Choosing a Domain Name: Some Dos and Don’ts - Domain name details

The most recognized extension for domain names is still .com. This is the extension you should get for your domain name if at all possible. Most of the others do not register with the general public, though a not-for-profit would be wise to snag a domain name with a .org extension. Indeed, if you have anything other than a .com domain name extension, Internet users might not take your business seriously; at best, they will find your domain difficult to remember. Web surfers who type in domains rather than search for them automatically tend to type .com at the end of the name. This is why whitehouse.com does brisk business; the actual presidential website is whitehouse.gov. (Note: if you are reading this at work or in a public place, please do not visit whitehouse.com).

What about country code top level domains such as co.uk? Those can work well in certain situations. If your business is regional and you only ship within the country, you might want to use a ccTLD. Likewise, if you have information that is relevant only to one country or one part of the world, a ccTLD might make sense. Think hard before using such a domain, however, both because of the .com issues mentioned above, and because someone seeing that extension and not from that area will assume you have nothing to offer them.

By the same token, you should not include a specific location in your domain name unless you explicitly serve only that location. A Web surfer in New York who sees your domain name come up in the search engine results is less likely to visit your site if it has, for example, “LasVegas” in it, unless he’s planning a vacation there. He won’t get the chance to find out that you ship nationwide.

While some in the industry advocate having several domain names or buying up every dot-variant of your chosen name, for most businesses, one domain name is fine. Once you have settled on that name, make sure you use it on all of your business cards, stationary, promotional items, and in advertisements. Your domain name is your online identity; for some people, it might be your only identity. Spread it far and wide to make sure it’s known.