Should your domain name be your name? It’s a fair question. But what’s the answer?

Is it a good idea?

It can depend to an extent what kind of internet business you are in. If you are a writer then buying this kind of domain name is a good idea, since people will probably look up your name online to see where else your name has cropped up. If you have your own website linked to your name, then you will be found easily and you can then showcase your work to potential buyers.

But does the same apply to other internet businesses? Is a personal domain name rather vain, or is it a good idea?

Depends on the Website

In short, it can depend on the type of website and internet business you want to set up. Some people have attached their own person domain name to their blog, and in this case it can work very well because it is a personal thing. But what if you are establishing an internet business which sells computer supplies?

In this case your own personal domain name may be a little out of place, since people will be looking for a website address which highlights the type of business that is being run.

Perhaps the only exception would be if you use your surname as part of your business name. For example Joe Bloggs could run Bloggs’ Computer Supplies, and get that as a domain name.

In the end the basic rule of thumb is this – if your website is chiefly about you in some way then a personal domain name is fine. But if it is about your business then you might want to give it a miss and go for something more descriptive. Blogs can get away with it, even if they are promotional in some way, but regular websites don’t work well unless they are all about you.

Have a most outstanding day.

Sean Rasmussen
Internet Marketing Blog
www.SeanSEO.com © 2008

If you are still in the planning stages of your website and you haven’t even got your domain name in the bag yet, now is the time to make sure you pick one that won’t embarrass you at a later date.

An Appropriate Domain Name

We all know that all the good ones have gone – allegedly – but it’s still important to make sure that the one you do finally decide on is easy to read, easy to understand and doesn’t need to be spelt out when you say it out loud to someone.

Here are a few good ways to see whether you have chosen the right domain name:

• Write it down – complete with the http:// bit – on a piece of paper. This sounds a bit mad but if you can see what your domain name looks like written down you’ll get an idea of whether it will work or not

• Tell a few other trusted people what domain name you are thinking of using. If you get comments like ‘Huh?’ or ‘Say that again?’ or ‘Can you spell that?’ then it might be worth having a rethink

• Try it with and without hyphens if you have more than one word in your suggested URL. Hyphens can be a pain but a longer URL can look totally confusing without them

Think About Keywords

In the end it’s just as much a matter of personal taste as it is anything else. You will have to live with your choice so make sure it’s a good one. You also need to ensure you think about keywords – don’t go for an obscure title that won’t help you in the search engines just because it sounds good. Put traffic flow first – you won’t get many visitors without it.

Ok? So go and choose a great domain name – and then grab it before someone else does.

Have a most outstanding day.

Sean Rasmussen
Internet Marketing Blog
www.SeanSEO.com © 2008

It’s disappointing when you come up with an absolutely perfect domain name but it’s already taken. What should you do? You have a few options.

Choosing  a Great Domain Name

• Come up with a plan B
• Come up with a URL name that’s close
• Use a different extension
• Try to buy the name you’re after

A plan B is another name. Very often when you try to register a domain name that’s already taken, a site like GoDaddy will suggest alternate names that seem related. This can be helpful and give you a few ideas. You might also tweak the name a little so that it’s close.

You could also go with a .net instead of a dot com or go with your local country (such as: .co.uk in the UK or .ca in Canada.) Most experts agree that a .com extension is the best bet from an SEO and a brand perspective but if you have a perfect name and really want to use it, it can still get great indexing when you use a different extension.

Are All the Great Domain Names Gone?

If you want to buy the domain name that you’re after, buying the domain from someone else might be an option for you but one that could be financially costly. Is it really worthwhile? It could be perfect for you, if it’s a name that really speaks volumes about your business and contains the elements of a great name for being memorable to others as well as SEO value.

In the end, the choice is yours but you do need to weigh the pros and cons. Buying a domain that someone else owns could be quite pricey. You won’t know until you make an offer though and sometimes, domain parking isn’t as profitable as someone expected so they can be anxious to unload to someone for a price that could be less than you expect.

Have a most outstanding day.

Dana Prince
Internet Marketing Blog
www.SeanSEO.com © 2008