Step2: Choosing Your Domain Name
Domain Names are very important. If chosen correctly they can really help a business gain the web presence they want. This section covers the following:
What should I name my site? Whatever will help your business. Here are some pointers: If you are going to get traffic mostly by word-of-mouth, then you should choose a domain that you can say in conversation, and that people will remember. Examples include, google.com, ebay.com, yahoo.com. These are short and simple to remember.
If you are going to be receiving traffic mostly off of search engines, then the length of your domain isn't that important. However, as you will se in section 6: marketing your site, it can make a difference in your search engine rankings. Its reccomended you get a domain that has some keywords your are going after. For example, if you are going are a chiropractor in san diego, and you want to come up for the search phrase: San Diego Chriopractor, it would be wise to try and include "san diego" or "chiropractor" in your domain name. This isn't completely necessary, as there are many sites that come up for search phrases that do not have the keywords in their domain. However, it may give you the edge over a competitor.
What extension should I get? You probably rarely hear of domains with extensions .ws or .tv . You may have not even known they existed. Well, they do. However, when you think of a domain name you probably think: .com . Thats normal. It is then wise to choose a domain with a .com extension. It won't mess up your rankings, this is more for word of mouth stuff. So, if you can get .com get it. If not, try first: .net or .org which are also common. The latter however, mostly corresponds with organizations. If you want a .gov or .edu forget it, unless you are part of the government in your area, or you are a recognized university.
How do I check if it's available? Many people think the way to check is to type in the address in their browser. If nothing comes up, they think it must be available. It actually dosn't work that way. Many people have bought domains over the years, and haven't done anything with them. They still own the rights to it, although they don't have a website up and running. To check, go here:, or click on the banner to the right. It's GoDaddy's link checker. Type in the domain you want, then confirm the extension in the drop down box, and click "Go". You will the see the results. If in red it says "Sorry, [yourdomain] is already taken" you are out of luck. If its green and says "[yourdomain] is available!" you are good to go.
How do I register for it? In godaddy.com after you search, you can then click the "continue" button, unless you want any other extensions. They will then ask you if you want to buy other extensions. Now, not unless you are wanting to dominate the market, I wouldn't worry about it. Click "No thanks. Continue to checkout." If you don't have an account yet, it will ask you to create one. Then you will fill in your credit card info. You can take a look at the other offers, and ask godaddy to clarify anything. Some of them will really help you.
How long should I register for? Usually two years is a good idea, especially if you are a start up business. However, if you know you are going to be around for a while, registering for more years ahead of time will save you a few bucks.
I have a domain name. Now what? Read our next section on hosting.