are similar to what you were looking for if what you request is not available.

Just remember, that you don’t have to search for domain names and buy them from the same place.  Once you have found an available name you like, you can purchase from any domain registrar you like.

Domain Registrars

Having said that, where should you purchase your domain name?  Well, here are some of the most popular domain name registrars that are also reasonably priced (less than $10 per year):

• Your web hosting service – many of them will now bundle a free or very cheap domain name registration with your hosting service.
• www.GoDaddy.com - the largest and most popular U.S. registrar
• Dotster.com – Low cost domain registration. Buy one domain, get one free!

What to Watch For

Also keep in mind when you purchase a domain name that most registrars are also web hosting companies.  They may try to get you to sign up for their web hosting service or any number of other products along with a domain name.  If this is what you decide you want, that is fine, but if you are only looking to purchase the domain name, be sure that is all you are getting!

Some of the more popular add-ons a registrar may pitch include:

• Domain name variations – if you select the .com, they may suggest you also get the .net or .org, etc.  This is not necessary and only useful to someone who is looking to protect their unique identity at all costs.
• Private registration – the owners of all domain names and their contact information is public information by default.  You can look it up in a WHOIS database online.  Private registration hides this information at the registrar level so that others can’t find it.  If this is important to you, there is nothing wrong with it, but it can nearly double the cost of your domain name.
• Web hosting – as before, you don’t have to pay the same company for domain registration and web hosting.  Do your research first.
• Email – it is possible to buy a domain name and simply use it for email without a web site.  However, if you select a web hosting company that is separate from your domain registrar, you will have email functionality there, and it won’t need it from elsewhere.

All domain purchases include a small fee to the ICANN or Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers.  They are in charge of domain name oversight.

While it is recommended that you get your domain name first if you plan on buying the name at one company and hosting at another, you should shop for both at the same time.  If you find a web hosting company you like that includes a free domain name with hosting, you will not have to register it elsewhere and will save yourself some money.