24 July 2007

*DOMAIN*
Are you getting the service that you require from your domain registrar? Actually, thinking about it for a minute, it might be a better question to ask, do you even know what services are available? Are you aware that you can shop around and get better prices, more features and far better customer service?Guess what? All domain registrars are not the same.Okay, let's back up a minute. Way back when the internet was young (maybe 5 years ago) all domain names were handled by Network Solutions, Inc. In those dark, evil days you had no choice. It didn't matter what you thought of the process, it was unimportant that you were not getting service and the price, well, was a standard high fee.A few years ago the government decided that Network Solutions would no longer be a monopoly. The government wanted to do this to deregulate the industry and encourage competition, and also perhaps to spur a little bit of growth into this thing called the internet.Okay, so now you do have a choice. In fact, there are well over a hundred different domain registrars at last count. They seem to be springing up all over the place, and the level of support and service, as well as the price, seems to vary greatly.You may not know it, but you can change domain registrars at any time. It's actually not very complicated at all.Here are some of the questions that you may have regarding domain transfers.How much does it cost?It depends upon the domain registrar. I have found that many will transfer your domain for no cost to get your business. Others will charge a few dollars ($5 to $20 or more), but will drop the fee if you extend your domain for a couple of years. Shop around and find a good deal.What are the advantages of transferring?You may not like the domain registrar you are currently using - perhaps they have poor support or cost too much. You can shop around and find the best solution for your needs.Remember, though, that if you are like most people, domain registration is something you will not do very often, so perhaps customer support is not all that important.What are the disadvantages?Transferring a domain can be confusing. Also, there is no guarantee that the new registrar will be any better than the old one. Again, remember that domain registration is not something that you should need to deal with very often (if you are like most people) so it may not be worth the effort to change.Can any domain be transferred?Yes, any domain registered with any registrar may be transferred to any other registrar.What does a registrar do?The registrar manages your domain name. They maintain security and the structures that make the domain work.Does changing registrars have any effect on ownership?No. When you change registrars you are only changing managers. You still retain ownership.Are there reasons why a domain may not be transferred?Yes. Some of these are listed below.- The domain name is in a legal dispute of some kind.- The identity of the domain name holder is in dispute or unknown.- The domain name holder is in bankruptcy.- The domain has only been with the registrar for 60 days.- The registrar refuses to transfer for other reasons.How is a domain transferred?This varies from registrar to registrar. Some require a notarized form to be delivered to them, others can do it using a web site form. How long does the process take?The registrar will usually take five to ten days to review and validate the request. Once it has been validated and put into action, it will take a couple of days for the change to filter through the internet.Will the web site associated with the domain be accessible during the change?Yes. This normally does not effect access to your web site. The registrar is changed, not the web site address and other information.
*DOMAIN NAMES*

Any new website venture online will include a domain name. Sometimes the domain is purchased from a domain broker - someone who specializes in reselling domain names. The majority of the time, however, it will be registered through a domain registrar. No matter how it is purchased, in all cases, the domain name (or names) for a website should be carefully considered. The basis of the marketing for the website will be the domain name chosen.Having been a domain name appraiser for a few years now, I can tell you that the choice of names for your site is critical to marketing. When I appraise a domain for value (in both dollars and marketability), I use basic criteria for my judgement of the domain. The most important of those criteria is length and readability. If the domain is too long or too hard to read (for a human), its value is very low. If it cannot be spoken and typed correctly (most of the time), it's also of low value. A well-thought-out domain name is the first step in a successful marketing campaign.When choosing and registering a domain name for a new website, there are three basic steps to follow to ensure a marketable name for your site. Follow them every time and you'll have successful domains every time.Step 1: The NameChoosing a name may be as easy as "your business name dot com" or it may be more difficult (especially if you have a common name for your business). In all cases, your business' name should be your number one pick for your domain name. If your business name is difficult to spell easily, try to register misspellings of it as well.

For instance, my business name is "Aaronz WebWorkz," so I obviously own "AaronzWebWorkz.com." Since this is regularly misspelled by potential clients, I also have "AaronsWebWorks.com" registered so that all email and web requests go to the original AaronzWebWorkz.com site. In addition to this, I purchased "dotcom-it.com" as an alternate domain and use that when giving out the URL on the phone or in situations where I can't hand someone a business card with my URL printed on it. If your business name, as an example, is "Widgets, Inc.," however, you'll have a hard time getting the domain name "widgets.com" or "widgetsinc.com" and will have to find alternatives. I have a simple process I use and recommend when this is the case. Even if your product or product type isn't in your business' name, it's a good idea to purchase domains with that product in the name to use for marketing purposes.First, make a list of words or short phrases that have something to do with your business. Six to ten of these is good to start off. Once you have the list, remove all of the ones that have more than twenty characters in them (this keeps them short). Then create new additions to your list by replacing empty spaces with "-" and "_" characters. Finally, compress the spaced words into one word (e.g. "widgets galore" becomes "widgetsgalore") to ad to the list. Now that you have this list, prioritize it by numbering the entries from 1 to 10 (or so). Now see if these domains are available (step 2).Step 2 - Domain AvailabilityThis step is easy and will take just a few minutes to do. Take your list from Step 1 and begin with #1 on that list. Go to any domain registrar (see list below) and enter the domains in the order they are numbered on your list. Usually, you can just enter the domain without a suffix (.com, .net, etc.) and find out if any of the variations are available. Most registrars will also produce a list of alternatives you may want to consider as well. As you proceed through the list, check off any domains that ".com" is available for. Don't worry about most alternatives since, for business, dot com is where it's at. Cross out any names on your list that aren't available. Once you're finished, you should have a short list of available, good domains for your business.Step 3 - Register the DomainNow that you know what's available, begin registering those domains! Domain registrars are all over the Web with varying prices and services. A good registrar is worth any extra money that may be spent since a registrar going out of business could easily cause headaches and nightmares for you. I have used, worked with, and recommend the following registrars:DirectNIC: http://www.directnic.com?3908Domain-Maniac: http://www.qksrv.net/click-1357406-4050466Dotster: http://www.qksrv.net/click-1357406-1099456In addition, you may wish to use the domain tools offered at easyDNS. Especially if you register a lot of domains are are in need of "extras" that aren't normally offered by a registrar. EasyDNS: http://www.qksrv.net/click-1357406-5590844Good luck with your new venture!
*TIP CHOOSING DOMAINS*
Intro To Domain NamesEach domain name consists of two parts - the Mid Level Domain (MLD), and the Top Level Domain (TLD). The Mid Level Domain is the Ford in Ford.com, the Concrete-Home in Concrete-Home.com. This part of the domain name can consist of up to 63 characters in .com, .net, or .org domains. Only letters, numbers, or hyphens are permitted; no underbars, exclamation marks or periods. The Top Level Domain refers to the .com, .net, or .org part of the web address. There are also country code Top Level Domains (ccTLD's) such as .ca for Canada, .fr for France, or .us for the United States. In most cases, you will need to reside in that particular country if you wish to purchase a ccTLD. Choosing The Right Domain Name Choosing the right domain name can be critical to the success of a website. Most Internet users remember websites by their domain names; your domain name can also affect the anchor text of inbound links; and your ranking in search engines. Let's take a few minutes to discuss the issues you must consider when choosing a domain. Keyword or Branding?BrandingMany of the most successful sites do not use keyword domains. These online businesses have chosen to go with a completely original domain, and brand it. A few examples are Yahoo!, Google, Amazon, Monster, and eBay. It's not that these large corporations don't know about search engine optimization; it's just that they are putting more emphasis on creating a brand name around their business,KeywordA keyword domain is a domain chosen to take advantage of search engine traffic. By choosing a domain that matches a keyword search, we are able to rank higher for targeted keywords and thereby benefit from added traffic and more potential for sales. For example, if you were a Las Vegas realtor, you might want to target the search phrase Las Vegas Realty by choosing the domain Las-Vegas-Realty.com. Looking through the Las Vegas yellow pages, many real estate agents have websites, but most do not target any specific keywords. It appears most realtors are simply naming websites after themselves; e.g., our fictitious friend, John Doe, is a real estate agent with Acme Realty; he chose john-acme.com. I don't expect he will be benefiting from a lot of free search engine traffic.Whether you choose a brandable domain or a keyword domain is a choice you must make, and a choice you should make in accordance with your business plan. If you have a large offline advertising budget and the budget necessary to brand your organization, I'd recommend a brandable domain. If, on the other hand, you're working on a shoe-string budget, choose a keyword domain and let the search engines bring the customers to you. You might want to read up on the benefits of keyword domains in this thread entitled Domain Names - Keyword Or Brandable.
Seven Quick
Tips
1. Don't include a specific location, unless you serve only that location. Even if you do ship nationwide, you may never get the chance to let the consumer know that; consumers from other areas are not likely to click through from search engines if your domain includes a location.
2. Cut to the chase, keep it simple. The shorter the better. It's easier to remember.
3. Two minds are better than one. Make a visit to a webmaster forum and ask for suggestions. You'd be surprised by some of the great suggestions that you may find in a webmaster forum.
4. Buy your domain from 123 Cheap Domains. 123CheapDomains is owned by Jonathan Lee, a great guy whose staff provides great customer service.
5. Buy the variations. If you go buy BlueFind.com, why not also pick up BlueFind.net and other variation to protect your brand?
6. Don't pay the big bucks. Some domains have sold for millions - don't do it. Those dollars are more effectively spent building up a brand and advertising your products and/or services.
7. Keep it legit. Try to avoid .ws, .tv, .biz, etc. Most respect is given to .com, .net, or .org domains.
DOMAIN NAME AND TRAFFIC GENERATION
Before you register another domain name, here are a few things you should know that will save you some time and money:
- what your domain name should REALLY say- how to find a great name that will get you noticed- where to register a domain name for about the price of a pizza
For starters, don´t think of your domain name as simply a title for your business or web site. You should think of it as a headline - something that appeals directly to the wants, needs, and desires of your target market.
It probably doesn't hurt to use "your" name (BobsPlumbing.com). But, you really should be thinking about a name from the perspective of your clients and prospects. I hate to tell you, but they don´t care about your name (or you, for that matter). People want benefits and solutions, and you should be telling your prospects what benefit they will receive by doing business with you - in a great domain name.
Despite what you might think, all the good ones are not taken. Granted, generic one-word names (i.e. business.com, computers.com) are not available or are very expensive if for sale - but that´s OK. There are alternatives, and good ones.

Step 1:
Brainstorm some ideas. Make a list of keywords related to your business. Include some powerful, emotion-stirring adjectives, or at least words that might pique one´s curiosity. Put them together in two or three word combinations. Get creative.

Step 2:
Go to NameBargain.com, where you can search up to 30 names at once for free - a HUGE time saver. I´ve had good experiences with them. You can register names through them for $9.99 (unfortunately, they've got a ten name minimum for the first purchase.) Also, try Whois.net where you can look for hidden gems among the millions of recently deleted domain names (names that were once registered and are now available). You can also search by entering multiple keywords, and combinations of these words are automatically checked. Nifty. If your domain name is already taken, search the WHOIS database to see who owns it!
If you´re really serious about finding good domain names, visit Softnik.com. They offer a wonderful program called Domain Name Analyzer which can help you quickly and easily locate a great name. It belongs in the toolbox of any online professional - and it´s free.

Step 3:
When you find something you like, before you take the plunge, ask a few people what they think. Get an objective opinion from someone who could be your customer. How does it sound if you say it out loud? If you advertise on the radio, you better make sure it's clear.
Remember: this isn´t 1994 - you can only be so choosey when it comes to selecting names. The one you really have your heart on may be taken. If it is, but doesn´t appear to be in use, contact the owner and ask if it´s available. Detailed name and contact information can usually be found by doing a search at BetterWhois.com.
Once you locate the owner, don´t offer anything up front, just inquire (Remember this important rule of negotiating: The first to name a price usually loses). To get an idea of how much similar names are going for, first visit one of the good domain name auction sites like http://www.afternic.com/.

Step 4:
Before you register a name (especially if you´re in the U.S), you may want to do a free search at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office web site. It´s a good way to see if your proposed domain name may potentially violate a registered federal trademark. Don´t assume that because it is available, it´s not trademarked. I've seen it happen. It could be a costly mistake if you assume and you're wrong.
In addition, there are also state and international trademark issues to consider. Internet and trademark law can be a bit overwhelming to the uninitiated. Here´s a good summary of trademark-related questions: Trademark.com. Check this one out for more info on “CyberSpace Law”.
Other considerations and recommendations:- Stay away from hyphenated names unless you also own the unhyphenated version (no one remembers the hyphen, and people will accidentally visit your competitor).- Opt for “.com” if possible. There may be more options with “.net” and “.org” (or any of the other zillion new extensions), but “.com” is still king. People remember “.com”, and again, you don´t want to send prospects to your competitors.- Stay away from numbers (i.e. Websites4you.com) - sounds and looks cheesy; plus, it creates confusion if you advertise on the radio.

Step 5:
You´ve done your homework, you´ve found a good, “benefits-focused” name, and you´re ready to buy. Here are few places you may want to register your domain name (I haven´t personally tried these, but the prices look good):Cheap Domain Registration - $8.75GoDaddy.com - $8.95Joker.com - approx. $11OrderYourDomains.com - $12Dotster.com - $14.95
Keep these tips in mind, and you´ll soon be on your way to finding a great, memorable, traffic-generating domain name (for about the price of a pizza).

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