Pro Web Marketing » Domain Names

Domain, domain, domain

Pro Web — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:37:51 +0000

Domain names are like one’s identity as well as location on the Internet, and we all know it’s all about location, location, location. Having a relevant domain name is vital, but also coming up with one that’s easy to remember. Creating a domain name that is at least close to the actual name of your business is ideal. This is because consumers can thus easily learn a single identity rather than two separate names. Just something to think about when coming up with your domain!

Choosing a Domain Name – What is important?

Pro Web — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:01:01 +0000

Many of our customers ask us for advice on choosing a domain name. Often, our solutions boil down to a few quick steps to choosing one that works for usability, brand recognition, and search engine optimization.

1.) Keep it simple

Most people have trouble remembering their mother’s birthday, let alone a long, complex domain name. Try to keep it down below two or three words, if possible.

2.) Relevance to Industry vs. Company Name

This is one of the points where it isn’t so clear cut. If you can get your exact company name as your domain name, that might be a good idea. However, if your company name does not say anything about your industry, you may wish to add a key word at the end of it, so long as it doesn’t make the domain name too lengthy or hard to read. Example – a company named Excalibur that does web design may wish to get the domain excalibur-design.com, as it adds some relevancy to their domain name.

3.) Geographical Area

Pro Web is located in Traverse City, and so are many of our clients. Often, the client can’t get their business name as a domain, as it is taken. Many times in this case we will append the domain name with “tc”, standing for Traverse City. This is a good way to let your customers know that you are a local business.

There are other important factors to consider, such as which top level domain you wish to use, hyphens, numbers, etc., but these are the three main points to think about when choosing a domain.

First Step When Building a Website – Your Domain Name

Pro Web — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 03:08:52 +0000

Registering a domain is one of the first steps when building a website. A domain name is your “virtual” internet address and is what your potential consumers will be using to find your business online. Take your time; it is important not to rush into this process. Remember your domain will be used often and in many areas of your business. It should be show on your business cards, vehicle decals, radio ads, tv commercials, billboards, print ads, and paperwork.

Here are the basic rules when choosing a domain name:

- Using an extension that matches your type of business entity.
- Keeping the domain name as short as possible.
- Including words that are easy to spell.
- Choosing keywords or key phrases as part of the domain name.
- Using words based on your business name or the product or service you offer.

Ideally, it is recommended to choose a domain extension based on your company name. If your company name is not available there are alternatives to choice from. The domain name can be based on the product or service you offer. It can also include the geographic area where your business resides. The domain can be any combination of words and numbers. Most special characters are not allowed as part of the domain name although a hyphen is allowed.

There are also many domain extensions to choose from. The more popular and most recognized extensions are .com, .net, .org, .gov, .us and .edu. Here are other domain extensions that are becoming more seen: .biz, .info, .ws, .mobi, .web, and .firm. The domain extension should reflect the type of business entity you are. An example would be a non-profit organzation should use a .org domain extension while an education institution should use a .edu extension. There are also hundreds of domain extensions based on geographic regions of the world. The United States would be .us for example.

As you can see, there are many things to consider when deciding your domain name. Choose your domain name wisely as it is an important part of owning a website.