When you think of domain names, most people readily assume that your domain ends in a .com.
After all .com was one of the original domain name extensions first implemented in the internet in 1985. Also included in that original line – up were .net and .org but .com remains to be the most widely used domain name extension today.
With that said, always go for a .com when it is available.
In some cases, you may find that the .com is taken but when you go to the site, it only appears as a parking page full of links. That means someone has bought this domain either intending to use it in the future or to sell it to people like you who may be wanting to have it.
You can try contacting the owner and buying it, but most of them command high prices for these $9 domains.
Otherwise you can go for a .net or .org which are still considered top level domain names.
In cases when a site is already built in the .com domain of your choice, you may want to consider choosing another domain or adding some modifying affixes or words such as the, a, pro, or blog. If you use the same domain name with let’s say a .net or .org, your site might look like a copy cat.
Other ideas to help you choose a domain
Stumped for words? Use a thesaurus to find similar terms for your domain.
Think of combining related words that have the same first letter or syllable.
Use words that rhyme. A domain name that rhymes nicely can help make it more memorable.
Ready to brainstorm?
Here’s a simple three – step process to brainstorm a domain name for your new blog:
List keywords and ideas that represent your blog and your brand.
Combine the words and evaluate them based on the guidelines above.
Find out if the domain names on your list are available. My favorite tool to research available domain names is bustaname.com.
When you’ve chosen the domain name you want, it’s time to register!
How to register your domain name
Namecheap is the one I use to register my domains and I highly recommend it.
They regularly offer discount coupons and they give free Whoisguard protection to protect your contact details on the web. Their user interface is also easy to navigate and they are constantly improving their site to be more user friendly.
Registering is pretty straightforward. Simply type in the domain you want, click on your chosen domain extension, enter your registration details and pay for your domain.
And you’re done! Once your domain is registered, you’ll need to get webhosting which we’ll discuss in greater detail in the next post. For now, when you type your domain, you’re going to see what’s called a “domain parking page” with links. This is the temporary page for your domain before you get hosting and filling your site with content.
After all .com was one of the original domain name extensions first implemented in the internet in 1985. Also included in that original line – up were .net and .org but .com remains to be the most widely used domain name extension today.
With that said, always go for a .com when it is available.
In some cases, you may find that the .com is taken but when you go to the site, it only appears as a parking page full of links. That means someone has bought this domain either intending to use it in the future or to sell it to people like you who may be wanting to have it.
You can try contacting the owner and buying it, but most of them command high prices for these $9 domains.
Otherwise you can go for a .net or .org which are still considered top level domain names.
In cases when a site is already built in the .com domain of your choice, you may want to consider choosing another domain or adding some modifying affixes or words such as the, a, pro, or blog. If you use the same domain name with let’s say a .net or .org, your site might look like a copy cat.
Other ideas to help you choose a domain
Stumped for words? Use a thesaurus to find similar terms for your domain.
Think of combining related words that have the same first letter or syllable.
Use words that rhyme. A domain name that rhymes nicely can help make it more memorable.
Ready to brainstorm?
Here’s a simple three – step process to brainstorm a domain name for your new blog:
List keywords and ideas that represent your blog and your brand.
Combine the words and evaluate them based on the guidelines above.
Find out if the domain names on your list are available. My favorite tool to research available domain names is bustaname.com.
When you’ve chosen the domain name you want, it’s time to register!
How to register your domain name
Namecheap is the one I use to register my domains and I highly recommend it.
They regularly offer discount coupons and they give free Whoisguard protection to protect your contact details on the web. Their user interface is also easy to navigate and they are constantly improving their site to be more user friendly.
Registering is pretty straightforward. Simply type in the domain you want, click on your chosen domain extension, enter your registration details and pay for your domain.
And you’re done! Once your domain is registered, you’ll need to get webhosting which we’ll discuss in greater detail in the next post. For now, when you type your domain, you’re going to see what’s called a “domain parking page” with links. This is the temporary page for your domain before you get hosting and filling your site with content.
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