Accepting Credit Cards on Your Website

Are you thinking of selling things on the web? If so, you will probably also be considering some way in which you can accept credit cards on your site.
Why Do It?

Credit card payments allow you to take advantage of the following types of customers:

1. Impulse buyers. After reading your advertisements and hype on your site, buyers would be all fired up about your product. If they have a means of making a purchase immediately, you've secured that sale. If you only allow cheque payments, the additional time it takes for them to get their cheque book and mail out the cheque may be a deterrence. They may also have second thoughts later.
2. International customers. Credit card payment is a tremendous convenience if your customers are overseas. It automatically takes care of the problems of currency differences as well as the time it takes for a cheque to travel to the vendor. You will lose a large number of overseas customers if cheque payment is the only way you can accept payment.

Methods of Accepting Credit Card Payments

There are actually two ways in which you can accept credit cards on your site.

1. Using Your Own Merchant Account. To do this, you will need a bank that will allow you to open a merchant account. Requirements for this will vary from country to country, and you should check with your local banks for more information on this.
2. Through a Third Party Merchant. There are numerous companies around that are willing to accept credit cards payments on your behalf in exchange for various fees and percentages. These are also known as "payment gateways".

Which Method Should You Use?

The initial costs of opening your own merchant account is usually higher than when you use a third party merchant. Indeed, some third party merchants have no setup fee at all.

However, the transaction fee (which is what you pay the bank or third party merchant for each sale) is much higher when you use a third party as compared to when using your own merchant account.

A third party merchant is usually convenient to use when you don't know if you can actually make much out of your product or service. If you just want to test the water to see how things are, this is usually a good way to start. It is also convenient in that the merchant takes care of everything for you. You just get a cheque at the end of each payment period (if you have earned enough) and concentrate on your products, services and customers.

Having your own merchant account accords your business with a certain amount of professionalism. And, as mentioned earlier, your transaction costs are usually much lower. However you have to be careful to minimize your credit card risks since you'll be processing the credit card payments yourself. This is not to say that there are no risks attendant in using a third party merchant.

What To Do When All The Good Domain Names Are Taken

Decent available domain names are becoming harder to find these days. Nearly 25 million ".com" names have been registered, and over 23 thousand are purchased every day. It also means that you're more likely to win the grand prize lottery then find a great domain name.
Owning a domain name that helps to successfully "magnetize" a flood of incoming traffic is like gold to any online business. But the increasing scarcity of domain names that are simple to remember, short and suggestive have turned them into red hot commodities.

Just take a look at some of the recent domain name acquisitions:

· business.com sold for $7.5 million
· asseenontv.com sold for $5 million
· altavista.com sold for $3.3 million
· loans.com sold for $3 million
· autos.com sold for $2.2 million
· wallstreet.com sold for $1.03 million
· forsalebyowner.com sold for $835,000
· drugs.com sold for $825,000
· cinema.com sold for $700,000
· art.com sold for $450,000
· engineering.org sold for $199,000
· fruits.com sold for $160,000
· perfect.com sold for $94,000

However, while some of these domain names may have been sold for millions, corporate buyers backed by large bank accounts are not alone in the domain name game. Even entrepreneurs are making a great living in purchasing and selling their own domains.

Not a day goes by, that a domain name sells for as less as $100 or as much as $1 million on public auction sites. For example, eBay.com recently featured actual bids for as little as $500 for "golegs.com" to as much as $20,000 for "arlington.com" -- and thousands more drifting anywhere in between.

Some people seem to know where to get these "nuggets of gold." In fact, a small handful know about an untapped goldmine that lies discreetly tucked away in the dark corners of the vast Internet. And the awareness of this source has helped these "lucky" individuals earn either outrageous fortunes or monstrous levels of traffic for their website.

The goldmine to which I'm referring is the pool of recently expired domain names. While only a few knows it exists, regardless it is expanding with every passing day. There are literally tens of thousands of unclaimed, non-renewed and expired domain names that become available on a daily basis.

An expired domain name is one that was registered previously but was not paid for in time for the renewal date, thus returning it to the listing of available domains. There are many probable reasons for non-renewal (e.g., forgetful owner, no more interest in site, no longer in business, no longer active or didn't pay for whatever reason).

However, you may be asking, "Sure, but I'm never going to find good domain names before some other person snatches them up." For a long time, being "lucky" also meant being alert for the numerous domains that become available, and being quick in registering them before anyone else does.

New tools are becoming available, making the process of searching, finding and registering great domain names much easier. In fact, some of them assist you to become aware of the near expiring domains, giving you an advantage over your competitors that permits you to grab names seconds after they've been dropped.

Nevertheless, a compelling domain name can help an online business become more visible, credible and accessible. And it will help someone earn a rather large fortune. While in the past, finding one was very prohibitive, with the help of tools that are now at your disposal, you now can be a part of the gold rush, too.

Develop a Domain Name

Developing a URL for a corporate site is fairly simple, as they follow the name of the company or brand.

However, if you need to short list URLs for a microsite, a forum or video site, it is easier to start with a framework. Instead of pulling URLs randomly from thin air, a framework allows you to evaluate and compare URLs objectively.

Step 1. Keywords

Start by generating keywords based on what visitors are key searching. It stands to reason that a domain containing important keywords or values that users are looking for, will aid SEO in the long term.

AdWords keyword tool is a good application to pull together a keyword list, and suggest related words which can be added to expand the base. Keywords are ranked by search volume, so it is easy to list them according to importance.

Step 2. Group words into territories

It is likely the list derived in step 1 may be small, and not very diverse in terms of groups, or what we call territories.

To generate more words and territories, a new tool is required, one which can think wider and more laterally than our minds or AdWords. An online thesaurus is the perfect tool for the job.

A useful example is OneLook Reverse Dictionary. OneLook provides synonyms and throws back antonyms, leading to new territories of thinking. It takes the exploration of URL domains into places conventional linear thinking would not.

Plug each keyword generated from step 1 into the website, and tables of new keywords will display. Choose and key new words back into the engine, and pretty quickly the volume of potential keywords will multiply tenfold.

Begin grouping keywords into territories or value propositions, according to their meaning.

Step 3. Shortlist territories

Examine each territory objectively, and check if the value proposition will resonate with the audience.

Test this by writing a one sentence elevator pitch to explain each URL. If the territory sounds off-brief, discard the territory and focus on others instead.

It is important to work objectively - just because a URL sounds catchy, doesn't make the territory strategically suitable. Think about where the website will be when it first launches, and how it might be redefined in two years time, and evaluate which territories remain most relevant.

Create a control list - this is a territory of basic keywords like the company name, that can be mashed against keywords from other territories.

Try many different combinations. Importantly, do not judge the names created - record every single combination, no matter how absurd the result. URLs can be evaluated collectively later.

Step 4. Shortlist URLs

Shortlist URLs in a table, and group them by territory. Assess their potential by checking their availability, and how the value position could influence the content direction. Incidentally, some domain registration sites offer tools to suggest similar URLs that are available for purchase.

Check their availability using who.is. There are other derivatives of who.is available for other markets like Asia, if country specific domains are required. These may include such domains as.asia,.sg or.com.sg.

List URLs which are available, and not available, to fully demonstrate the range of possibilities and assess the potential competitive threat from purchased URLs.

If the URL is parked, you can consider purchasing the URL. Most purchases range between US$2-5k. To strike the best deal, consider engaging an intermediary to do the purchase on behalf of your firm.

Step 5. Search results pages - the acid test

Given 80% of online journeys begin with an inquiry, search result pages are the start of the brand touch point. Before users see engaging interactive video and content, they will judge the website based on a few lines of text.

How the URL reads forms first impressions, so it is important the URL tells the story it captures the value proposition. This is critical for online-only brands, where there main touch point with customers is search.

For example, how will a promotion site differentiate itself from the corporate site, when a post from both appears on the same search results page?

Check all the current digital assets the company and its competitors own, and assess how attractive the URL is when it appears in situ.

The Holy Trinity of Domain Names - COM, ORG and NET

When I was on the Internet in the late 80s, there weren't many top-level domains available. You had .GOV for the US government, .MIL for the US military, .NET for network-related groups, .EDU for educational institutions, .COM for commercial organizations, and .ORG for any other type of organization. And there were strict rules on who could use which top-level domain. Those rules were loosened, however, and right now pretty much anyone can register a domain in three of those original TLDs: .COM, .NET and .ORG. I call these the "Holy Trinity" of TLDs.

The number of TLDs has grown since then, of course. Each country or autonomous geographic area now has its own two-letter TLD, like .CA for Canada and .CN for China. And there are additional TLDs like .BIZ and .INFO that were created to provide alternatives to the standard TLDs. In theory this makes it easier to find a good domain name, because there are more TLDs to choose from.

But if someone asks for my advice on which TLD to use, I always steer them towards the Holy Trinity unless there's a very good reason to consider one of the other top-level domains.

Let's face it, the .COM, .NET and .ORG domains have been around so long that they have instant recognition -- people know what they are. They also don't have geographic associations, which is important if you're trying to reach a global audience.

That's not to say that the country-code (geographic) domains aren't useful. If you're offering a service in a specific country and you want to reach people in that area, having a .UK or .FR domain is very useful. People in each country generally appreciate those kinds of sites. But they'll expect them to be in their native language. And there are sometimes restrictions on who can actually own such a domain -- only Canadians or companies with a Canadian presence can own .CA domains, for example.

One domain you definitely want to avoid is .INFO. It's a newer domain and you can usually get .INFO domains for under $1, which has made it prime hunting ground for spammers, scammers and websites of dubious purpose and provenance. Forget .INFO, it's just not worth it.

The other TLDs aren't as bad, but nothing beats .COM if you can get it, with .NET and .ORG an OK alternative if the .COM isn't available and you don't think there will be too much confusion or lost traffic to not use .COM.

The Benefits of Exact Match Keyword Domain Names

An exact match keyword domain name is a web URL that is made up of terms that match perfectly to a product, service, or popular search phrase. For example, the exact match domain name for the search phrase "English Bulldogs" would be EnglishBulldogs.com.

Domain investors and web developers often call these types of domains "category killers" because they are the best available domain to represent a specific product or service category. Nearly 99.9% of all these types of domain names are already registered but they are often bought and sold on the domain resale market.

Purchasing a "category killer" domain name on the aftermarket will not come cheap. The price will largely depend on the domain's product or service category. The more competitive and commercialized categories will demand the highest price tags. Many people are willing to pay these premiums due to the inherent advantages that these keyword domains have.

The Benefits of Exact Match Keyword Domain Names

* SEO Benefits - It is a widely held belief that Google and other search engines give an exact-match bonus to websites that are created on these types of domains. If all else is equal, an exact match domain name is likely to rank higher in the search engine results than other pages for the targeted search phrase making up the domain.
* Anchor Text - The amount of backlinks and the "anchor text" of those backlinks is a huge factor in determining how high a website ranks in the search engines. As a general rule, webmasters usually link to other websites using the site's title or domain name in the link's anchor text. Exact match domains help ensure that other sites link back to you using the proper anchor text keywords that you are attempting to rank for.
* Lower Advertising Costs - The CTR (click-thru rate) for PPC (pay-per-click) advertising campaigns is much higher for exact match domain names. In the case of Google Adwords, this increases your quality score which results in higher ad placements at a lower cost-per-click. This single benefit can save pay per click advertisers thousands of dollars per year.
* Type-in Traffic - Category killer domain names receive a stream of type-in traffic commonly referred to as "direct navigation." These visitors arrive by typing a domain name directly into the browser's address bar hoping to find what they are looking for. Type-in visitors are highly targeted and convert very well compared to other forms of traffic. The shorter the exact match domain, the more likely it will have significant type-in traffic.

The domain name is a very import factor in determining whether a website succeeds or fails. Exact match domains give their owners a quality source of highly targeted traffic that converts into sales. Considering the benefits that an exact match domain provides, investing in one, at the right price, is one of the smartest business decisions a web developer can make.

How to Find a Domain Name - Secrets Revealed to Getting the Perfect Domain Name

If Shakespeare asked his famous question, "What's in a name?" about domain names, he'd get a slew of answers. Mostly, he would hear that the right domain name could make the difference between success and failure for an online business. If you're starting an online business and it's time for you to choose a domain name, the following ideas might help you get the best name for your company.

1. With over 100 million domain names already registered, you'll need to be creative to come up with a good name. But creative doesn't mean complicated-the simpler the better. Online domain name sites can tell you if a name is taken. Some offer available variations. You may be able to buy a domain name that is already registered, but that can be pricey. You can also search for names that will expire soon, if you're willing to wait for a particular name.

2. You'll be off to a good start if your domain name is the same as your website name. But this is only one successful naming strategy. If you own Mermaid's Lobster Pound, Ilovelobster.com may be as good or even better than mermaidslobsterpound.com. Just beware that if someone searches for "lobster pound" you may not be at the top of the list. Just make sure your domain name reflects your business and contains some of the same keywords.

3. You may be disappointed if you're set on a particular name and can't obtain it at a price you can afford. If your business is new, you might want to get your domain name first, then name your website.

4. If yours is a commercial site, go for a .com extension. The .com extension speaks of success, trustworthiness, and reliability. It's like a street address in an affluent neighborhood. Also, if you have a .net extension and a competitor has the same name with the more widely recognized .com extension, your customers are likely to go to the .com site and you'll lose business.

5. Consider obtaining all names that are similar to your domain name to make sure there is no confusion. If you're laceshoppe.com, for example, also register laceshop.com, laceshop.net, and laceshoppe.net.

6. Your name should be short and easy to remember. Unique, distinctive, memorable. Most of the common, one-word domain names are already taken or are very expensive, so you'll have to come up with something new, especially if you want a .com extension. Consider combining simple, positive words that reflect your business. A short phrase is an acceptable option.

7. There's nothing wrong with inventing a new word for a domain name. Just be sure it's easy to spell and remember.

All this advice boils down to three essentials: Your domain name should be easy to remember, related to your business or website name, and easy to spell. Take your time finding the right domain name. It's an important decision for your business.

Available Domain Names and Finding Available Domain Names That Matched Website Content

Available Domain Names are always changing, due to the dropping of domain names as people are giving up on the dream of making a living from their website. It's sad, but a reality that is seen far too often. The old adage of one man's trash is another man's treasure comes to mind here and rightfully fitting for sure.

Did you know that finding the perfect available domain names that match your website's content is essential to your online success.

One very often overlooked aspect of online business success is choosing the best domain name from the ever changing available domain names list. The list of available domain names is or can be your ticket to a very successful business in itself. Domain name flipping is a very lucrative business, where finding a popular domain name is found, purchased, and then sold to the highest bidder. Offering hot domain names in an auction environment is sure to raise a host of prospective buyers and the element of knowing someone will obtain the coveted available domain names makes it a serious and profitable business for sure.

So many people make the mistake of taking website ownership way too personal and choose to name it after themselves, a perfect example; joey-sports-equipment.com. While the availability for that domain name was easily obtained, it won;t get Joey the results he's hoping for. You see when he goes to have the search engines find his website and rank it highly, it just won't happen. Had he chosen, sports-equipment-by- joe.com would have been much smarter available domain name choice. You see, search engines look for domain name relevance and content match first and foremost every time. Thus, when you have people searching for sports equipment, joe is the farthest thing from their minds, and should either be dropped or at best placed last in the domain name title.

Finding available domain names is worth the time it takes to find a perfect match to your website's content, if you are really wanting to do things to greatly improve your online business success. Think of your domain name as a phone book listing, if you had a plumbing business, in the phone book you want it to be first, so you'd name your business A One Plumbing. Phone books list businesses alphabetically, whereby search engines list by content subject; Plumbing-by-A-One.com would be a better domain name choice.

The next aspect of choosing from available domain names is to always choose .com over .net unless .com is not available. People are basically programed to think .com as the domain name suffix and you want it easy for people to remember. Even if you have to add something a bit different in the title in order to get a .com domain name, do it, it'll pay off in the long run.

How to Get a Top-Level Domain Name?

In the recent times, it is not easy to grab a domain name that has direct relation to the subject matter of the website. Availability of the top domain name suffices is the most important problem faced by the people looking to register a domain name. The truth is that the people searching for sites on internet have the tendency to give priority to the websites having top-level domain names like a.com and a.net. Most of the average surfers believe that the sites with these suffixes are more reliable. They also think that these sites have more authority and credibility.

If you have website promoting your own products or services, you must somehow try to get the top-level names for your domain, as it will help you create trustworthiness among the customers. As the customer beliefs and thoughts are in favor of these top-level names, they can act as one of the strongest sales tools.

The various search engines will consider your domain names while doing the search engine rankings. The domain name and the site content must have a clear relation so that your site will be featured in the searches done by the clients in major search engines like yahoo and Google. There are some tips to follow to get hold of a top-level domain name. While checking the availability of the domain name, you can try the plural version of key phrase. However, at most cases when the singular version is not available so will be the plural one.

Another trick get top-level name for your domain is by adding numbers. It has been extremely effective in getting the top domain names. You can even add the numbers in the body of the domain name like replacing to with the number 2. You can also go for the substitution of words like the word 'you' with the letter 'u'. When you are registering a domain name, you must understand that the clients will always be looking for the websites with top-level names.

Next time you are searching for a good domain name, try it because, remember, your customer will always look for a .com website first!

How Do You Pick the Perfect Domain Name?

Available Domain Names

Picking the perfect domain name is very important in a crowded internet where it gets more and more difficult to get yourself noticed. Getting to the top or even into the major search engines is challenging and then there is the problem of establishing your brand. No wonder it is difficult to find that perfect domain name. So how do you?

First thing you need to ensure is that you do not contravene any trademarks. Luckily, domain names are very competitive and unless you go for a very long name you are unlikely to find a domain that is covered by a trademark. Many common names are also taken. What you must check is that you do not use a domain name that is close to another one. I once found "DisneyWorlds.com" available for example - tempting but I just contacted them. Buying this would have been a good way to get myself into a very big law suit. Buying an domain name with Realtors in it is likely to get you a very firm legal letter, as is "Easy"Something or "Monter" Something - although the ability to trademark a common word is a moot point! Best not to start your business fighting off lawyers though!

So start off by making a list of domain names that you would like to use. Make it quite a long list because good available domain names are hard to find. Use a bit of imagination and try and make the potential domain name catch and memorable.

Available Domain Names

Go to a good registrar. Please do a few searches on the registrars first. There is at least one top registrar that got itself into a great deal of trouble in the last few years. Once at the registrar search through your list of preferred names. Good registrars will give you some suggestions if your domain is not available.

If you are not having much luck then do a few searches on sites that tell you which domains have "just dropped" - which is the name for domains that have just become available.

It's hard work finding a good domain - but it sets up your business on the internet - so spend so time on it.

Good luck.

Domain Name Generators

Domain names, especially names ending in dot com, are being registered at a tremendous rate. Pretty much all of the commercially valuable single word dot com domains have been registered a long time ago, and if you listen to some people, they will tell you that it is virtually impossible to find a good and memorable domain name for a new web site or business. My own experience however differs from these people - while it make take a little effort to find a good available domain name - with the help of the right tools and a little imagination, it is still possible to find a good unregistered domain name.

When searching for available domains, there are basically three tools that you need (and all three are available online free of charge):

1. Domain Name Search - Basically this allows you to type in a possible domain name, and see if it's available. Versions of this tool are available to use at most registrar's web sites, and many other sites as well.

2. Domain Keyword Search - You enter two or three keywords, and the tool searches for domains containing different combinations of the keywords in different orders, and with and without hyphens between the keywords. This tool tends to be most useful if looking for a keyword rich domain name for targeting search engines.

3. Domain Name Idea Generator - This type of tool tends to be the best and quickest way of find domains for new web sites. You type in a keyword describing your site or business, and also pick a theme (such as whether your site is a discussion board, a portal or a tutorial), or a benefit of your business (such as offering fast service or being environmentally friendly), and the tool searches for available domains based on your selections.

Choosing the perfect name for a domain that is directly related to the type of business you are in and the type of products/services you want to promote is a great determining factor of whether or not you will attract the necessary traffic and exposure to your website needed to succeed. Therefore selecting the right domain name is essential to your success. So a very important tip is that when you are getting your domain name you want your word that is about the market you are getting in to, to actually be in your domain name.

One of the best websites to purchase your domain name is www.GoDaddy.com,which is an internet domain registrar and web hosting company, which also sells e-business related software and services.

Once you log on to the site you will be able to start a domain name search to see if the name you have chosen is available for purchase. However, if the name that you chose is already taken there is the option to back order the name to receive it when it becomes free, but I strongly advise against this because it is double the regular cost and it is highly unlikely that the name will be available in the near future and you could possibly be waiting years before you get it. You can also get a domain name with endings such as .net, .org, .info, .tv, .me, but it is recommended to use a .com ending since that is what is familiar to most people when they think about browsing the internet to go to a website.

If you are racking your brain trying to think of the perfect domain name, but you are having a metal block or feeling a bit frustrated like you have hit a dead end, a fabulous website that offers creative ideas for domain names that are definitely available for sale, is DomainsBot.com. Once you have come up with the ideal name you can then go back to GoDaddy.com to make your purchase.

When making your purchase bear in mind that all you want right now is the domain name itself, so try not to get caught up in all these other things they try to sell you that you don't really need, and proceed to checkout. One way to save money when buying your domain name is by using godaddy coupon codes, which can be found easily on a Google search. Just simply find the code best suited to you and type it in prior to checking out to receive your discount.

How to Purchase Domain Name

More and more people are looking to buy domains for a variety of reasons (these could include establishing an online business, starting a personal online website and so on). If you're buying a domain for business purposes, then it's especially important for you to decide on the right domain name as well as a reliable and affordable domain registrar.

Making a brief evaluation of your Internet business before you purchase domains will help in the process of selecting the most appropriate domain name for your business. This evaluation will involve you compiling the following information: your company name, products or services you are intending to sell, your targeted web traffic and the type of online marketing you are planning to pursue. Evaluating your business and purpose in this way will help you narrow-down on the type of domaine name that is best suited for you.

One of the key objectives of selecting an effective domain name is for this name to help you targeted web traffic, leading to a consistent growth in potential customers and eventually and increase your online sales and profits.

An effective domain name should be short, simple and reflect the nature of your online business or at least the contents you are planning to publish on your website. It is highly advisable to avoid initials, acronyms (unless commonly used acronyms), dashes or other symbols as this may confuse potential customers and make it difficult for them to remember your domain name, especially if you want them to re-visit your site.

Once you've determined a domain name or names that are most ideal for your online purpose, then you can proceed to buy domains unless those specific domain names you've chosen have already been registered under other owners. Selecting a reliable domain register is the next important step you need to take in order to purchase domain names of your choice.

A reliable domain registrar, like Active-Domain.com, will help ensure a standard of security as well as efficient, timely and dependable customer service you may require even after you buy your domains. Your registrar will be able to help you check on the availability of the particular domain name or names you've chosen. Once available, your registrar will require you to submit important contact information like your full name, email address, mailing address, as well as any other significant information necessary.

Take a little bit of time to shop around for a registrar that you will be comfortable working with. Again, a credible registrar like Active-Domain.com, for example, will save you much hassle and provide you with a smooth, simple and easy procedure when you proceed to purchase domain name or names for your online business or personal website.

Domain Name Registration: Free use of blogger

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What You Need to Purchase Domain Name

It is very easy to purchase domain name and all you have to do is to visit domain registrars sites and follow the instructions. The first thing you do is to come up with the most unique name for your domain. Take time to really think of a good name and in it, clients or potential customers should see the business aspect of the site. They should not struggle to remember your name and you should therefore keep it as short and, to the point as possible. When you are sure of the name you want to purchase, run it through the domain checker tool. This is where you get to know whether the particular domain name is available. Usually, you will find that all the brilliant ideas have been expressed and you therefore need to go an extra mile to ensure that your name is more brilliant. You can use hyphens to make few changes if you really desire a particular name.

The next thing you do to purchase domain name is to have it registered and it might take two days for the process to be fully completed so that your domain can be available. Different companies offer different prices when you need to purchase domain name. You therefore need to engage in a search and compare all the prices available and go for the best deal. You can also consider special registration which will enable your private and personal information protected from the public. This service is referred to as private domain name registration. You need to compare the prices of this service and make the best decision.

You can also purchase domain names from resellers. This are people or companies who have registered or bought their domain names in bulk and are willing and ready to offer to the public at a certain price. This kind of shopping for domain names is very convenient because all you have to do is to choose the product or name you want. However, your choice will determine the kind of name you get and you need to take the necessary steps to ensure that you have an excellent domain name. If you have already bought a domain name that you do not want, you have the option of registering another domain and many registrars do not provide for you to change the domain.

To purchase domain names you have to have a prior knowledge of all that is required to make the process a success. There are companies or registrars that are highly recommended to offer this service and you will get to know who they are. It is vital to pay attention to every detail and if a specific service does not please you, then do not make that particular purchase from the particular company. When you have bought the right domain name, you will have embarked on the first step to having more doors open for you and for your business. A brilliant domain name will not be enough to maintain your site to the highest level and you need to match it with great content that will be appealing to many people. As your site grows, you will be able to feel the gains and you will not regret making the purchase for a domain name.

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration in 5 easy steps

Deciding on a new domain name is a bit like preparing for a job interview. First impressions count. Registering a name that conveys the spirit of your business; is easy to remember and has the right extension can seem a little daunting. When the URL is emblazoned on your company stationary and painted on your fleet of vehicles, there’s no going back. Unlike in a job interview, you can’t buy time or think on your feet if your answer falls flat.

That’s why your web site URL has to give the right impression and secure that crucial second interview. That means encouraging visitors to log on and search the site. Get it wrong and your company name will be quickly filed in the rejected pile.

No matter how seasoned the web user or experienced the business person, the simple task of deciding on a domain name and registering the address can be a complicated decision making process.
Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration in 5 easy steps

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 1

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 1
1. Think Carefully About Your Brand Principles
Before deciding on a snappy name for your new web property, what do you want your site to say about your business? Are you going to offer information only, will it be an online catalogue, will you sell online or do you just want to encourage visitors to call your office? If you already have a company registered then it makes sense to register a domain name in the same name. If you are just setting up in business try and make sure your domain name matches your trading name.

Whatever you want your web site to do, make sure the name reflects this as best as possible. A name such as Google doesn’t say what they do, but because their search engine was very good at delivering relevant searches, word spread very quickly and now the world knows what Google is. In fact, it’s now a term in the dictionary; “To Google”!

So, you can either go for something very obscure such as Yakabozi or choose a domain name that reflects your business. Research your competitors. Have they chosen their company name as their web address or do they have a generic URL? Is your company name effective as a web address or is it too long?

If your domain name is long then it can make sense to break the name up using hyphens. For example instead of using drummondleisureandentertainment.co.uk you could have
drummond-leisure-and-entertainment.co.uk which is easier on the eye.

You can get help when grappling with this issue by keying in your initial ideas as URL searches with your chosen registrar. As well as seeing what’s available, alternatives will be suggested to you, broadening your field of possibilities.

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 2

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 2
2. What kind of Domain Extension?
When you have the first part of the address sorted, you need to decide what kind of domain name extension you are going to go for. There are so many possibilities that there’s a danger of being overwhelmed by choice.

The main rule of thumb is if your business is just aimed at the UK market, then go for .co.uk. If your business is international and/or aimed at the USA as well as the UK then it would be worth going for .com and .co.uk. There are many other variations such as .net , .biz , .info , etc .

If your brand is important to your business then it would certainly be worth registering all the relevant domain extensions. There is nothing worse than someone else registering one of the others, perhaps the .com extension because you were only concentrating on the UK market. If at a later time you choose to target the US market you might want to use the .com and this could mean having to pay an inflated price to the original registrant.

It is not necessary to buy every domain extension but it is definitely a good way to go if you are keen to protect your brand.

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 3

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 3
3. Note Down Registrar Details and Renewal Dates
After registering the domain, the most important thing is to note down all pertinent information including contact details of the registrar, confirmation that your payment has been accepted, usernames, passwords and renewal dates.

Keeping the registrar details handy means you can check back for new services and offers and you’re more likely to notify the company of any new contact details. This is essential if you want to renew your domain when the original agreement runs out.

Most domain name registration companies will send renewal reminders via email and so it is vital you keep your email up to date with the registrar. Notify them immediately if your email address changes. In most cases you can do this within your online account.
Remember, you are not buying the domain name outright forever. You really own a temporary licence on that name. You pay for the use of the domain name for a fixed period. A .co.uk domain can be purchased for a maximum of 2 years and will be renewable every 2 years. Others such as .com , .net , .biz etc. can be purchased for up to 10 years at a time.

It’s very easy to forget to update the registrar with a new mobile number or your personal email address so get into the habit of checking your account details with the registrar every once in a while.

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 4

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 4
4. Email Services
Now that you have secured your domain names you are ready to get your online business up and running. To begin with you will need get your email address set up and then turn your thoughts to getting a website designed.

Most domain name registration services do not include full email. If you want email services with your domain name, an additional charge is likely. In most cases you will only get email forwarding. Even for straight forward POP3 email, expect only 1 or 2 email accounts as standard.

You should make sure you get at least 15-20 POP3 email accounts included free of charge with your domain name registration. Most web hosting companies do not offer free POP3 email accounts either because they offer domain name registration as an extra service.

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 5

Available Domain Names: Domain Name Registration step 5
5. Website Design and Hosting
To get your online business up and running you will need to have your website designed and hosted. Again the choices are vast and it can be a real minefield. Ask around as you’ll probably have friends, family or work colleagues with web design experiences to share and companies to recommend.

You can also check to see whether your domain name registration company offers hosting. In most cases, your web designer will include hosting for your website. If this is the case, you should always ask who they use for their web hosting. Check them out on the Internet to see whether you would be happy trusting them to look after your online business.

You have a few choices in how your website is designed. You could have a go yourself using the many different website building tools on offer. Again, most companies that offer domain names and hosting also offer a website builder. If you want a more professional looking website you will need to choose a website design business. A basic website which just displays information with between 5 and 10 pages will cost a few hundred pounds. For a more complex website with an e-commerce database for selling products online, expect to pay anything from a thousand pounds upwards. Like most things in life; you do get what you pay for. As with any job you outsource, do a little background research and ask to see previous examples of work done for other clients.

How To Find Available Domain Names For Your New Website

Over the past few months I have received many emails from frustrated readers asking for ways to find available domain names for their new websites.

They don't have the time to look for or wait for domains to expire. They also don't have the startup cash to fork out for a pricey domain. They just want a cool, fresh, new available domain name to start working on their website.

The tool I use to brainstorm available domain names is called Domain Name Analyzer. It is made by DomainPunch and is free to download. It is an amazing tool and does the job perfectly.

Well, let's say I am looking to get an available domain for a "golf tips and equipment" website I want to make. I first come up with word combinations that I would like to use if possible. A great way to find words that could go well with search terms is to use a keyword suggestion tool like Wordze.

This way you can combine your target word with words which are actually searched for by people - which means there is demand for your target word from the start. (In addition to this, I use Wordze to find keywords for my AdWords campaigns - so I kill two birds with one stone).

For my example term "golf", I found the words "tips, accessories, equipment, clubs, wedges, putters, irons, instructions" which seem to be pretty popular in the Wordze search results. Wordze tells me people have extensively searched for the above words in combination with the word "golf" in recent days.

I also decide to throw in a set of other generic terms which can always go well in a domain name "ideas, point, place, world, site, news, ways, heaven, haven".

Ok, so we have our target words, now what?

Fire up your Domain Name Analyzer and find your available domain name.
Over the past few months I have received many emails from frustrated readers asking for ways to find available domain names for their new websites.

They don't have the time to look for or wait for domains to expire. They also don't have the startup cash to fork out for a pricey domain. They just want a cool, fresh, new domain name to start working on their website.

The tool I use to brainstorm available domain names is called Domain Name Analyzer. It is made by DomainPunch and is free to download. It is an amazing tool and does the job perfectly.

Well, let's say I am looking to get an available domain for a "golf tips and equipment" website I want to make. I first come up with word combinations that I would like to use if possible. A great way to find words that could go well with search terms is to use a keyword suggestion tool like Wordze.

This way you can combine your target word with words which are actually searched for by people - which means there is demand for your target word from the start. (In addition to this, I use Wordze to find keywords for my AdWords campaigns - so I kill two birds with one stone).

For my example term "golf", I found the words "tips, accessories, equipment, clubs, wedges, putters, irons, instructions" which seem to be pretty popular in the Wordze search results. Wordze tells me people have extensively searched for the above words in combination with the word "golf" in recent days.

I also decide to throw in a set of other generic terms which can always go well in a domain name "ideas, point, place, world, site, news, ways, heaven, haven".

Ok, so we have our target words, now what?

Fire up your Domain Name AnalyzerOver the past few months I have received many emails from frustrated readers asking for ways to find available domain names for their new websites.

They don't have the time to look for or wait for domains to expire. They also don't have the startup cash to fork out for a pricey domain. They just want a cool, fresh, new domain name to start working on their website.

The tool I use to brainstorm available domain names is called Domain Name Analyzer. It is made by DomainPunch and is free to download. It is an amazing tool and does the job perfectly.

Well, let's say I am looking to get an available domain for a "golf tips and equipment" website I want to make. I first come up with word combinations that I would like to use if possible. A great way to find words that could go well with search terms is to use a keyword suggestion tool like Wordze.

This way you can combine your target word with words which are actually searched for by people - which means there is demand for your target word from the start. (In addition to this, I use Wordze to find keywords for my AdWords campaigns - so I kill two birds with one stone).

For my example term "golf", I found the words "tips, accessories, equipment, clubs, wedges, putters, irons, instructions" which seem to be pretty popular in the Wordze search results. Wordze tells me people have extensively searched for the above words in combination with the word "golf" in recent days.

I also decide to throw in a set of other generic terms which can always go well in a domain name "ideas, point, place, world, site, news, ways, heaven, haven".

Ok, so we have our target words, now what?

Fire up your Domain Name Analyzer and find your available domain name!

Once you have Domain Name Analyzers turned on, look in the top toolbar. You will see an option called "Domain List". Click it and go to "Create Domain Names From Keywords". This launches the Create
Domain Names from Keywords box:

Enter your prefix terms in the left box, and your suffix terms in the right box. For best effect I entered golf, golfing and golfer in the left box. Also, in order to avoid pointless checking of words which are usually registered, you can click the No suffix padding and No prefix padding checkboxes. Also, make sure you select which Tlds you want to search in. I selected .com, .net, .org and .us.

After you have completed all this, you are ready to search.

So, click ok!

You will find that after you click ok, Domain Name Analyzer populates it's lookup queue with your keyword combinations. Thanks to your check in Wordze, you have the right keywords for the job. The look-up queue will look something like the above. As you see, the words have been combined with your selected TLD's for a list of all possible combinations.

Use the search button in the toolbar to start up the search. The Domain Name Analyzer does the entire job for you in a few minutes.

Obviously, this is just an example of the power of this cool free tool. It has a lot more functionality and allows you to do a lot more.

You might find that popular word combinations are taken, but don't be discouraged. Find the right keyword combinations and combine them with Domain Name Analyzer to find the next domain name for your new website.

Once you have Domain Name Analyzers turned on, look in the top toolbar. You will see an option called "Domain List". Click it and go to "Create Domain Names From Keywords". This launches the Create
Domain Names from Keywords box:

Enter your prefix terms in the left box, and your suffix terms in the right box. For best effect I entered golf, golfing and golfer in the left box. Also, in order to avoid pointless checking of words which are usually registered, you can click the No suffix padding and No prefix padding checkboxes. Also, make sure you select which Tlds you want to search in. I selected .com, .net, .org and .us.

After you have completed all this, you are ready to search.

So, click ok!

You will find that after you click ok, Domain Name Analyzer populates it's lookup queue with your keyword combinations. Thanks to your check in Wordze, you have the right keywords for the job. The look-up queue will look something like the above. As you see, the words have been combined with your selected TLD's for a list of all possible combinations.

Use the search button in the toolbar to start up the search. The Domain Name Analyzer does the entire job for you in a few minutes.

Obviously, this is just an example of the power of this cool free tool. It has a lot more functionality and allows you to do a lot more.

You might find that popular word combinations are taken, but don't be discouraged. Find the right keyword combinations and combine them with Domain Name Analyzer to find the next domain name for your new website.!

Once you have Domain Name Analyzers turned on, look in the top toolbar. You will see an option called "Domain List". Click it and go to "Create Domain Names From Keywords". This launches the Create
Domain Names from Keywords box:

Enter your prefix terms in the left box, and your suffix terms in the right box. For best effect I entered golf, golfing and golfer in the left box. Also, in order to avoid pointless checking of words which are usually registered, you can click the No suffix padding and No prefix padding checkboxes. Also, make sure you select which Tlds you want to search in. I selected .com, .net, .org and .us.

After you have completed all this, you are ready to search.

So, click ok!

You will find that after you click ok, Domain Name Analyzer populates it's lookup queue with your keyword combinations. Thanks to your check in Wordze, you have the right keywords for the job. The look-up queue will look something like the above. As you see, the words have been combined with your selected TLD's for a list of all possible combinations.

Use the search button in the toolbar to start up the search. The Domain Name Analyzer does the entire job for you in a few minutes.

Obviously, this is just an example of the power of this cool free tool. It has a lot more functionality and allows you to do a lot more.

You might find that popular word combinations are taken, but don't be discouraged. Find the right keyword combinations and combine them with Domain Name Analyzer to find the next domain name for your new website.

Available Domain Names

Available Domain Names

Go to a good registrar. Please do a few searches on the registrars first. There is at least one top registrar that got itself into a great deal of trouble in the last few years. Once at the registrar search through your list of preferred names. Good registrars will give you some suggestions if your domain is not available.

If you are not having much luck then do a few searches on sites that tell you which domains have "just dropped" - which is the name for domains that have just become available.

It's hard work finding a good domain - but it sets up your business on the internet - so spend so time on it.

Good luck.

Available Domain Names

Available Domain Names


Here are some "rules" to get the best available domain name you can.

1) Try for a .com is you can.
2) Use two or more descriptive words in the domain name.
3) Don't use hyphens or numbers unless you must.
4) Try for less than 20 letters.
5) Try for less than 3 words.

Now I know that names such as Google have become very successful but it is better for search engine ranking to use descriptive names. Currently search engines are giving ranking preference to web sites that have the search term all or partly in the domain name. Do a few searches on your chosen search terms and have a look at which domains are in the top 20. Remember what we said about copying though!

How Do You Pick the Perfect Domain Name?

Available Domain Names

Picking the perfect domain name is very important in a crowded internet where it gets more and more difficult to get yourself noticed. Getting to the top or even into the major search engines is challenging and then there is the problem of establishing your brand. No wonder it is difficult to find that perfect domain name. So how do you?

First thing you need to ensure is that you do not contravene any trademarks. Luckily, domain names are very competitive and unless you go for a very long name you are unlikely to find a domain that is covered by a trademark. Many common names are also taken. What you must check is that you do not use a domain name that is close to another one. I once found "DisneyWorlds.com" available for example - tempting but I just contacted them. Buying this would have been a good way to get myself into a very big law suit. Buying an domain name with Realtors in it is likely to get you a very firm legal letter, as is "Easy"Something or "Monter" Something - although the ability to trademark a common word is a moot point! Best not to start your business fighting off lawyers though!

So start off by making a list of domain names that you would like to use. Make it quite a long list because good available domain names are hard to find. Use a bit of imagination and try and make the potential domain name catch and memorable.