It seems like all the good domains names have been taken. When you go to register a domain name and find that your first, second and third choice have all been scooped up by someone else already, know that you are not the only one experiencing this problem. Still, it is not impossible to find and buy a really strong domain name.
The first tip on buying a domain name is to stick with the .coms. A common mistake is to settle for one of the other extensions, such as .net, .biz or .info. Not only do search engines tend to look at these domain names unfavorably, but people do as well.
You might not have realized it, but people make a quick judgment on your credibility the second they land on your website. And part of this judgment is based on your domain name. Domain names ending in .com receive more good credibility.
Not only are .coms better for search engine optimization and credibility, but they are more memorable. Many second-time visitors to your page access your website by typing it into the address bar on the top of their browser. And most people type in “.com”. If someone else owns that domain name, you’re traffic has just been swiped.
This rule also applies to numbers and hyphens. Your domain name will stick in peoples’ minds but not the extra parts such as these two elements. Again, if someone else has the domain name without the numbers or hyphens, you just lost some more traffic to a competitor.
Keeping in mind good domain name characteristics gives you a big head start with your online business.
To purchase a domain name, most people turn to GoDaddy. GoDaddy offers domain names for extremely cheap. Make sure you avoid buying their hosting services though, as GoDaddy does a great job of registering domain names but not as good a job at hosting your website.
When you buy your hosting from a good hosting provider like HostGator, you simply need to login to your GoDaddy account and change the nameserver of your domain name. This is also called the DNS, and is pretty easy and quick to do. Some hosting providers even come with a domain name, so check into that before spending any more money.
Here’s an extra little tip to save money - Do a quick Google search for GoDaddy coupon codes and you’ll find an easy way to drop the price of a domain name down a couple more dollars.
If you’re struggling to find the perfect domain name, there are some online resources that tackle the problem.
For example, NameBoy lets you to search for domain names that have not yet been registered by typing in a couple keywords and providing some suggestion. Another good domain name suggestion tool can be found at WebConfs.
Try putting some keywords into the domain name for search engine optimization, but be sure not to go crazy with this. You want your domain name to be short and simple, not one with tons of keywords stuffed into it. The shorter the better.
Even if you end up doing nothing (or close to it) with a domain name, you can always try to sell it in the future. So finding and buying the perfect domain name can be lucrative.
Tags: domains, starting a blog, godaddy, hostgator, hosting provider
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