Domains

Domains–those precious few words with a .com tacked onto the end–are a powerful statement of your presence on the Web. Choosing the right domain name can be a nerve-wracking experience, at least in the case of web properties that you intend to feed and grow over a period of time. You want it to behave right in searches. You want it to look good. You want it to be inexpensive.

How to Pick a Good Domain Name

When you pick a domain name, you’ve got to live with it for an awfully long time. Make sure that you pick the right domain name the first time around.

After all, once you have chosen a domain name and have been running a site for awhile, you build up history. Search engines like older domains. Pages get indexed. You tend to get rooted in place. Lots of internet marketers are still stuck with dumb domain names from when they first entered the business.

Names Descriptive of Your Site

When search results come up, there is such a lack of good information about what the site contains that search users use anything they can find. Domain names are a good way to help determine what the site is about.

If you are searching for used cars in Memphis, would you rather go with EverythingMemphis.com or UsedCarsMemphis.com? Naturally, this leads online marketers to reverse-engineer the process and come up domains that are remarkably and almost too much “on point.” A search user can get suspicious if the domain name is too perfect, something like ReplacementWindowsRenoNevada.com.

Nevertheless, try to find a descriptive domain name.

Which Extension?

.coms are preferable.
.infos are cheapest upfront, but some web surfers believe they have a “spammy” appearance and may not click on them.
.gov and .edu are awarded higher power by the search engines – but you cannot get these domains unless you truly are a governmental agency or educational institution.
.orgs are available to anyone.

Hyphenate or Not?

Why choose a name with hyphens between every word? It’s not the first choice of most online marketers. They choose names like www.Best-Lighting-Shop.com because www.BestLightingShop.com is long gone. Hyphens open up a world of possibilities…but be careful:

Hyphenated names such as www.the-best-webhosts-in-universe.com are acceptable; but like .info’s, many surfers view them as spammy.

Non-Sense Domains and Subdomains?

Some people buy nonsensical domains (www.12dkvs.com) and append a more “sensical” name on front as a subdomain: www.BestLeatherBoots.12dkvs.com. This practice lets you create many domains. But be careful. If a search engine decides that it doesn’t like 12dkvs.com, everything else attached to it will similarly be affected.

Other Domain Considerations

Get private registration.
If you’re looking for a long-term domain, consider your options carefully. A poor domain choice can drag down your site for years to come.
Think type-in, too. Long or difficult domains will prevent type in traffic.
This one is often hard to bend your mind around: memorable brandable names rather than generic words. Lendingtree.com rather than mortgages.com. Yes, I would love to own a broad domain name like mortgages.com, but it’s far, far out of my reach. The alternative is to create a brand and base your domain around it.

Are .Info Domain Names Such a Great Deal?

Nearly every name registrar touts the amazingly low prices for .info domains. In many cases, you may think, Why not? Consider a few things first, both good and bad:

.Info Names – Pros

Low Cost. The .info’s really do cost $.99.
It’s a Real Domain. You get an actual, separate domain (no subdomaining) that stands on its own. If you plan to create a website that may not be around a year from now, it’s a great deal.
.Info names are Relatively Reputable. At least, they look better than one of those goofy .us, .biz domains.

.Info Names – Cons

One Year Only. The .info $.99 deal typically lasts only the first year. If you want to continue after one year, the prices go up. However, as noted above, if you are creating sites that may disappear, this one year timeframe isn’t too bad.
Visual Quality Lacking. While I think .info’s look fine, to some people they look like webspam. Each to his own, I say.
Lower SE Quality. Search engines may devalue .info’s because they, too, might think these extensions indicate webspam. Personally, I don’t believe that search engines would indiscriminately reject something as wide-ranging and pervasive as an extension.