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Maximizing Your Domain's Potential
So you've registered what you think is a great domain name, and now you think it's going to pay for itself a hundred times over, right? Wrong. No matter what domain name you may buy, it's not going to pay for itself on its own. Maximizing a domain name's value takes thought, creativity and effort - and it requires selecting a good name in the first place .
Going solo or using hyphens Since virtually every word in the English language has been
registered on its own as a domain name, you are going to be
forced to register a combination of words (or a funny-sounding
acronym). The first reaction most webmasters have is to ask,
"Well then, should I buy one with hyphens, to make it
easier to remember?"
Simply put, the answer is no. The reason is two-fold: first,
hyphens make a domain name longer. Although a domain like
Bobsinternetresources.com is long, it's not as long as bobs-internet-resources.com.
Try describing that URL on the telephone: "It's Bob.
Hyphen. Internet. Hyphen." It can become very weighty.
The second reason is a misconception: webmasters often believe
hyphenated domains will improve their Web site's ranking in
search engines. This is simply wrong. True, because there
was a time when search engines looked at each word in between
hyphens as a keyword. A search engine optimization then compare each keyword with the content of your site, match
it to the query of the user performing the search, and then
determine where your site should appear in its listings. Today,
however, search engines are much smarter - they look at a
Web site's content and little else. As a result, hyphenated
domain names no longer have any influence on search engine
rankin gs.
Consider a ccTLD From a functional perspective, country code Top Level Domains
(ccTLDs) work just as well as any TLD. Therefore, more webmasters
are choosing country-specific domains, as better names are
typically available than when choosing a domain under the
.com, .org or .net extensions. If all the domains available
for your site are extremely long, or for a domain
name registration can provide full functionality
and regional branding, consider purchasing a ccTLD.
Promoting your domain to search engines
Once you have configured your domain to point to your Web
site, you will need to ensure that search engines are aware
of it. If they aren't, your site will receive very few visitors
- even if you have managed to find a memorable, snappy domain
name. With a little bit of effort and a lot of patience, however,
you can get a significant traffic base from search engines.
Ensuring you own your domain Just because you buy a domain name registration mean you own it. While official ownership is usually irrelevant
to the smooth operation of most Web sites, it can be key in
a legal dispute. When a service provider (usually an ISP or
Web host) registers a domain on your behalf as part of some
larger package (usually related to free Web hosting), they
will sometimes register themselves as the official owner of
the domain, although they will grant you usage of it. This
means that in the event of an ownership challenge because
of trademark reasons or otherwise, the decision about whether
or not to relinquish ownership of the domain will ultimately
reside in the hands of your service provider instead of you.
Think before you buy In conclusion: because of their widespread availability and
low price, domain names can often be an "impulse"
buy. Most domains bought on an impulse, however, are rarely
used. As a result, consider multiple word combinations and
domain types before you buy - use a naming tool if you are
low on ideas. Think hard before selecting you're domain; after
all, you will be stuck with it for at least a year.
