Resources : Picking your domain

Your domain is your home on the web. It's where people come to find you, your business or the information you care about. That's why it's so important to pick a domain name that works for you. A excellent domain is:

• Short (1-3 words)
• Easy to remember
• Spelled traditionally (if based on a real word)

Some other considerations for community or business sites:

• Has a popular top-level domain extension (e.g., .com, .net, .org)
• Sounds inventive or unique
• Evokes strong imagery or cultural significance
• Starts with an 'A' or '1' (to get near top of listings)
• Indicates the nature of your business/site content
• Doesn't have legal conflicts (e.g., don't try to buy mycrosoft.com or they'll probably sue you)
• Can be used as a verb (or is a verb)

Good examples: Amazon.com, Download.com, Netflix.com, Go.com, HTMLGoodies.com

Your chosen domain name also has to be available for registration - a feat increasingly difficult to accomplish! If you have your heart set on a particular domain and it's already registered, check to see if it is available for sale! Be sure to do your research and buy from a reputable broker. However, there are a couple of things you can do to work around these challenges:

• Add words
  Example: ImSoCool.com isn't free, but ImSoVeryCool.com is
• Change the spelling
  Example: IRock.org is taken, but IRawk.org is available
• Be specific
  Example: 7of9Rules.net instead of Borg.net

Brainstorm with a friend or colleague to come up with a list of ideas for your domain name. Try to think of all the keywords someone might search on to find your website, and use those words in your domain name, if it makes sense. Don't drive yourself crazy trying to get the "perfect" name, but don't be afraid to spend a few hours trying to get the best one you can.

And when you've found your little gem, don't forget to host your new domain with Launcharoo! ;-)

Additional Resources

• Domain Registry/Search
  There are TONS of places to register your domain once you've picked it! You can go to register.com and pay $35 a year, or you can be smart and go somewhere like Namecheap (starts at $8.88/year). Be sure that your registrar offers domain protection services like "registrar lock" so no one can hijack your domain name. Register.com also has a option for finding alternate names based on your original search.
• Domain Extensions
• Choosing and Registering a Domain Name