Choosing a Domain Name - Getting It Right

More Tips to Help You Rank Ahead of Your Competition

Think of your domain name as the cover of a novel. If it is not interesting enough, or doesn't properly convey what your web site is about, potential customers may not remember it or may not choose your site from among others in a search.

But, an excess of creativity doesn't always make for a good domain name either. Why is this so?

If a domain name is creative but not keyword rich, search engine robots may have trouble indexing it in search engine listings. So, ultimately, your domain name must be both catchy and search engine optimized. This article will explain how you can achieve both objectives.

First and foremost you will need to find a popular search engine keyword that can be incorporated into your domain name. A keyword analyzer (link opens in a new window) can help you in this task. When you find one, enter in a keyword that best summarizes the purpose of your website. The keyword analyzer will return variations of your keyword along with the number of searches each one gets wtihin a given time period. Look for a multi-word (long tail) keyword phrase that gets a reasonable amount of search traffic (but not necessarly the most). Often these keywords have less competition, so are easier to rank for.

Once you know your keywords you can start selecting your actual domain name. Most domain name companies (link opens in a new window) will allow you to see whether or not your domain name is available. If it is not available, it will return a list of recommended domain names. To use this tool, first enter your selected keyword. If your keyword as a domain name is not available, consider the suggestions the domain search tool returns. If the main keyword is still included in these suggestions and it ends with '.com', consider it. Otherwise, you will have to be more creative.

For example, you can use filler words, numbers or phrases within your domain name to still include your selected keyword. Fillers could be 'a', 'an' or 'the'. Search engines tend to ignore these words, so you still have a good shot at getting indexed while having a domain name that is memorable and catchy. You can also consider fillers at the end of a phrase, such as '101', 'online' or 'site'.

What if you do these things and you still can't get a '.com' name? There are some situations where it is better to stick with a lesser-used extension because the keyword is just that popular. Extensions that still get noticed include '.net', '.biz' and '.org'. Additionally, you can consider using country or state-based extensions if you dont mind international or local-based marketing. Its better to be number 1 in France's version of Google than to be number 200 or worse in America's version of Google.

In conclusion, choosing a domain name that will get the right buzz from both humans and search engines doesn't have to be hard. The keyword analyzer will help you with 90% of your domain name, while your keyword with fillers can help you the other 10%. And, if after an immense amount of pondering, you still can't get the '.com', you can opt for other extensions.