Elude the Pitfalls of Domain Name Registration

Posted on June 12th, 2009
A blog post by DN (1 Comment)

One of the first things you must accomplish in your mission for online success is pick and register a domain name. Though it all sounds like a simple process, this is one step you can’t afford to take lightly.  You would be surprised at the number of registrants who got it all wrong and ended up regretting their decision.  In order to keep from landing in this unfortunate category, you need to make it a priority to avoid the following mistakes when registering your domain name.

Difficult to Remember – The worst thing you can do is choose a domain name that is difficult for potential visitors to remember.  “CKPFK” might be the initials of your business and “The Web’s Most Comprehensive API’s” could be your slogan.  However, trying to implement either into your domain will likely make it impossible to remember for most of your visitors.  For this reason, you want to pick something that is very memorable and easy for visitors to enter into their browsers.

Too Long – Technically, your domain name can be up to 67 characters in length.  Still, it should be nowhere near this long.  A good domain name is no longer than about 10 characters.  Shorter is better in this case as it makes your name easier to remember and less susceptible to mistakes when visitors go to type it in.

Irrelevant – Sure, your ideal domain name sounds cool, but how relevant is it?  The name should be relevant to what you intend to do online and somehow coincide with the content on your website. “ToyKing” may be a catchy and memorable domain name, but if your business involves selling computer hardware, it definitely isn’t relative.

Double Meanings – Combing words in your domain name may seem like a clever move on your part, but it could also lead to some confusion.  This is why you just might want to think twice so you don’t create double meanings that have visitors wondering what you’re really into.

Wrong TLD - If your business is located in the United States or you plan to target a global audience with your website, it is best to pick a .com for your Top Level Domain or TLD.  While they make viable alternatives, .net, .biz and .org are often perceived as less professional than their .com counterpart.  On the other hand, if you plan to target an audience in a country such as Australia or the United Kingdom, you may want to consider using a extension such as .au or .uk opposed to .com.  This will make it easier for visitors to recognize that your website is local.

Trademark Conflicts – When choosing a domain name, it is imperative that you make sure it is free of legal conflicts and isn’t tied to trademarks of other businesses.  The best way to avoid this is to do your research steer clear of anyone else’s name and trademark.

Choosing a domain name can be a lengthy process, but the pitfalls can be easily avoided when you’re aware.  Following these tips will go a long way in making sure you choose a name that holds its weight in gold.