Website Design , Web Development and eBusiness Services in Bridgewater, Nova Scotia

Domain Names...

Life on the World Wide Web begins with a unique address called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) and an IP (Internet Protocol) number. The IP number for this site is 65.108.131.230 so the URL would be http:// 65.108.131.230.

Since this would be a major pain to remember, the wizards of the wired world came up with the idea of Domain Names which are just another way to identify a Web Site's location. The Domain Name System (DNS) translates FusionStudio.com into the IP numbers used by the Internet. FusionStudio.com is far easier to remember and offers several other advantages.

Tip: Since the address you type into a browser window is not case sensitive it is sometimes beneficial to use Capitals when you promote your Domain Name. It can make it easier to read and remember… www.fusionstudio.com and www.FusionStudio.com will take you to the same place but the latter is easier to read!

So what's in a name?

Since your URL address is how people find you on the Internet its real world equivalent would be your physical address. Hence the real world importance of "Location, Location, Location" translated into the Cyberworld is "Name, Name, Name"!

The original TLDs (Top Level Domain) extensions include:

.com	Intended for Commercial Sites
.net	Intended for Network Operators
.org	Intended for Organizations
.gov	Restricted for use by Government
.edu	Restricted for use by Educational Institutions

While the com, net, and org extensions had specific purposes they are being used for practically any application.

Then there are a multitude of Country extensions. For Canada the extension is .ca. Some keen entrepreneurs have even made special deals with small Countries for use of their domain extensions and are promoting them as alternatives to the main TLDs. Examples include .tv (the tiny island of Tuvalu!) and .cc (the Cocos Islands).

What makes a good name?

In many instances the decision is an easy one. You want an Internet address that mirrors your business name. If you are Joe and you operate Joe's Plumbing then www.JoesPlumbing.com would be a natural choice. Now if Joe had aspirations to take over the plumbing world he may have tried for www.Plumbing.com. Generic names relevant to your business or area of expertise can be quite valuable. However, suffice it to say that all single word .coms and most short two-word generic terms have already been registered. This is one of the reasons why ICANN approved the new TLDs. But that doesn't mean that all good names are gone. It just requires more creative thinking.

The lack of available names is one of the reasons why so many Internet Businesses have strange names. They wanted the corresponding .com and all of the 'normal' names were gone!

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when choosing a name:

Extension	.COM continues to reign supreme as the most preferred domain extension. Worldwide it is the most recognizable and given it’s status it denotes an early adopter prestige to the owner. A .net or your particular country extension might be an appropriate second choice.
Length	Shorter is generally better given that it is usually easier to spell, type, recall, and say. However, common sayings or simple word combinations can also be very effective and relativelsy easy to brand.
Spelling	The ‘spoken test’ refers to whether a domain name can be heard and the spelling instantly known. Abbreviated words or misspelled words (Kool for Cool) are more challenging to communicate. Value is also decreased when word or number substitutions are utilized in a domain name. For example, the number '4' to indicate the word 'for', 'u' to signify 'you','0' zero as a replacement for a capital 'O', etc.
Descriptive Power	A good domain clearly indicates it’s intended purpose and ideally conveys a positive image to the intended audience. If you visited AppleTreeSeeds.com you would probably anticipate finding just that. Strangely enough, a sufficient marketing effort can brand just about any name for an alternate purpose i.e. Amazon.com, Monster.com, etc.
Hyphens	Use a hyphen only if absolutely necessary as they typically substantially devalue the value due to issues having to do with confusion when communicated through radio, word-of-mouth and other forms of advertising.. By default people are in the habit of spelling multi-word domain names without hyphens. One possible use is to buy both and use the hyphened version to generate additional traffic or to block competitors.
Geography	Using a geographic or regional reference in a domain name limits the potential and therefore can impact value. AustralianCamera.com for example might be ideal for a single market but potentially becomes a limiting factor on the global stage.
Prefixes	Using 'i', 'e', and so forth in front of a name can have positive marketing value but in most cases it can date the name and impact spelling and recall.
Recognition	How memorable the name is and how easily it can be recalled is of utmost importance. The more arcane the word(s) or word combinations the more difficult it may to remember and thereby require a larger marketing expenditure to build the brand.

Through advertising and promotional efforts it is possible to establish just about any name as a recognizable brand. However a good name to start with makes the process much easier and the path to success a little smoother. Choose wisely.