How Do I Create a Domain Name for a Website?
Choosing a domain name is a long term commitment for any business, organization, group or individual. Above all, it's imperative that you choose the right domain and stick with it, as changing it means that you're back to square one in terms of promoting your site. A good domain name should be simple, unique and indicative of who you are and what you do.
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Instructions
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Make your domain name the same as your website name. Ideally, this is also the name of your business, group, or organization. This helps people associate your site with the larger entity it represents. The name should also be descriptive. It should give people some indication of what you have to offer before they even see the site. If this isn't possible at least make the name indicative of the style of the site. You should know before you settle on a domain name if the site's appearance is going to be playful or austere, informal or professional. Consider the look and feel of the site and choose the name accordingly.
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Make it simple and easy to remember. Sometimes this means keeping the name short. However, if you have to abbreviate your site name to do so, you may end up with what appears as a random sequences of letters. For example, even though "SuperCheapUsedCars.com" is longer than "scuc.com" it stands out in one's memory because the words in the title are related. It also contains common words that users aren't likely to misspell.
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Anticipate what's already taken. If you're selling used cars, chances are "UsedCars.com" is already taken. Save yourself time and effort by considering what makes your site unique and make this part of the name. This is especially helpful when building a site that uses your own name. You can bet that "SteveSmith.com" is taken, but "SteveSmithRealty.com" has a much better chance of being available. Unless it's integral to your business model, avoid using variations on existing website names, as this can cause a lot of confusion.
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Give yourself plenty of options. Make a list of all the names you can think of that are both descriptive, simple, memorable and likely to be available. Do this before you start building your website. If you have already started building your site, leave the title off the site until you've settled on and purchased the domain. This can save you from having to redo the site to accommodate a name change.
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Make sure the name you want isn't already taken. There are a variety of on-line services that can tell you whether or not a domain is available. To find one, simply go to any reputable search engine and type "domain availability" or something to that effect into the search field. This will generate a list of options to choose from, select one, enter your desired domain name in its search field and it will tell you whether or not the name is available. If it is, the site will give you instructions on how to purchase the domain. You must purchase the domain before you use it for your site.
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