Archive for the ‘domain name’ category

FAQ about .CO domains

September 27th, 2010

The new .co domains are rapidly becoming popular due to their similarity to the dominant .com TLD. In fact, .CO domains just announced that they have surpasses 500,000 domains!

.CO domains are not new in the slightest sense of the word, because they were first issued in 2001 as the region-specific code for Columbia. However, after realizing the similarities between .co and .com a Columbian University theorized that the domain type could be marketed as an alternative for .com. Nearly a decade later Internet S.A.S has made this hypothesis a realty by offering .co domains to people around the world for nay use, including commercial use. The following questions are amongst the most commonly asked pertaining to .co domains.

How Do I Get a .co Domain?

Currently, .co domains are only allowed to be registered by 10 registrars, however there are dozens of domain sellers that are mediating the sale of .co domains. In other words, almost any popular domain name registrar will have them available. The new .co domains can be acquired in the same exact fashion as a regular domain and there are no prerequisites for purchasing one.

How Much Do .co Domains Cost?

Fortunately, .co domains often only cost slightly more than a regular domain name. Most registrars will offer combo deals in which a discount is offered when more than one .co domain is purchased. It is also possible to receive a free .co domain with some new web hosting plans.

What Are .co Domains Used For?

.CO domains are and can be used for any type of web site online, including but not limited to commercial business sites, personal blogs, pictures sites, movie sites, music sites, forums, online stores, game sites and any other web site model imaginable. Before the domain type was acquired and distributed by Internet S.A.S it was intended to be used by web sites based in Columbia.

How Do Search Engines Treat .co Domains?

Fortunately, Google has recognized the recent explosion in popularity, and as such has recently announced that it will be indexing .co domains in the same manner as .com domains. This means .co domains will have international targeting enabled, allowing people from around the world to find your .co site on the internet. At the moment it is impossible to predict how well the .co sites will perform in the search engine results, but given Google’s friendly response it does look promising.

Can I Transfer a .CO Domain to Another Webmaster?

Yes, .co domains can be transferred in the same manner as any other domain name, which means you can begin buying and selling them as soon you’d like. There are no restrictions on who can register a .co domain, just as there are no restrictions to whom the domains can be transferred.

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Main Rules When Choosing Domain Name

June 13th, 2010

Domain name selection is particularly important when starting an online business. This is the website address that is going to represent the company and convey the content of the site. There are many areas to consider when choosing a name and its best to thoroughly deliberate the following rules.

Primary Rules

There are nine main rules for choosing an effective domain name. These include:

  • The domain name should be the website name
  • The domain name should be the brand name
  • Shorter domain names are beneficial
  • Select a name not easily confused with others
  • Avoid hyphenated names
  • Avoid plurals
  • Avoid copyright infringement
  • Don’t follow the latest trends
  • Use an Ajax domain selection tool

Naming the domain name after the website is an effective idea so when visitors think of a website, they think of it by name. This allows them to instantly know where to go for a specific product or service. Also, the domain name should be the name of the brand being sold since that is generally what the public will first type into their browser.

A common debate is shorter versus longer domain names. Shorter domain names have the advantage of being easier to remember and easier to type with less of a chance of misspelling a word. Similarly, it’s good practice to select a domain name that cannot be easily confused with others. Slightly changing a word or adding letters, punctuation and short words confuse customers which deplete the site’s brand image.

Other rules include avoiding hyphenated names and avoiding plurals. Hyphenated names are easy to forget when typing and when sites are verbally recommended, there’s more room for error with saying “hyphen” or adding an ‘s’ to the end of the site than without. Additionally, it’s a typing annoyance to constantly have to hyphenate words, especially in a browser.

Along the same lines, copyright infringement was established so customers do not get confused by similar sounding websites. Any copyright infringement will undoubtedly add complications to the website’s success. It’s best to first check the US Patent and Trademark Database or copyright.gov to verify.

There are many website naming trends that have come and gone. It’s best not to become wrapped up in this since the trend will change as fast as it came. The most recent trends are found with Web 2.0 naming conventions that oddly misspell regular words. Also, utilizing a domain selection tool such as AjaxWhois will help identify those names that are available for use.

These are the most important rules for initially selecting a domain name. As more names are chosen, naming conventions will change to allow new website owners to stand out over the competition. These basic rules will remain consistent for domain name choices.

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Basic tips for choosing domain names

September 7th, 2009

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Basic tips for choosing domain name:

1. Start brainstorming for relevant to your domain words.
  • List as many words as you can think of related to your preferred domain name.
  • List as many words as you can think of that are related to the content of your website.
2. Make different combinations with the listed words that are:
  • short,
  • memorable,
  • not easily confused,
  • hard to misspell,
  • related to the core of the business,
  • with appropriate sounding to the core of your business.

Shorter domain names are easier to remember and type, and far less susceptible to mistakes: for example lottary.com is easier to remember, type than playthenationallottaryonline.com

But sometimes there is an exeption to this rule. A longer domain can be easier to remember by human memory than the shorter one - for example tbrea.com is a sequence of unrelated letters that is difficult to remember and type correctly, whereas, if we expand it to its long form ‘TheBestRealEstateAgency.com’ we are more likely to remember the domain name.

3. Pick a few of these combinations that you most like for the name of your domain.
  • If you like a specific word to be included in the domain name, think of all its forms: noun, verb, adverb, adjective.
  • Consider also hyphens and numbers: sometimes you are a hyphen away from the dreamed domain name.Should you get a hyphenated name? There are a few things to consider here.

    Disadvantages:

    • It’s easy to forget the hyphens when typing a name. Many users are used to typing things like worldwildlifefund.com but not world-wild-life-fund.com.They’ll probably leave out the hyphens and wind up at your competitor’s site
    • When people recommend your site to their friends verbally, having hyphens in your domain name leads to more potential errors than when the name does not contain hyphens. For example, how do you think your visitors will refer to your site if it is named free-online-games.com. They might say, “I visited Free Online Games dot com yesterday. It was fabulous.” Their friends, remembering that comment later, might type into their browsers freeonlinegames.com.

    Advantages:

    • Search engines can distinguish your keywords better and thus return your site more prominently in search results for those keywords occurring in your domain name.
    • The non-hyphenated form may no longer be available. At least this way, you still get the domain name you want.
4. Start searching for the availability of these domains.
5. If you do business online, register your domain with as many of the extensions as available!
  • Point them all to your site
  • Let your name drive more traffic to your site.
6. If your preferred choice is not available, do not discourage and try the next combination!

Helpful tips when registering your domain name:

1. Try to register a domain which contains a popular keyword applicable for your industry. This will help your customers remember your domain name better.
2. Don’t register a domain containing the digit “0″ in it, unless it is going to be part of a recognizable word (like 1000 or 2000). This is because the digit “0″ is often confused with the vowel “O”.
3. Try to avoid using domains that contain “2″ for “to”, “4″ for “four”, “u” for “you”. Your customers will easily get confused. However, if you must register such a domain, register the expanded form of the domain as well, i.e. if you are registering only4you.com also you can register onlyforyou.com.

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Choose domain name

September 7th, 2009

One of the first steps you should take in oder to create your online appearance is to choose a domain name for your website. The domain name will represent you, your hobby or business and will give your website a memorable name, so your visitors will be able to find and remember it easily.

The domain name itself is an alphanumeric unique name that identifies individual web sites on the Internet. The domain can be of any length up to 67 characters, which includes the 26 letters of the English alphabet, numbers 0-9, and hyphens (-).The domain name cannot begin or end with a hyphen but, can contain one or more hyphens.

The domain names have a suffix or extention, called also TLD (Top Level Domain), which is based on the type of organization it is associated with. Common suffixes include:

.com commercial business domain
.net commercial network
.org nonprofit organizations
.edu educational institution
.gov government agency
.mil military

Additional domain name extentions include : biz, bz, info, tv, name, etc. Currently, most domain registrars offer cheap domain registration of .biz and .info domains.

How to choose a successful domain name?

More than 128 million domain names have been registered worldwide and thousands of new ones are added every day. That is why it might be hard for new users to get the name they really like for their website. Do not get discouraged from that fact, but rather try to be creative!

Remember that you can use a combination of almost all characters (letters, numbers, hyphens) for your domain. The length of a domain name can vary, but generally speaking it should be a minimum of 3 and a maximum of 67 characters.

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How to investigate in a Domain Name

July 29th, 2009

Have you been thinking of investing in a domain name lately?  If so, rest assured that you are in the large majority.  Today’s internet has become incredibly powerful as more people come to grasp the benefits.  These days, almost everyone has easy access to the internet and can connect with millions of people around the world.  When thinking of the endless potential, investing in a domain name only makes sense for those who want to leverage the power of the net and the reach of the World Wide Web.

In the internet world, a domain is equivalent to an address of a store.  If want to visit a website, then you need to type in an address to access it.  The shorter and catchier this address, the more valuable it becomes as it will be easier for people to remember.  Whether you have plans of starting an informative website or an online business, these tips will help you get the most out of your domain name investment.

Think Ahead

Some domain names are more popular than others because of the current trends today.  For this reason, you should think ahead and consider the future trends.  Can you predict what will be en vogue in the next few years?  If you plan on selling your domain name for profit, you may want to secure one that coincides with an emerging trend to encourage top dollar offers.  If you plan to build your presence off the name, choose something that has longevity and will stay relevant regardless of what’s hot.

Determine a Viable TLD

Even people who have never been on a website associate “.com” with the internet.  It is the most popular TLD (top level domain) so securing this extension should be your first move.  Because it is so highly sought after, there is a chance that your first choice for .com may not be available.  Somebody could have beat you to the punch.  While you could go with alternatives such as .org, .net or .info, you should keep in mind that the selling price for these extensions will most likely be incomparable to .com.  However, if you plan to establish your presence with a website, these alternatives could work just fine depending on your promotional efforts.

Carefully Consider the Name

Last but not least, you need to put an emphasis on the actual domain name itself.  Short and sweet usually works best as it generally results in a simple and effective choice.  You may have something unique in mind, but if it is too long or complex, you run the risk of deciding on a name that no one will remember.  Take it from the masters of the web: Google, Yahoo and Flickr have all branded themselves with domain names that are simple, easy to remember and powerful.

Investing in a good domain doesn’t have to be a complicated process.  You just need to be aware of what goes on in the internet world.  After coming up with the right selection, this could turn out to be one of the best investments you ever made.

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The Keyword-Rich Domains - Advantages and Disadvantages

June 23rd, 2009

domain-names2When it comes to choosing a domain name, there are numerous strategies one can employ to ensure they make the best selection possible.  One strategy that is often recommended is the implementation of a popular keyword relative to your niche.  While there are obvious advantages to such a move, there are also instances where it could work to your disadvantage.  This article will go over both sides of the spectrum.

The Bright Side

The way some explain it, you might believe that incorporating a keyword into your domain will automatically result in high search engine rankings for that particular term.  This might be the case in an uncompetitive market but let’s face it, those fields are far and few these days.  In fact, it is quite debatable how much search engines take your domain URL into account.  Be that as it may, every step helps in the battle to increase search engine visibility.  A good keyword-rich domain will definitely come in handy when submitting your site to directories and participating in link exchange programs.  It will also allow you to have your domain name become bolded in the search engine results, putting emphasis on what your site is all about.  Therefore, even if its only a small boost, it goes a long way in achieving those quality rankings you desire.

The Downside

The main disadvantage to keyword implementation is the likelihood that your domain will be similar to the competition’s.  Just think about how many URLs have the terms “web hosting” in them.  In such a highly competitive niche, your domain will be strikingly similar to the next, a factor that might lead potential clients to believe they have already paid you a visit.  Trying to leverage a popular keyword or phrase could also lead to a domain name that is too long, difficult to remember and doesn’t necessarily apply to your specialties.  This could end up limiting both your click-through and conversion rates.  If this is the road you decide to take, keep in mind that people are more likely to associate you with generic keywords rather than the actual name of your business.

Search Engine Rankings vs. Brand Awareness

Before registering a domain name, you must make the difficult decision of what is the most important: achieving high search engine rankings or establishing brand awareness.  Now let’s clear the air here - just because you choose to focus on your brand doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t get search engine rankings.  That goal just might take a bit longer to achieve.  If the name of your business is highly marketable, you probably want it to be well known throughout your niche.  Remember that this is no overnight thing as it could take months and possibly years to accomplish.  The rewards however, are worth the wait.  Just imagine having the name of your business come up whenever some mentions that particular niche.  On the other hand, if your company name is less marketable, establishing a brand name may not be as important.  In this case, you might be satisfied with getting good search engine rankings.  There is really no right or wrong here.  It’s all about what determining what works best for your website.

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Generic Domain Helps You in SEO

June 17th, 2009

Although having a website is easier and more affordable than ever.  However, actually getting your content in front of potential customers is becoming progressively difficult.  This is mainly because so many businesses and industries are being established online.  Regardless of what you specialize in, competition in the market is sure to be heavy.  Unless you have a budget to put forth thousands of dollars on advertising and SEO web design, there is a possibility that your site will just sit collecting dust in cyberspace.  Fortunately, there are numerous strategies that can get you one step closer to the traffic you desire.  Believe it or not, your domain name plays one of the most significant roles in increasing search engine visibility and bringing in quality visitors.  While some tend to go for flash or unique terms, this article will explain why you may want to keep your domain name simple with generic keywords.

Why a Generic Domain?

When registering a domain name equipped with generic keywords, you stand the chance to rank higher and faster than some of the most well designed and optimized sites.  This is a very crucial aspect of SEO.  Although search engines literally return hundreds to thousands of results, you want to find yourself at the head of the class instead of the last few pages or even somewhere in the middle.  Let’s be honest - how many pages do you sift through when looking for products or services on Google?  Probably not many.  Most web surfers don’t make it past the first two pages.  This means your web pages needed to be listed somewhere in the top 20 in order to be viewed.   One of the best ways to achieve this ranking is with a good, generic domain name.

How it Works

The average search engine is more like an advanced variation of the Yellow Pages.  You can typically find the exact product or service you’re looking for in the phone book underneath a generic name.  On the web, search engines like Yahoo function in a similar manner, delivering search engine results based on sites with URLs and content relevant to what is being requested.  For example, if your business “Computer Company” sells laptop computers, you can dramatically increase search engine traffic by using the generic term “laptop” in your domain name rather than the name of your business.   This simple strategy could put you light years ahead of competitors who focused on the trendier names.

Some organizations pay thousands of dollars on advertising but the internet has evolved tremendously.  With this evolution have come a variety of new ways to attract the increasing number of potential buyers.  There is a lot that goes into site promotion and to be honest, nothing is ever guaranteed.  While investing in quality advertising can prove beneficial, site promotion all starts with choosing a good domain name.  Savvy webmasters and businesses have learned that when it comes to securing their presence and gaining a competitive edge, the generic domain name is one of the best ways to go.

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