Ideally,
your domain name should be yourbusinessname.com. If you've
already done a little research and your .com is gone, don't
worry - it's not the be-all and end-all. I'll go over some
alternatives with you in a minute.
Why go for yourbusinessname.com?
If your business is recommended to someone and they look
for you on the Internet, there's a fair chance they'll try
to find you at www.yourbusinessname.com. This is the obvious
place for you to be, so that's where you should be - otherwise
you risk missing website visitors.
If you're not there, you're probably relying on them finding
your website via a search.
Quite simply .com IS the Internet in many people's minds.
The two go hand-in-hand. .com is even used in Internet-related
expressions such as 'the dot com boom' and 'dot com bust'.
Some people are even unaware that other domain extensions
exist (eg. .net .org .co.uk .ie)
.com domains are available on a first-come, first-served
basis so unless you have an unusual business name, your
chances are limited (after all, even pinkbananas.com has
gone!)
Should the Domain Name Be Long or Short?
Should I Separate Words With Hyphens?
Example of a non-hypenated domain name: timsapplepies.com
Example of a hyphenated domain name: tims-apple-pies.com
If your website is mainly going to be promoted by word
of mouth, then naturally, a short, non-hyphenated domain
name makes sense. It's easier to remember and to type.
If you're sure that your website will mainly be found via
search engines (where searchers will simply click a link
to your website) then hyphens are less important and in
fact often make a domain name more readable.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of hyphens in domain names,
I think they looks a little messy. One is fine but more
than that doesn't look great. It's also not as easy to pass
on via word-of-mouth if there are several hyphens in the
domain name.
.com Alternatives
There are a few reasons that you may prefer a domain extension
other than .com. Plus if your 'dot com' is gone, you'll
need an alternative.
.net - originally used by technical websites
only, .net is now commonplace and is my first preference
when the .com is already taken.
.org - also a good choice although it
does still have an association with charity and not-for-profit
organisations, its original use.
.ie .co.uk .ca (and other country domain
extensions) - using a domain name with a country extension
may be preferable, if it assists your marketing. For example,
a tourism business may want its domain extension to reflect
where it operates.
.ie associates your web and email addresses with Ireland.
In a departure from the norm, the Irish Registry want you
to prove your 'claim' to use a .ie domain - not a problem
if you're a registered business in Ireland. Although a little
more expensive than usual, at least there's a better chance
your domain is still available.
.co.uk is usually used by businesses and individuals in
the UK. These domains are available on a first-come first
served basis.
That's just a couple of examples, if you're located elsewhere,
you may like to look up your country extension.
