Choosing a Domain Name
A domain name is your unique address on the Internet e.g. www.yourbusiness.com.au. A well chosen domain name is crucial to a successful online presence. It represents a vital part of your business identity much like any brand name, logo or trademark. It will assist in developing customer recognition and increase customers/audience to your site. It will also probably be used as your email address and will form an integral part of your marketing campaign. So take your time and choose carefully.
How to choose your domain name
When choosing a domain name you should consider the following factors:
Top Level Domains
There are numerous top level domains that are targeted towards specific industries/sectors or locations.
Below are some examples of generic domains:
.biz - Businesses
.com - Commercial Sites
.edu - Educational
.info - Unrestricted Use
.net - Internet/Technology
.org - Organisations
Registering a domain name such as .com, .net. or .org, under a generic top level domain is generally regarded as more 'international'. You can also register country code top level domains such as 'com.au'. This example would suggest an Australian rather than an international focus. It is common for businesses to have more then one top level domain.
Type of Business
Choose a name that closely relates your business name, brand, product, and/or activities. It should be easily recognisable. Be sure to avoid trademarked names.
Domain Name Length
A good domain name is easy for customers to remember, easy to spell, and short. Unfortunately, it's increasingly difficult to secure short domain names among top level domain names such as .com, .net and ,org.
Take into considerations it may be used in a variety of ways; on a business card, letterheads or mentioned over the phone. We recommend discussing some ideas with co-workers, customers, friends and family to see what they think.
Availability
As mentioned earlier, it is increasingly more difficult to acquire a good domain name. Be prepared, your first choice may not be available so we recommended building a list of appropriate domain names. You can check domain name availability at any domain registrar.
Register Multiple Domain Names
Interactive Drive recommends registering multiple domain names for your business. For example if your company is Australian based we recommend a .au domain (will assist in geo specific searches) and a .com, .net or .org address. This also prevents competitors from securing these addresses and taking your potential business. You may also want to register variations of your business name or product name.
The multiple domains can be set up to point to the same e-mail account and web site.
Domain Name Rules
There are some restrictions on domain names. For example the au domain has rules on who may register for a domain. Be sure to check the eligibility rules before registering the domain.
Pricing
Domain name pricing depends on a number of factors including:
Top Level Domain Name
Some top level domain names are more costly then others. For example a '.com.au' domain will generally cost substantially more then a '.com' domain.
Bulk Discounts
Some registrars offer discounts when you buy multiple domains or buy the rights to a domain for an extended period.
Variations in the Domain Registrars
There can be huge price differences between the different domain registrars. Be sure to shop around and read the terms and conditions. Cheaper is not necessarily better as the services may be limited or manual making it time consuming to access and change domain settings.
Listed below is a yearly (unless otherwise stated) ballpark cost for common domain names. Use caution when prices are lower or higher then the amounts below and always remember to check the fine print.
.com - $14 - $30
.net - $14 - $30
.com.au - $45 - $90 (2 years)
.biz - $14 - $30
.org - $14 - $30
It should also be noted that you do not own a domain name - it is licensed for a set period of time and is subject to terms and conditions.