How-Do-I-Choose-a-Domain-Name.com?

The DNS (Domain Name System) was launched in 1984, and as of the end of December 2008 over 174 million domains have been registered. At the current rate that averages out to around 90,000 new domains registered every day. Because of this, securing the domain name that is at the top of your list may be difficult. Before we start, its important to know the two main parts of a domain: the top level domain, and the subdomain. The top level domain is usually referred to as the extension. Examples are .com, .net, and .org. The subdomain comes before the extension and can be just about anything you want it to be. Think of it as a tiered system that drops down as you move from right to left. It's similar to an America street address. It starts with the most specific information, the street number, and ends with the most general, the state. Let's look at some good ways to determine your domain, and maybe you can find one that fits your organization.

Your Organization Name

Using the name of your church, non-profit, or small business as the framework for your domain name is usually the best option. If the name is relatively short, around 10 letters and/or numbers long, I would recommend trying to use it as your domain. So, an organization named 'My Company' would use the domain mycompany.com (we'll talk about the extension - .com, .org, etc. in a minute). But, chances are that domain is not available. You have some options if it's not. You can use hyphens to separate the words (my-company.com). This is more difficult for people to remember, but it helps in the search engines if people are searching specifically for you. Another option is to tag something to the end of your name such as 'online' (mycompanyonline.com).

Your Products or Services

If you can't find any available combination using your organization name, another good choice is to use something you sell or provide. So, if you sold custom widgets, you could try customwidgets.com. Or, if you provide a unique service, you could try myuniqueservice.com (replace myuniqueservice with the name of yours). I would recommend choosing something that sets you apart and that people will remember. If you sell used cars, choosing a domain like buyusedcars.com is not really going to help people remember you and certainly isn't going to do you any favors with the search engines.

Something Completely Unique

This approach can hurt you with the search engines, because your domain won't say anything about what you actually do. But, it can be very helpful for your customers to remember your website. The best example in existence today is Google.com. Before Google became a household name, would you have any idea that the word google had anything to do with searching the internet? Probably not. But once you hear it, you never forget it.

Use Your Geographic Location

If your organization targets a specific area such as your community, city, or state, a good alternative to those mentioned above is to use an indicator of your physical location or your target audience. For example, if your target audience is the state of South Carolina, you could add 'sc' to the end of your domain. Your domain would then look something like mycompanysc.com. Or, add something to the beginning like carolinawidgets.com.

Domain Extensions

If all of that isn't frustrating enough to filter through, you also have to choose a domain extension. This is the '.com' or '.org' at the end of your domain name. A few of these are pretty well regulated such as .gov and .edu. You have to meet certain criteria to use them and they cost more than a standard domain. The rest are designed for specific industries, but there is really nothing stopping you from using them. I've listed the main extensions below and given a brief description of what they are designed for. .com - The .com extension is by far the most popular and most broad in terms of use. You can use it for just about anything. But, because of this, it is often very difficult to find the domain you want with a .com extension. .org - The .org extension is also very popular. It is meant for use by non-profit organizations and adds some credibility to domains that use it. Most people consider a .org extension to be a website that is serving the greater good in some way. But beware, there is no real accountability for this. So, just because someone is using .org, it doesn't guarantee their motives. .net - .net was originally created for network providers, but it has since grown into the fallback for those who can't get the .com name they really want. It's pretty popular, and a good alternative to maintain the name you want. .biz - The .biz extension is specifically designed for business use. Again, there is no regulating party that says who can and who can't use it. But, if you choose to use .biz, be sure you have sufficient proof that the name you use to go along with it belongs to you. There are legal avenues that can be taken to remove your ownership of a .biz domain if another company decides to register it as a trademark. .info - .info is another generic extension that can be used for just about anything. The name itself suggests that any website using it will provide some sort of useful information. But, as with the others, there are no restrictions and it is often used to maintain the name you wanted under a .com. .mobi - This is the youngest extension with any real popularity. .mobi is meant for websites that cater to mobile devices. Many organizations are launching a second website that is scaled down and easily navigated on a mobile device. I would highly recommend securing the same domain you currently have with a .mobi extension, before someone else does. .us - This is the extension for organizations based in the United States. Most developed countries have their own unique extension available. Again, it can be used for just about anything, and can be a good third or forth choice to maintain the name you want. In the end, take the time to find the best combination for you. Often, sacrificing the .com extension for one of the others may get your the domain you're looking for.