So, you’ve started a new business or you are ready to move your business online and you need a website. The best websites start with selecting the very best domain and will have a huge impact on the success of your online presence. So, how do you go about it and get it right? Keep reading to find out!
Table of Contents
Step 1: Selecting the best domain name
The right domain can make-or-break your website and the impact it will have upon your business means it is imperative to get this right. Some simple rules are:
- keep it short – a long domain name can cause visitors to spell it wrong or forget it completely after one visit;
- make it memorable – keep the name easy for visitors to remember helping them to pass it on to other potential customers;
- make it foolproof – simple, uncomplicated words will avoid spelling mistakes as will avoidance of colloquialisms and slang terms;
- watch your language – avoid homonyms (sootsyou.com), hyphens (rainbow-hosting.com), abbreviations (piecesof8.org) and numbers (b00tc4mp.au);
- location, location, location – if you are a local company who serves a distinct community, try to get your location in the domain. For example, if you have a sweet shop called Sweets for my Sweet and live in Exeter, then try exetersweetshop.co.uk.
Here at Weave Studios we can provide quick, simple and free-of-charge advice on suitable names for your website, just get in touch!
Step 2: Choosing the best registrar
Choosing the best registrar can be somewhat of a minefield. There are loads of them all purporting to be the best value and offer a premium service, but look out for these important aspects and you won’t go far wrong:
- hidden fees – be careful of providers that look too cheap – they probably are! Signing you up for a cheap initial rate, locking you into a contract and subsequently a high renewal cost – check the small print!
- transfer fees – if you wish to transfer to a new registrar in the future, you may be charged a fee by some registrars
- WHOIS – this is the online directory for domain registrations and should be free for the owner to change at any time. Some registrars may charge for a change to your WHOIS information.
- WHOIS Privacy – domain details are public records and are, therefore, searchable. Many businesses keep their details private in this database, but some registrars may charge for this, indeed the most unscrupulous may even sell details to third parties. Look for those that offer WHOIS Privacy as standard.
- Top Level Domains (TLDs) – whether you want to have a .co.uk, .org, .info or .com, the majority of registrars will cater for your every whim, but beware those that try to make you buy all TLDs associated with your chosen domain name – this is really only needed if you are trying to patent something.
Here at Weave Studios we charge no hidden fees, do not charge you to transfer either to us or away from us, do
Step 3: Things to bear in mind…
There are other aspects you may overlook when choosing the best name and registrar. Take a look at these last few things to consider; then you’re ready to go!
- Domain name history – it is always prudent to do a quick Google search of the name you intend to use. Your new venture could be ruined if the name was previously used for less salubrious reasons.
- Remember to renew! – you must remember to renew your domain registration every year otherwise, someone else may snap it up, meaning that you could lose all of your customer base, not to mention your emails.
- Registration name – ensure you register the domain with your name, some less scrupulous registrars may register it in their name which would make it hard for you to transfer away from them as they may claim ownership.
- Expired domains – does someone have your dream domain name registered to them, but it’s expired? It’s worth contacting them using their WHOIS registry to ask if you could buy it from them.
Weave Studios prides itself on customer service; we can do the searches above if requested by our customers. We also send out reminder emails when your domain name is up for renewal and always ensure that your name is the one used for domain registration.
The next step – find your perfect domain!
Ready to take the next step? Visit our domain name search engine and get started with the next exciting venture for your business or blog. Contact us here at Weave Hosting if you would like any help or advice. We look forward to hearing from you!