Seems like a very boring topic, but translate the concept back to the real world and it becomes a very important topic. The Domain Name System (DNS) is your virtual business address. What if you lost your business location? Would drive-by traffic die? Would loyal customers chose a different vendor? Would prospects put in the extra effort to figure out where you moved?
From that perspective, domain names really are a big deal. Here are some tips to help you make sense of the Domain Name System.
Registering the Perfect Domain name
Before going down the rabbit hole at the registrar's website, jot down some possible domain names. For names containing multiple words, write them out using initial caps, with no spaces. The name should be easy to say, spell and type, to hold it up and see if you can make sense of the words, say it out loud to hear how it sounds and type it (all lowercase) to see how much pain you feel in your finger tips.- In print, omit the http://www part. See how it looks. The W in www is silent, so never, ever say “WWW” out loud.
- Avoid hyphens, they are impossible to define and speak, “Was that a hyphen or a dash?”
- Same it true of numbers, unless they are already part of the business name.
- Make a big list – Your first, perfect choice may not be available, so manage your expectations.
- Visit a Registrar – I use Godaddy.com. Reasonable price, excellent phone support (for domain registration at least). Type your first choices to see what is available. Manage your disapointment and try the rest of your list.
Leveraging the Power of Domain Names
It's not enough to simply register all the possible combinations of all the possible business names you might possibly think about launching. So don't even try. Use these tips to leverage your domain name investment.- Build a Virtual Wall – If the dot com is available, consider also registering the dot net to prevent a competitor from sponging off your virtual success.
- Domain Forwarding – Have you ever registered a domain to keep it falling into the wrong hands? If your not ready to publish a full web site consider forwarding those who search on the domain name to actual content somewhere else. Send them to a single related page on a different site and it's almost like having a full blown website under that topic.
- Bulk Renewal Discounts – Domain names are often registered on the fly whenever idea strikes someones fancy. It creates a renewal nightmare. Instead of renewing names one at a time, consider having the registrar adjust the dates to take advantage of bulk renewal discounts.
- Single Source Registrar – When you register all your domains at one vendor you create a one stop shop for domain management.