Finding the right name for your online business can make all the difference in the world to the success of your online business.

A domain name is the name of your online business. It is written in the address bar and is also called the URL of the website. Domain names are cheap to register but can be expensive to buy form someone who is squatting on them. Think twice before you buy a domain name from a squatter but be ready to ask what is the selling price for a domain name that suits your needs perfectly.

So how do you choose a domain name? Personally I think having a brainstorming session with some friends over some good food and wine while being able to check on ideas is a great start. Just be ready to go through a few ideas and you’ll find the one that works perfectly for you.

What to consider for your name:

• Does it work for your business both online and offline?
• Is it available for registering online as a domain and offline as a registered business name?
• What domain extension works best for your customers - .com.au, .com, .net.au, .net etc – this will also be influenced by the location of your customers. If they are primarily within Australia then the .au extension is good, if they are from outside of Australia then maybe a more international extension is better.
• Long domain names are challenging to use on a daily basis, especially in email addresses and expecting customers to remember. Try to keep it to a maximum of 3 – 4 words.
• Consider the first letter of the domain name – if it is lower in the alphabet it will mean the site is listed low in alphabetical lists used in your internet marketing strategy. This matters more for some businesses than others. Just think of a bead business – starting with M will put a site in the bottom third of an alphabetical list whereas starting with A would put the business ahead of most of the competition who start with bead…
• Look to having at least one key word of your business in the domain name as they search engines will give you a better ranking because your content is directly linked to your domain name.

Things to avoid:

• Strange spellings of words that will have to be clearly explained to people over the phone, on the radio or in conversation.
• Dashes and underscores as these will have to be explained carefully too.
• Plays on famous names as search engines have built in penalties for doing this.

Once you’ve registered your domain name make sure you put it on all your marketing material such as business cards, email signature files, with compliment slips, flyers, brochures and postcards.

When you’re registering your domain name you should spend no more than $20 - $40 per year. Registering your domain name for 2 – 5 years can be a great option too.

Tip: Keep your domain name registration information close to hand and setup in your online calendar reminders for when registration is due. Having a folder with technical details about your registration and website is really handy too.