.COM kingdom

When focusing on an audience based in the United States, the .com domain is king. If you are in the UK, .co.uk is most popular, while in Germany you would probably consider a .de domain.

.COM kingdom

If the .com you want is taken do NOT just select the .net or another TLD (top level domain). Most people simply go to the .com version of a website first and only consider others later.

Do's and Don'ts of

Domain Selection

Dos: domain selection best practices

1. Start with your business name.

MyBusiness.com

Dos: domain selection best practices

You want the domain to be easy to remember and easy to spell. A long string of words might not be the best option. Is there a natural nickname or shortened version of your business that would make for a better domain?

Dos: domain selection best practices

2. Try a regional label.

MyCityMyCompany.com

Dos: domain selection best practices

If your business name is not distinct, you can distinguish your site by using a regional label. A local city, state, or region can be added before or after a business name to help make a better domain.

Dos: domain selection best practices

3. Use a short phrase or slogan

WeDoGreatThings.com

Dos: domain selection best practices

Most English words are already taken for domains. Is there a short string of words that describes what you do well? You can write multi-word domains in CamelCase to make them easier to read.

Donts: what to avoid with domains

1. Words that are difficult to spell

CommonlyMisspelledWord.com

If you select a big, fancy, uncommon, or made-up word, there is a chance that it will be misspelled. Save yourself some trouble by identifying this problem ahead of time. This is a common issue when using last names.

Donts: what to avoid with domains

Donts: what to avoid with domains

2. Substituting for words

Something4U.com

This is one of the most common traps that businesses fall into when selecting a domain. Avoid using the words to, two, too, or for in your domain. Never simply replace the words with the numbers 2 or 4.

Donts: what to avoid with domains

Donts: what to avoid with domains

3. Say no to hyphens

Dont-do-this.com

While technically allowed, adding hyphens will result in more potential visitors ending on the non-hyphenated domain.

Donts: what to avoid with domains

Each of these pitfalls require you to provide additional information after telling someone your domain name. You want to be able to tell someone your domain without having to clarify yourself.

Donts: what to avoid with domains

Follow these steps to get the perfect domain:

Pick a .com domain

Start with your business name

Try a regional label

Use a short phrase or slogan

Avoid words that are difficult to spell

Don't substitute for words

Say no to hyphens

Read the entire article athttp://blog.jimdo.com/how-to-select-the-perfect-domain-name/