1. If you want your web site to have an added advantage in the search engines, think of a domain name that includes keywords visitors would search for in the main search engines.
2. Make a list of all the possible names that would suit your business (i.e. isitebuild.com contains resources for building your own web site or getting one built). Use www.nameboy.com for researching domain names. NameBoy will generate domain names based on the keywords you enter. If the dotcom name you want is not available, create a longer name that describes your business or use names that include hyphens (i.e. ihost-websites.com)
3. If possible, keep your domain name short so it is easy to spell and easy to remember. Take into account someone may remember the name but forget there is a hyphen in it ? you then miss out on those potential customers.
4. If the dotcom name is not available, try the other new abbreviations such as .BIZ .US,.INFO, .TV. These are not as popular as .COM, however you may get closer to the name you want.
How to register a domain name
1. Any company that sells domain names must be registered and accredited with iCann - The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (http://www.icann.org). You can get a domain name for under $10 from Godaddy.com. Read carefully what's on their site as you go through the registration process. It's easy to inadvertently sign up for other services you don't need.
For a current list of companies that are accredited as registrars by iCann, visit Internic (www.internic.com).
2. Register your domain name in your own name, not someone else's. Sometimes your host may do this for you. This could cause you problems in the future, should you decide to transfer
your domain to another hosting company.
3. Renewal - you have had your site on the Web for a year, sales are pouring in when suddenly, your site disappears ? it won't show up anymore! What happened? Well, you forgot to renew your domain name. Hopefully this will never happen to you!
When you sign up for a new domain name, make sure your domain name registrar will send a reminder when your domain name is about to expire.
4. When asked about DNS server (domain name system) or Name Server information, insert your Primary Name Server and Secondary Name Server information ? ask your future Web Hosting service for this information, if you don't have it handy.
