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.