Tips for Choosing the Best Domain

This page is meant to be informative and fun, as you learn about choosing the best domain names.  Especially if you are interested in domaining.

Before buying a domain for a website you may want to read through my tips below.  Enjoy.

1. Vanity (Brand) vs SEO-friendly Domains

Domains that are "generic", search engine optimized (SEO), tend to be long. Although you can now register a name with up to 63 characters, you should also consider that if and when your site becomes popular, having a long domain (URL) could backfire. Since the keywords in a domain are very important to ranking well on the search engine results page (SERPs), a longer, keyword-rich domain will be more SEO-friendly.

So, you must decide whether you want your site to rank really well or make it easier to to remember. The deciding factor often would be whether or not you will advertise a lot. If not, then an SEO-friendly domain should be used. After all, once your site is popular, you could always buy a short, catchy domain and redirect your longer domain to it.

2. Dot Whatever

There are many different domain extensions available, however just because they are available doesn't mean that they are worth buying. You should almost always aim for a .com Top Level Domain (TLD), if at all possible and affordable. Next, .org and .net are the preferred domain TLDs.

3. Avoid Trademarked Names

It's that simple. Even if the domain includes seemingly generic terms it does not mean that a company with that generic term will not send you a nastygram from their lawyer. Although you may have every right to own it, you could still lose simply because they have a deeper pocketbook and could drive you into the bankruptcy.

4. Your Brand Name

If you have a great domain or it is your brand, then you should register the other extensions (TLDs). For example, if you have "example.com", register "example.net" and "example.org" so no one else takes them. This is also part of doing what is called 'reputation management'.

5. Avoid Bad Domains

We've all heard about the terrible, yet funny, domains that people thought sounded good, but didn't think it through all the way. See below the section Bad, Yet Funny Domain Names.

Who Represents is a site in which you can find the name of the agent that represents any celebrity. Their Web site is
www.whorepresents.com

Experts Exchange is a knowledge base where programmers can exchange Advice and views at
www.expertsexchange.com

Kids Exchange was a clothing store for kids. The domain didn't turn out so well.
www.kidsexchange.com

Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at
www.penisland.net

Need a therapist? Then try Therapist Finder at
www.therapistfinder.com

A company selling Learning CDs and CAD software was named ViaGrafix – quite innocent until the popular blue pill came on the market. They learned the hard way that their domain has taken on a new meaning. The company is now called Learn2.
www.viagrafix.com

There's the Italian Power Generator company,
www.powergenitalia.com

If you're looking for IP computer software, there is always
www.ipanywhere.com

TeachersTalk is a nice friendly community for teachers and students to discuss homework and general learning.
www.teacherstalk.com

Speed of Art await you at their wacky Web site,
www.speedofart.com