If you already own a domain name, you probably know how difficult it can be to find just the right one. Between the millions of businesses online and the domain speculators who purchase thousands of domains with the intent of reselling them at a profit, it can be almost impossible.
If you’re already in business, you’re going to have to acquire a domain name that is the best fit for your company name. This will require either searching for the closest possible match, or buying a domain from whoever has the one you’re looking for. On the other hand, if you are just getting ready to start your company, you have an advantage because you can find an easy-to-remember and catchy domain name and then base your company name on that. It may seem backwards to choose your domain name before naming your company, but it can really make a tremendous difference in the effectiveness of your marketing.
When your domain name is different than your company name, your marketing investment will have less impact because you have to remind your prospects that the domain and your company are one in the same. As Seth Godin mentioned, “The internet has taught people what to do when they see a domain. It’s not just an address, it’s the first bit of marketing.” For example, when a visitor arrives at www.datementor.com, they are going to know exactly what the site is for. Had Brad used www.bradfinsilver.com instead, chances are that many of the visitors would leave before putting in the effort to figure it out.
Obviously, you’ll want to choose a .com domain rather than a .net domain, and you should avoid the other extensions, such as .biz, .info, or .us like the plague. Also, be sure to register it for at least five years. This ensures that you don’t forget to renew it, plus, it can help improve your search engine ranking to a small degree.
