Choosing a domain name – a simple guide

The domain name is the part of the web address that is in bold: www.mywebsitename.com

Here are some tips to remember when choosing your website's domain name:

1. Short & easy to remember

   The shorter the domain name, the easier it will be to type and remember. Domain names can be 64 characters long (including the 4‑character suffix such as .com) but it’s wise to choose simple names that are easy to spell and can fit on business cards and other promotional materials.

2. Dot what?

   A .com suffix is the best way to go in most cases (especially for a business). Most people are familiar with .com over any other extension, and tend to trust it more. It’s the first extension people try when typing the name of a website.
   
   common U.S. domain suffixes:

   .com	commercial
   .net	network
   .org	organization
   .edu	educational
   .biz	business
   .gov	government
   .mil	military
   .info	information source

   
   

   NOTE:
   All but the .edu, .gov, and .mil domains can be registered and used by anyone, meaning the sites do not always match the definition of the suffixes they use.

3. Register your domain asap

   Even if you don’t have a website laid out yet, do yourself a favor and buy your desired domain name now! So many people choose a domain name and rejoice at the fact that it’s available, only to come back a week later and see that someone snatched it. Here are the top‑rated & reliable places to purchase your domain and hosting:
   
   GoDaddy (my personal favorite)
   Network Solutions
   Register.com
   Dotster

4. Character types

   Domain names are not case‑sensitive. Domain names . . .

   may use:	may not use:
   letters	spaces
   numbers	symbols
   dashes

   
   

5. Relevance

   Choose a domain name that uses words related to your business or website’s content. If people can’t “figure you out” by reading your domain name, they’re more likely to ignore your site. Here are some good examples of relevant domain names:
   
   www.autotrader.com
   www.weather.com
   www.careerbuilder.com
   www.cheapflights.com
   www.mapquest.com

6. Avoid trademark infringement

   Don’t use words or phrases that belong to another company or individual. For example, there have been conflicts in the past due to people using the prefix “i” as in “iphone” or “mc” as in “McDonald’s”. If you want to be sure you’re playing it safe, contact a trademark lawyer.