Ok, every time you read a domain related post, what is one idea that is common in all these articles? Yes, you said right! Many people advocate selection of a good/attractive domain name for your web presence. Sadly, anyone hardly ever takes time to elaborate on how this can be done. I write this post with the beginners in mind, but the experts can also join in and give their insights on how to choose a killer domain name; something that will guide your online presence in the right direction.

Killer tip 1 – Shorter is better

With the exception of biological features , I would say shorter is better! This is very much true in the technological arena…the smaller the gadgets; the more popular it is. In the domaining world, the less characters that people need to type or remember in the domain name, the better! So try to keep your domain names short. Although it may be extremely difficult to get hold of a one word name, try to get at least something which is less than three words long.

Killer tip 2 – Think for the future

Registering a domain name is an investment. You would want your investment to last you for your lifetime, right? Do not waste your money on registering a wasteful name, thinking that you will improve on it once your domain name becomes popular. I know people who have ruined a successful online presence by redirection or “We have Moved” notices. Remember that traffic follows your domain name; loosing either of them is costly.

Killer tip 3 – Avoid Trademark and copyright names

Just because a trademarked name (or a variant of it) is available for registration does not mean that you are entitled to own that domain name. Once again, some of my close contacts have lost everything (yes, everything!) due to domain name ownership disputes. To check whether a name is trademarked, do a quick search on the United States Patent and Trademark Office or the International Trademark Association website. If the name is cleared, you may want to get a copyright on it to protect your business.

Killer tip 4 – Easy to Pronounce

Creativity is one major part of choosing a successful domain name. Therefore, be creative and think of names which are easy to pronounce and portray a meaningful voice. Whenever you think of a domain name, say it out load and see if it makes sense. If the name easily rolls off the tongue, it is perfectly acceptable. A dictionary might come in handy here, but a little creativity will work wonders!

I have seen companies go down just because they opted for a domain name that did not associate with their business. Everyday, thousands of domain names are deleted or left to expire because they did not serve the intended purpose. Keep your domain name close to your heart and you will see your business flourish.

Hope these 4 tips prove to be the guiding light in your online endeavors. I welcome additional comments on other tips that will help beginners choose a perfect domain name for their website, blog or online businesses.

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