Choosing a Domain Name For Your Web site or Blog
Having your own registered domain name for your Web site or blog is important. Before you can register a domain name, you have to choose one! Here’s some tips to help you find a good domain name.
Your domain name gives your Web site or blog professionalism and credibility. When someone sees a domain name that has been carefully chosen to successfully represent a Web site or blog, then trust is built between the Web site or blog and its readers and visitors.
A registered domain name is one you have the exclusive right to use. You use a domain registrar like Go Daddy to find and register a domain name for your Web site or blog. Domain name registration is very affordable.
Domain Name Registration
This blog uses www.wpblogsandwebsites.com as its domain name. I blog here about WordPress, and Web sites created and using WordPress, and also about Web sites and their development and design. If instead, I blogged about how to fix and repair Jeep Grand Wagoneers (something for which I pay big bucks to my mechanics), then my domain name would be misleading. Your trust in me would not be as strong if I used www.wpblogsandwebsites.com to blog about the maintenance of Jeep Grand Wags. With www.wpblogsandwebsites.com I have branded this blog as one that discusses WordPress and Web site topics.
While it is relatively easy to register a domain name, selecting the domain name to register is not so easy! In the end, you should select a domain name that suits your blog or Web site, and one that you like too. Selecting a domain name is both a technical and personal consideration. There are no absolute rules about selecting a domain name. Some very successful blogs and Web site have not followed conventional advice about selecting a domain name and have done very well.
Some tips to consider when choosing a domain name for a Web site or blog:
- What is your Web site or blog about? The domain name should represent what your blog’s subject is.
- Who is going to be reading your Web site or blog? You’ll want the domain name to be one these people will recognize.
- Is your domain name easy to remember? Can people remember what the domain name of your Web site or blog is? Word of mouth is valuable, so make it easy for people to use their mouths when they remember or say your domain name.
- Can people spell and pronounce your domain name? Sometimes cute spellings and pronunciations of words can backfire.
- Will the domain name limit you to just one, or a few areas or subjects? As time goes on, you may find you want to branch out and widen what your blog talks about. A narrowly focused domain name may hurt you when you want to expand. Let your domain name give you some elbow room to grow.
- Your domain name should reflect the tone of your Web site or blog. Are you always going to be serious? Are you going to be humorous? Are you going to be a political blogger with your eyes bugging out in anger? You may want to have the tone of your Web site or blog shown in its domain name.
- Will your domain name be good in the future too, or will it become dated? If your domain name is geared towards one of today’s hot topics, then in a few short years (or months!) from now that domain name may look like yesterday’s news.
- Usually short domain names with correct spelling are better because they are easier to remember. This can be debated, as longer domain names, or an odd spelling, can work out great.
- A domain name with the .com domain type is the most familiar. There are others such as .net, .org, or .biz that may work well for you. As there is good use of .com in a domain name, you might find it difficult to find a suitable domain name with the .com domain type. It depends on your Web site or blog’s topic and the amount of competition you have for your domain name.
- You might consider registering multiple domain names. For example, you might register and use yourgreatdomainname.com for your blog or Web site, but you might also register yourgreatdomainname.net, yourgreatdomainname.org, and yourgreatdomainname.biz so that you corner the market on "yourgreatdomainname." You would set things up at your domain name registrar so that anyone who types in yourgreatdomainname.net, yourgreatdomainname.org, or yourgreatdomainname.biz in their browser address box winds up at yourgreatdomainname.com blog or Web site.
- Brainstorm domain ideas! Sit down with a paper pad and a pencil in a quiet place (or noisy if that makes you think better!) and think up as many words as possible that match, relate to, and represent what your Web site or blog is all about. Jot down these words and match them up, combine them, play with them and come up with a list of possible domain names. Ask friends, relatives, and associates what they think of your prospective domain names.
- Once you choose a domain name, and it’s available (you can check domain name availability at a domain registrar, like Go Daddy), then REGISTER it! Stake your claim on the Internet by getting that super domain name for yourself, before someone else grabs it. Domain name registration cost is very affordable.
An important thing to remember about choosing a domain name is that your domain name be legal. I strongly recommend you avoid using any trademarked name as/or as part of your domain name. Let’s not feed the lawyers and lets keep you out of court.
I follow my own advice with www.wpblogsandwebsites.com. "WordPress" is a trademark, and WordPress asks you to not use "WordPress" in your domain name if you are going to have a Web site or blog about WordPress. WordPress says that using "wp" instead of "WordPress" in your domain name is fine. That’s what I have done with this blog’s domain name of www.wpblogsandwebsites.com. Here is information from WordPress regarding the "WordPress" trademark:
For various reasons related to our WordPress trademark, we ask if you’re going to start a site about WordPress or related to it that you not use "WordPress" in the domain name. Try using "wp" instead, or another variation. We’re not lawyers, but very good ones tell us we have to do this to preserve our trademark. Also many users have told us they find it confusing.
If you already have a domain with "WordPress" in it, redirecting it to the "wp" equivalent is fine, just as long as the main one users see and you promote doesn’t contain "WordPress."
By the way, I also registered www.wordpressblogsandwebsites.com too, and it points to www.wpblogsandwebsites.com. I also happen to have this blog installed at my web host as a subdomain of my main Web site of www.nellaware.com. That’s why you may see http://wordpressblogsandwebsites.nellaware.com/ in your browser’s address bar as you visit this blog. This is fine with WordPress, as they state on http://wordpress.org/about/domains/:
"WordPress" in sub-domains is fine, like wordpress.example.com, we’re just concerned about top-level domains.
My point is, you must be aware of trademarks when you choose your domain name. I gave consideration and respect to the "WordPress" trademark when I chose my domain name for this blog. You should do the same with your Web site or blog and its subject matter. Remember, don’t feed the lawyers!
There are many factors that go into selecting a domain name, but basically you want a domain name people can remember and spell correctly. Your domain name is how people will find your blog or Web site, so pick a domain name that makes it as easy as possible for people to find you.
Domain Name Registration
More helpful information:
Get Your Own Domain Name
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