Thursday, June 19, 2008

Get In On The Expired Domain Name Market


The cat is out of the bag as more and more people are becoming aware of the profit making potential in the expired domain name market. The fact is that there are a lot of viable domain names that have expired and are available to be bought up and claimed as your own.You may be asking yourself how an active domain that is generating business can be simply abandoned by someone but the fact is that it happens every day for any number of reasons. People change courses in their lives and simply let things go all the time, which can lead to their domain names becoming abandoned.
There are also those people that try to get rich quick who create, promote and discard domains on a regular basis. Due to the fact that many of these domains have been heavily promoted prior to being abandoned, many times they have regular traffic that which can prove lucrative if you were to place a website on that domain, or alternatively the traffic can be redirected to other websites. You may not get rich quick, but you can achieve a steady income. Overtime you could build up an impressive portfolio of domains that provide a very large income.For affiliate marketers, these expired domain names can be a gold mine for generating traffic to their websites. Affiliate marketing is a great way for someone who has the gift of an entrepreneurial spirit to break into the internet business world. The great thing about affiliate marketing is that you don't have the hassle of filling orders or acquiring inventory. An affiliate marketing website only needs to attracts visitors and then direct them to other websites that are selling the actual product. After a sale is made, the owner of the originating website is paid a percentage of the sale. So you can see how valuable expired domains can be in providing the traffic for affiliate marketers.It is important to point out that there are many expired domains that were never promoted, and won't receive any visitors. It can be a hard, time consuming challenge to find an expired domain that will provide you with visitors - you need a list of domains, then you need to find out when the domains will expire (or maybe they have expired already), then discover how good the domain may be. To discover how valuable the domain might be to you, you need to discover such things as the topic of the original website on the domain, how many links point at the domain, how search engines rank the domain, etc..Some corporations have been making money for years by having a large number of domains that direct visitors to their business website. Some of these companies specialize in buying expiring domains which can then result in thousands of visitors each and every day to their websites. If they can do it, why not you?
By: DomDat
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
For more information about expired domains visit www.domdat.com

Getting One Free Domains


Getting One Free Domains
Free stuff sites make up a very decent percentage of all sites on the internet. You can get anything from free screensavers to free software to free iPods to free vacations on the internet. Obviously other than a very few select products none of them are 'truly' free. They are not even a 'shareware kind' of product. Most of these schemes will expect a certain action to be performed to claim the 'free stuff'.

Normally, signing up to an offer from an advertiser, referring friends to a site or service or buying a related product all are examples of the 'actions' expected. For example, the free iPod offer that took over the internet by craze works on the premise that each person will refer 5 of their friends to the scheme as well as sign up to a few sponsors offers himself.


What is surprising is that out of all these offers, there are very few that are webmaster-centric. You hardly find offers for free domains, free web hosting or free traffic when you sign up for an offer. This is probably because the cost of these services or products is too low to warrant much interest. It can also be that webmasters prefer more direct forms of rewards like cash.

It is not that there are absolutely no free domain offers on the net. There are a few but their 'action' expected is either to buy hosting or to sign up and post at forums. The first scenario is a little scary because most web hosting companies will register the 'free' domain in their own name. So if want to change the web host, you lose the domain name and with it all the hard work you put in to develop the brand image. That leaves the posting at forums option. Well, if you asked me to post, say 50 messages and all of reasonable length (at least 10 - 15 words), it will take me a month. This assumes that I also have something better to do! I cannot wait that long for a domain even if it is free.

From experience, it is seen that a webmaster will never refuse a free domain name. For that matter no one will refuse a free thing if there is no catch involved. A webmaster should be willing to sign up for a free offer or two in exchange of a free domain. If such a scheme were available it should be quite successful. May be not as much as the free iPods schemes but at least 50% as effective as them. If the free offer does not involve disclosure of credit card information, it will be the icing on the cake!

This is exactly what I have been working out. You sign up for an offer. If it is a valid sign up then I buy you a domain name. No credit card information required and no obligation too. That simple. The only condition is you must be from the US and must fill up the information required (name, email, address etc) honestly. As soon as I receive confirmation of the signup (usually 2-3 days) you get your domain name. And, yes these are not pharmaceutical or gambling offers, you need to sign up to receive more information from an online education university. Can it get better than that?

By: gennew3

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com


Did you find this article useful? For more useful tips and hints, points to ponder and keep in mind, techniques, and insights pertaining to free domains, do please browse for more information at our websites. www.infozabout.com
www.freedomains.infozabout.com

Domain Selection – 5 Tips For Choosing A Domain Name

The domain name is a very important part of your website. The careful selection and key wording of your domain name is one of the most crucial part of the initial steps in setting up any website. Here are the 5 tips for choosing a domain name.1.Buy shorter domain name:- It is always better to choose a shorter domain name for your website. Shorter names are also easier to remember than long names or phrases. Choose something that would make you click on if for further information.
2.Keyword inside:- It is better to add your keywords in your domain name. This is because many people look for websites using keywords. Having keywords separated by dashes in your main domain will help you in getting traffic through organic search results. If you want your site to be ranked high by the search engines then it makes a huge difference if your main keyword is in your domain name.3..com is the best:- .com is always the best extension to have, if people can't remember what is , that is the one they will try. Buy the others as well if they are available and redirect them to the .com. There have been rumors that the extensions other than .net, .com or .org , have less weight with search engines.4.Expired domains:- You can look up expired domains that are either short, have good names, have keywords, or have back links. These domains can be like gold because the past owners may have put in a great deal of effort in getting web traffic. These types of domains should be considered if you already have an existing domain name. The price tag is usually a lot higher than a brand new domain name. 5.Put up a parking page:- After you buy a domain, immediately put up a parking page with keywords and some inbound links. Even if you don’t intend to use the domain for several months, aged domains have more value and legitimacy to search engines. You want a portfolio of domain names that is aged like fine wine. This way, when you start new projects, it will seem like the sites have been up for months or years and have just gained popularity and content.
By: George1976
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
To take a look at more articles just like this one, click here www.submittedarticle.com - A free online article directory . To book discounted hotels online ,click here Discounted Hotels-Online hotel reservation.

Hyphenated Domain Names And Similar Issues

Due to the explosive demand for domain names it is becoming increasingly difficult to get short meaningful web addresses. Chances are you are going to have to make some compromises when registering your domain name. If you manage to get a short domain name that is meaningful, easy to remember, sounds good, and simple to spell consider yourself very fortunate.An additional advantage of longer domain names is that they are more room for your keywords. Long domain names that have your site keywords in them also have an advantage in that they fare better in a number of search engines. The latter give preference to keywords that are also found in your domain names. So, for example, if you have a site on San Diego Weddings with a domain name like sandiegoweddingadvicedotcom, it might fare better in a search for "San Diego Wedding Advice" than another site, gethitchedinthesundotcom.
For the most part, I would discourage the use of hyphenated domain names. Most importantly, it's easy to forget the hyphens when typing a name. Many users are used to typing things like partyandweddingfavors.com but not party-and-wedding-favorsdotcom. Chances are people typing in your domain name will leave out the hyphens giving their business to your competitor.When people refer your site to others verbally, having hyphens in your domain name leads to more potential errors than when the name does not contain hyphens. For example, how do you think your visitors will refer to your site if it is named "party-and-wedding-favorsdotcom"? They might say, "I visited Party and Wedding Favors dot com yesterday. It is such a great site, you should check it out”. The referred person, remembering that comment later, might type into their browsers "partyandweddingfavors.com". Oops.Hyphenated domain names are difficult to type. Who wants to insert a hyphen between each word just to get the proper domain name? It is simply too much work.On the plus side, search engines may reward your site with better results due to the hyphen-separated words. Thus positioning your site more favorably in search results for those keywords occurring in your domain name. If the non-hyphenated form is no longer available at least you can get the next best thing.
By: George Meszaros -
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
Web site design.

Does Your Expired Domain Name Signify And Possess Branding Ability?

Buying expired domains is becoming a big craze among domain traders. Buying expired domains or domains expiring is a continuous activity that needs your dedication and persistence. Domain traders always buy new expired domains by searching through an exhaustive keyword directory. Searching for keywords helps you find out those niche keywords with very important commercial applications. An expired or domains soon expiring could contain a commercially important and niche keyword contained in its domain name. Most of these expired domain names could also possess and portray a distinctive branding ability.Creating a special brand for your business always involves spending a huge amount of money in active advertising and promotion. Further, advertizing a web portal to build a special brand around it is a time consuming task that demands hours of dedicated work. If you do not have these resources with you, you can always try and buy expired domain names that are capable of providing a corporate brand to the business. You can always create brand awareness, by choosing and buying an expired domain name that really carries and conveys the issue of what is the web portal all about and what it gives to its visitors.
Buying an expired domain name with in-built ability to provide branding ability involves a lot of research and development work. You may buy a name that has a perceived ability to give a distinctive brand to your web portal. But, you still have to toil for hours to build the purchased expired domain to convert it into a special niche. Here are some practical examples:Let us say that you have found a series of niche keywords on parenting keyword. Now, if you want to buy some expired domain names based on this special keyword, you will need to ensure that the chosen keyword can convey a distinctive and special corporate branding ability. The selected expired domain name should not only have a good searching placement in many major search engines, it should also be memorable and easily recalled. To establish branding with the selected expired domain name, you may consider the following salient points:a) Choosing a keyword that relates to everyday experience and feelings could be an intelligent thing. For example, BabyFeeding or BabyHealth can instantly create a good rapport between a mother and her child.b) Choosing a keyword like MasterDegree will appeal to all those studious people, who wish to pursue their master degrees. Here, the selected keyword connects the inbuilt feelings of people with that of the expired domain name.c) A keyword that is easily searchable is better than the one that is almost impossible to remember and search. For example, a keyword like MyFavoriteSoup is quite inferior to MySoup.Establishing a brand and a corporate identity over your chosen expired domain is very difficult and time consuming. However, with careful planning and by applying your intelligence mind, you can buy an expired domain that will allow you to create a special brand and niche web portal.
By:
Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com
John Khu is an author and also a seasoned professional with vast experience in expired domain name business. He is the owner of the path breaking web site called www.expireddomainsecret.com which provides complete and up-to-date information on expired domains and their eternal secrets.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

Domain Name Disputes - A Trending Pattern

Domain Name Disputes - A Trending Pattern
Posted by Sam Weston on: 2006-06-09 18:08:42
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
Along with the introduction and the function of the domain name, there comes the so called “domain name disputes” which becomes one of the hottest subject of most domain name queries and discussions. Many were asking about the nature of the domain name disputes, its uses and everything about it, but then many are left without answers.
So today, since many of you are asking about the domain name disputes and its nature, then I will provide you a few of the given information about the domain name disputes for you to have a certain idea about the nature and the reason of the emergence of this particular thing. So you read further. What are the domain name disputes and its nature? What is the cause of the domain name disputes? These are just common questions that require some answers. Well, the domain name disputes are considered to arise largely from the practice of cyber-squatting. Now what is a cyber-squatting? For your information, the cyber-squatting as a primary cause of domain name disputes involves the pre-emptive registration of trademarks by third parties as domain names. This particular cause for domain name disputes greatly exploit the first come first served nature of the domain name registration system that is intended to register the domain names of the trademarks, popular people or even businesses with which they have the bond. Along with such factor, since the domain name registration is typically a simple and inexpensive process, which is noted to have less than US $100 in most cases, most of those who are engaged into cyber-squatting often undergo certain domain name registrations wit hundreds of such names as domain names. In such case, the domain name disputes largely emerged. And in relation to cause of domain name disputes, the domain name disputes also surfaced when the cyber-squatters, as the domain name holders of such registrations, are considered to have often placed the domain names up for auction, or there are some instances that they offer the domain names for sale directly to the company or person involved, with prices far beyond the cost of the regular domain name registration. The domain name disputes then emerged since they often keep the registration and use the nice name of the person or business that is associated with that domain name with the primary aim to attract business for their own domains. Today, due to such situation that cause the domain name disputes, it is very sad to know that the number of once handful domain names disputes increase resulting for so many domain name disputes. Probably, one of the main causes for the rise of the domain name disputes is the fact that there is no agreement within the internet community that would grant groups that register domain names to pre-screen the filling of potential knotty domain names. Moreover, the domain name disputes continue to rise since the growing business value of domain names on the web has led to more cyber-squatting, which then results in more domain name disputes and litigation between the cyber-squatters and the individuals or businesses who domain names have been recorded in worst condition. But due to such rise of the domain name disputes, the domain name authority is doing their best to solve the domain name disputes issues and so to help the domain name owners.About The Author:Discover What It Really Takes To Succeed And Profit From Your Online Business And Find Out The Little Discussed Facts That People Ignore - Or Choose To Ignore - That Makes You Either An Internet Entrepreneur Or Simply, Plain Broke! http://www.internetentrepreneurship.com/ You May Reproduce this article as long as an active hyperlink is accompanied.

Make Money Off Your Domains

Make Money Off Your Domains
Posted by Sam Weston on: 2006-06-09 18:09:08
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
As the advent of the domain names continue to affect a great number of people, many people today are then greatly pulled and encouraged to purchase domain names for a considered profits. In fact, many of them are now on the verge of purchasing domain names hoping for some possible returns. So if you are interested to know the facts on how you can purchase domain names for your profit, then you better read this article for this will give you some knowledge about this thing.
So how to purchase domain names for a profit? It is indeed a fact that there is a lot of money to be made to purchase domain names and then selling those domain name registrations on the open market. Numerous research studies have considered that there a large number of people who paid an amount of $35 just to register a domain name and then sold the domain name in excess of $100,000. Maybe among the qualified examples for this matter are the current sold domain names that have prices ranging from $2,750,000 from the CreditCards. com to $300,000 from the Viajes. com. Given such fact, many of those who are planning to purchase domain names for profit often ask the real reason on how those companies did such things. Certain resources considered that there is an amount involved if you sell or purchase domain names even if the profit margin per name does not reach the amount of $100,000. In relation to that, today there are a lot of domain names where those who are interested to purchase domain names are required to pay three to four times what the domain names cost to purchase domain names at a registration site like the Domain. com. And speaking of those who sell and purchase domain names, it is interesting to know that they are called as “domain name speculators”. It happened that such nick is formed for the reason that those who sell and purchase domain names simply come up with a bright concept and then pursue what they decide to register domain names. And generally, they take multiple factors into account when they are striving to identify and purchase domain names that they can sell for a profit. And to mention, some examples of these factors taken by the domain name speculators include the general nature of the domain name, avoidance of trademark matters, knowledge if the domain name get traffic, and the forward thinking. Lastly, most of the experts have recommended that for you to get a profit, you should think of purchasing a domain name like buying a piece of real estate. If you can recognize and purchase domain names that are in an up and coming area, they will become more precious.About The Author:Discover What It Really Takes To Succeed And Profit From Your Online Business And Find Out The Little Discussed Facts That People Ignore - Or Choose To Ignore - That Makes You Either An Internet Entrepreneur Or Simply, Plain Broke! http://www.internetentrepreneurship.com You May Reproduce this article as long as an active hyperlink is accompanied.

Sell A Domain Name – And Don’t Get Burned!

Sell A Domain Name – And Don’t Get Burned!
Posted by Sam Weston on: 2006-06-09 18:10:03
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
In the world of domain name, there is an act of buying a domain name and selling a domain name. These acts are so typical that many domain name consumers and holders are into it a few years after the introduction of domain name in the world of the internet. Today, as domain names continues to become a commodity; many people have particular desires to buy a domain name and particularly to sell a domain name.
Generally, to sell a domain name, which is the main focus of this article, involves a not so easy process. If buying a domain name involves some processes, to sell a domain name is also to undergo different steps. According to many domain name experts, there are really certain purposes why a certain domain name holder or companies sell a domain name. It is a common note that many of them just purchased a domain name for the purpose of reselling it. Most of the domain name holders sell a domain name after finding that it has no use for them, or perhaps when the third party shows some interest in buying it. Given such fact, it is then a nice move if you have certain desire to sell a domain name that prior to getting down to the hard work that is necessary to sell a domain name, you know how to place some sorts of value on your domain name. In fact, even if you are not going to post or publicize the set value of the domain name, it is still significant that you are aware of the minimum amount that you would accept for it when you sell a domain name. When you desire to sell a domain name, you should take note that there are fundamentally two major means to sell a domain name. The first way for you to sell a domain name is to look for a buyer yourself or what the other call as “private transaction”. From the name itself, it is understandable that this way to sell a domain name is strictly between the buyer and the seller, of course with no third party involved in the transaction. Knowing such fact, it is then a very important factor that there is a level of trust between the parties, for the fact that a party is naturally waiting while the transfer authorization is absolutely done and the amount is sent to the seller. On the other hand, the second way to sell a domain name is to use a company or group to find a buyer on your behalf. Many people address this way to sell a domain name as using an escrow service. In here, you are applying a third party that will fundamentally cling to the buyer’s payment while the dealing is absolutely done. As such, both the side of the buyer and the seller is protected. However, one of the bad impressions for the escrow service to sell a domain name is that you are putting another step to the process involves in the desire to sell a domain name, and another expense. But in spite of the trail you decide to follow with your desire to sell a domain name, it is just necessary that you take some extra care, since when selling a domain name it is a typical condition that you rarely meet your buyer face to face.About The Author:Discover What It Really Takes To Succeed And Profit From Your Online Business And Find Out The Little Discussed Facts That People Ignore - Or Choose To Ignore - That Makes You Either An Internet Entrepreneur Or Simply, Plain Broke! http://www.internetentrepreneurship.com You May Reproduce this article as long as an active hyperlink is accompanied.
Web Site Hosting : From Domain Registration to Getting It Online - Part 1
Posted by John Lenaghan on: 2006-06-14 18:56:18
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles

The first thing you need to do when setting up a web site is to register a domain name. A domain is the familiar "something.com" (the www is not part of the domain name).
Your domain name is a pointer to the actual IP address of your website. They're used because they're a lot easier for people to remember than a bunch of numbers would be.
Every website has an IP address, which is a number like 123.456.78.9. The domain name system (aka DNS) translates between those numbered addresses and the corresponding domain names.
Each domain on the internet is registered with a central registry handled by a group called InterNIC which is a subsidiary of ICANN - the organization that certifies all domain name registrars.
Domains names gets filtered through DNS servers, which link the address with the correct domain name. Most websites have a primary and a secondary DNS server - essentially a backup system that increases reliability.
Getting Your Website Set Up
The first step in registering your domain name is to decide what you want it to be. The domain can be almost anything you want it to be, but it will be more effective if it relates to the subject of your website.
If you're selling shoes, for example, it helps to have a domain name that's related to shoes - all-shoes.com for instance.
There are a few simple rules for registering domain names. The only characters you can use in your domain are letters, numbers and the hyphen. Domain names can't be longer than 70 characters, but it's best to keep them as short as possible.
They can be either upper or lower case - the case of the domain name is ignored by DNS. It sometimes helps to use a combination to make them easier to read. For example, which is easier to read mywebsite.com or MyWebSite.com? Both are the same as far as DNS servers are concerned.
There are a number of extensions available to use with your domain. The most common by far is .com. It has become synonymous with the internet (eg. "The dot com crash").
Other common extensions include .net and .org. Some of the newer ones are .info, .biz and .name - these aren't as common however, and they won't be as effective as .com, .net or .org, which people are more familiar with.
There are also specialized extensions such as .museum, .aero and .coop which are only available for members of certain organizations.
What About Country-Specific Domains?
You can also register domains with specific country extensions such as .us (United States) or .de (Germany). The rules for registering country-specific domains vary from country to country, so you need to check with the registrars for a given country to see if you are able to register them.
All domain registrars must be certified by ICANN (the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers). There are many registrars with varying prices. You can get a full list of all certified registrars at the InterNIC website (www.internic.net/regist.html).
Even though registrars are regulated, they're allowed to offer their registration service through third parties, so most web hosts offer domain registration even if they aren't registrars themselves.
Domains are registered for at least one year and you can buy as many as ten years when registering. A longer registration contract usually nets you a lower price, so if you know you'll be using that domain for some time to come it can pay to pay for a longer period.
John Lenaghan writes about how to choose the best cheap web hosting, business hosting and other website hosting topics on the Hosting Report website. Find out more at http://www.hostingreport.org/.
Various Domain Name Registration Prices Compared
Posted by Stu Pearson on: 2006-06-14 18:56:25
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles

Domain name registration prices are a market that is pretty well stable. There are higher and lower prices with various companies, but overall they are within a few dollars of one another. Where the prices of domain name registration can really be compared is within the realm of number of domains, number of years, and the suffixes. So here is a little bit about domain name registration prices compared based on the length of time, number of domains, and the suffix the name has.
The fist part of domain name registration prices compared is the number of domains that you are registering. With most any reputable registration company, you will get a better price per domain with more domain names registered at the same time. So in order to get the best price you will usually need to register hundreds of domains. You can expect to save as much as 11% if you register in bulk with your domain registrar.
Another to consider when domain name registration prices are compared is the number of years you register for at the same time. For instance, if you register for just one year you may only pay four dollars, but if you register your domain name for 10 years you could save several dollars per year. That is not to say you should always register for several years, but that you should register for the maximum number of years that make sense for you. Consider how big of a commitment you want to make to the name and then how much you want to spend on the registration. Remember, even though you will pay more, you can always renew as your time frame for registration ends.
The third factor and one that many do not think about, when domain name registration prices are compared is the suffix of the domain you choose. There are actually a number of suffixes now available on the internet, from the traditional .com to the less well known .ws and .tv suffixes. Now not only do you have to qualify for certain suffixes, but also there are different prices associated with each one. As a general rule, .com, .net, and .org are the cheapest domains and are usually under $10 each. The most expensive is usually .ws or .us, which can run you up over $20 per year. However, you do have to remember that the other factors will affect the price as well. So if you look to register for 5-10 years you will find that sometimes those .tv or .ws suffixes can be as little as one or two years with a .biz or .info suffix.
Domain name registration prices compared is something that you may think about doing between companies. However, the best way of comparing registration prices is within the types of registration. Bulk registration, certain suffixes, and longer registrations will net you less cost in the long run. So when you think about comparing domain name registration you should consider the various types of registration, the length, and the amount so that you can get the best price for your domain name registration in the end.
Stu Pearson has an interest in Business & Technology related topics. To access more information on domain name registration web or on bulk domain name registration, please click on the links.
EU Domains
Posted by Mark Lawson on: 2006-06-14 19:13:30
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles

If you own a website and are located anywhere in Europe, especially the U.K., you’re probably well aware of all the attention surrounding the Eurid offering of .eu domains to the public. .Eu domains have been long awaited and their popularity is expected to be similar to .com domains. These domains were originally only available in what was known as the Sunrise 1 and Sunrise 2 stages. Sunrise 1, the first of the three stages, began on December 7, 2005. To be considered for a .eu domain, applicants chose a domain name had to be related to a registered trademark. This policy greatly restricted the number of applicants that could apply for a domain. The Sunrise 2 stage was offered on February 7, 2006 and allowed applicants to reserve domains related to both unregistered trademarks and company names. The purpose of the Sunrise phases was to allow well established companies the first rights to their desired domain names. As with other types of domains, many times people will purchase a number of domain names hoping to resell them at an elevated cost. Unfortunately, some individuals have even tried using domain names that are similar to well known companies hoping to gain exposure for their product or business.
The last stage known as the “Landrush” became available on April 7, 2006. This final stage allows much greater flexibility for persons wishing to register a .eu domain. Basically anyone who resides in the European Union or who has a business located there can qualify for a .eu domain. Much like other domain extensions, .eu domains are now being assigned on a first come basis. This has caused many companies and businesses to scramble in an effort to acquire their desired domain name. If a domain name under the .com extension is not available, a similar domain ending in the .eu extension may be available instead. After the opening of the Landrush stage, the sale of .eu domains has skyrocketed. To date there are well over 1.7 million registered domain names and the numbers are expected to keep growing. Many experts believe .eu domains will some day come close to the number of registered .com sites. If current registration trends continue, this could very well occur. Discount Domains, a company specializing in website design and web hosting, offers .eu domains to the public at an affordable price. They hope to soon become an accredited registrar with Eurid in order to provide additional high quality service to the public. Customers can purchase top level domain names from Discount Domains for their business or organization. The only requirement is that domain names must be registered for a minimum period of two years. The company also offers a wide range of services including domain transfers, web hosting, marketing expertise, and search engine submissions. Discount Domains offers many options for customers wishing to register a .eu domain. When choosing .eu domains for your business, there are some important points to remember. As with any type of domain name, it is a good idea to choose a .eu domain that is the same or very similar to your business or website name. This will make it much easier for customers and clients to remember. Even if they forget your website address, by running a search on your company name, they can quickly locate your domain name and link to your site. Using your business name within you domain name is a valuable resource for search engine purposes. If your requested domain name is not available, the provider may suggest similar domain names to the one you suggested. Be careful when considering this option. First of all you will need to make sure that your domain name is not easily confused with other similar names. When marketing your site, be sure to use the entire .eu domain name. This will help to alleviate any misunderstanding or confusion. Lastly, it is much easier to purchase your domain name first before designing a new business or choosing a company name. Trying to come up with a domain name for a well established company can sometimes be a headache. Often times the desired domain name may already be taken. If you plan on establishing a new website or opening a business in the near future, you can greatly benefit by choosing your .eu domains ahead of time.About The Author:Mark is the webmaster of Discount Domains a leading http://www.discountdomainsuk.com .eu domain registrar. Please feel free to republish this article provided a working hyperlink remains to our site.

Domain Name Registration Process Revealed

Domain Name Registration Process Revealed
Posted by Edwardo Mascasas on: 2006-06-21 19:06:44
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
With the rise of the domain name industry, the domain name now becomes a commodity. It is for the fact that many people today generally cater to such kind of trend in the world of the internet. As such, many people are now looking for some of the possible ways for them to get or own a domain name. So the concept of the domain name registration occurs.
According to many experts and even to those who have tried the process for domain name registration noted that the domain name registration process is just such an easy and quick procedure. Well, the domain name registration will really be made easy if and only if it is coupled with the effort and interest of both the domain name consumer and the domain name registrars. In part of the domain name consumers, it is indeed true that they play a great part in the domain name registration process since it is in their hands that the success of the domain name registration depends. Of course, the domain name registrar also play a part in the domain name registration process for the fact that they are the ones who have the power to amend and control the domain names. Given such facts, it is interesting to know that when you want to engage in the domain name registration process, you should know that the first move to take is to look for a domain name registrar by any possible means, either by word or mouth, by advertising, or through search engines. Speaking of the search engines, it is fortunate that many companies on the web nowadays specially those who are concerned about domain names, greatly provide domain name search engines to help the people in finding the right domain names for them and so to undergo the domain name registration process. Search engines are then the commonly used vehicle for domain name registering. Once the domain name consumer is in the domain name registrar’s site for the domain name registration, it is important that the consumer checks the availability of the desired domain name. After such step for the domain name registration, the domain name registrar then communicates with a certain registry to ascertain that the desired domain name is still accessible for purchase or the domain name is already taken by a third party. If it follows that the desired domain name is still accessible, then the domain name consumer will be able to register such domain. Moreover, it is a common consideration that on the eve of the domain name registration, the domain name consumer enters the contact information and the Domain Name System information for the desired domain. Then, the registry then files the contact information for the whois. Along with that the registry then adds the zone files to the master servers, which on the way tells the others servers on how to locate the consumer’s site. So now the update in the domain name registration should transmit throughout the DNS. So in the domain name registration, it is then simply considerable that when you go through the steps in the domain name registration, you are actually popping in an entry into a directory of all the domain names and their corresponding computers on the internet.About The Author:A Simple, Beautiful, Effective, Sales Magnet That Grabs Your Visitors' Pleasant Attention and Demands ACTION And Makes Them BUY... Visit http://www.flyinads21.com Active hyperlink must stay with article.

Domain Names & Websites

Domain Names & Websites
Posted by Josh Greenberger on: 2006-06-22 17:46:13
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
Does a website come with a domain name? If not, what comes with a website and how do I get a domain name?
New website owners often seem confused about how and when domain names come into play. The questions usually boil down to: "Does a website come with a domain name?" and "If not, how do I get a domain name?"
Web hosting and domain name registration are usually separate services. Although your hosting company may give or sell you a domain name with your website, most hosting companies are not domain registrars, and chances are they're procuring it from a third party. (Domain registrars often give you a website, but they're usually not "full featured" websites, and another issue.)
What's more, despite the fact that hosting companies will generally take care of your initial domain name registration, becoming familiar with the basics of domain name management can save you anywhere from a few bucks to a little bundle. (For the definition of "bundle," forget Webster's Dictionary. Look at your monthly statement from your hosting company; if it gives you that sinking feeling, that's a bundle.)
Registrars like directnic.com and enom.com, for example, charge $15 and $30, respectively, per year, per domain name. In bulk, you can get names at enom.com for as low as $9. And with a little shopping around, you can do even better than this.
Managing your own domain names will usually have its biggest payoff if you should decide to get more than one domain name, a common practice that can sometimes enhance your web presence. How? Let's say, your business name is "Grumpy's Hardware and Paint." Some people know you as Grumpy's Hardware, some as Grumpy's Paint, and some as just plain Grumpy. You might want to get three domain names -- grumpyshardware.com, grumpyspaint.com, and grumpy.com -- so your site can be reached no matter what a surfer enters in his browser.
The way this would work is, you'd open your hosting account using, let's say, grumpy.com. Then you'd add on, what's called, "parked" or "mirror" domain names, grumpyshardware.com and grumpyspaint.com. Parked or mirror domains are not separate websites; they simply point to an existing website, grumpy.com, in this case.
The problem is that some hosting companies will charge you setup and/or monthly fees for parked domains. These fees are above and beyond the yearly fees you already pay for registering domain names. And these fees can add up.
By managing domain names yourself, however, you can avoid all "parking" fees, not to mention shop around for a better deal on the names themselves.
The fundamentals of domain management begin with two basic methods of directing domain names to your website. That is, the process that gets a surfer from the browser to your website involves a mechanism that takes the surfer (unbeknownst to him) to your domain name registrar and then to your website. The journey from your registrar to your website can be accomplished by one of two methods -- "pointing" or "forwarding." It's your choice as to which method to use.
What's the difference? There's a huge difference.
Although the menus for setting up these features vary from registrar to registrar, the concepts are the same. "Pointing" involves assigning a DNS (Domain Name Server) address, obtained from your hosting company, to your domain name grumpy.com. This is done at your registrar account.
Then, you must inform your hosting company to "set up" grumpy.com on their end, if they have not yet done so. And this is where domain name setup and monthly fees at your hosting company come in.
"Forwarding" (also referred to as "redirecting"), on the other hand, works a little differently. Let's say you wanted to set up grumpyspaint.com for your website. Instead of using the DNS method described above, you would simply "forward" it to grumpy.com, which would already be pointing to your website. In addition to being a little simpler, it's likely you've just saved yourself some money.
How?
When a surfer enters grumpyspaint.com, they simply get forwarded to your other name, grumpy.com, which is already pointing to your website. It's almost as if the surfer entered grumpy.com directly. And you don't need any additional setups at your hosting company when you use this method, no matter how many additional parked domain names you have. So, no setups, no fees.
To put it all together, if you had let's say 20 domain names, you'd need to set up only one domain name at your registrar using the DNS method, and you'd need your hosting company to "setup" that same name on their end. The other nineteen names would need no setup whatsoever at your hosting company. All you'd have to do is redirect (at your registrar account) all nineteen names to that one name you already have set up. And, thus, you've saved yourself setup and/or monthly fees for nineteen parked domains.
How much can you save? Some hosting companies can charge as much as $20 setup and $5 per month for each parked domain. Figure it out.
Be aware that some registrars charge extra for features such as "forwarding." But there's no need to pay extra even for this. Many registrars, like directnic.com and enom.com, include forwarding and other features at no extra charge.
So, even if you do not necessarily take care of these domain matters yourself, but relegate it to a friend or coworker, being aware of the ins and outs can help you avoid getting ripped off by a hosting company whose job is not necessarily to keep you informed of the most budget-conscious way of running your operation. After all, the information super highway should be for surfing, not for being taken for a ride.
by Josh Greenberger from shopndrop.com
Josh Greenberger: A computer consultant for over two decades, the author has developed software for such organizations as NASA's Goddard Institute of Space Studies, AT&T, Charles Schwab, Bell Laboratories and Chase Manhattan Bank. Since 1984, the author's literary works have appeared in such periodicals as The New York Post, The Daily News, The Village Voice, The Jewish Press, and others. His articles have ranged from humor to scientific to topical events. Visit him at http://shopndrop.com

Domain Name Transfers

Domain Name Transfers
Posted by Barry Davis on: 2006-07-04 03:11:59
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
Transferring a domain name can be as easy as signing up for a forum or as difficult as recreating the Mona Lisa. Here are some ways to make a transfer go smoother and some key points to remember on the domain name transfer process.
Before you go to your registrar's home page or call any support number, take a step back and make sure you know what you want to do! I can't stress this enough: if you are confused as to what you want to do, then you will probably confuse the customer service representative and that's not good! We are going to assume that you want to take a domain name that's registered with a certain registrar and move the domain name to another registrar. Please take note that the ONLY thing this accomplishes is that the domain name is now "leased" by a different company, that's it! This has nothing to do with your website, your email, your DNS, or anything like that! The most common mistake is when someone's webhost tells them to "transfer" the domain name to different servers. What they are talking about is something called DNS and that's another article on its own. So if you're still with me and want to change the registrar of record for the domain name, then please continue.
If you have gotten this far then you probably have another registrar in mind where you want to move the domain name to. That's great! Many people ask which companies I recommend and from personal experience I would say use GoDaddy or Network Solutions. While the price difference is considerable, they both have different things to offer so it comes down to what you want and what you need.
The first thing that needs to be done for a domain name transfer is the transfer needs to be initiated. The only company that can initiate a domain name transfer is the gaining registrar (the company you want to move the domain to). No one else is able to do this, so either call up the new registrar, or go to their website to initiate the transfer. You will most likely need to set up an account if you don't already have one which only takes a few minutes. Initiating the transfer is quite easy as most registrars have a very simple online process. While each registrar is different, the process is usually as simple as logging into your account, clicking on something that says "transfer domains", typing in the domain name, and clicking "ok".
Now the transfer is in motion! Here's what happens behind the scenes to your domain name - it's important to understand this so you know what's going on at all times! The gaining registrar sends an email to the admin contact in the WHOIS database for this domain name. In that email, there is a link the admin needs to click on and actively accept the transfer of the domain name. If the admin contact fails to accept the transfer via this hyperlink, the gaining registrar will acknowledge this as rejecting the transfer. The time limit to accept this transfer request is usually around 7 days.
If the admin contact's email address in the WHOIS record is not correct, then it needs to be updated before anything else. This process can sometimes take a while depending on the account information the registrar of record has in its database. This is a very good reason for initiating a transfer well before it's due to expire.
Now, if the admin contact approves the transfer request, then the gaining registrar sends a notification to the registry for the domain TLD. The registry checks the status of the domain and tells the gaining registrar if it's ok to continue or not. In order for a domain name to transfer, it has to be in an ACTIVE status. If the domain is locked, pending delete, in redemption, inactive - anything other than ACTIVE, it will not transfer. This is important to know because most people transfer a domain name when it's about to expire or just after it expired. This isn't good because most registrars will deactivate a domain name shortly after expiration which will automatically block transfer requests. And before you ask, yes, they have every right to do this and they do not have to reactivate your domain name for you until you pay them a renewal fee. So make sure you initiate a transfer early - I recommend at least 14 days in advance, but more if possible. The domain name also needs to be registered with a given registrar for at least 60 days. This means you cannot purchase a domain name and then transfer it to another registrar of record in less than 60 days. You also can't transfer a domain name, and then transfer it again within 60 days.
If the domain name is in an ACTIVE state and has been registered for more than 60 days, the registry informs the gaining registrar that the transfer process will continue. The registry then informs the losing registrar that a transfer request has been made for the domain name.
This part can be tricky depending how your current registrar handles outbound transfer requests. ICANN states that the gaining registrar is the one who carries the burden of proof of authentication. This basically means the gaining registrar is responsible for contacting the correct person (admin contact) and getting their explicit approval for the domain name transfer. The losing registrar does not have this burden, and therefore is not bound to the same specific rules as the gaining registrar. The losing registrar may contact the admin contact, the registrant, an account contact - whoever they deem fit for a domain transfer approval.
The losing registrar has 5 days to respond to the registry. If the losing registrar does not respond to the registry in 5 days, then the registry automatically assume the transfer was approved by the losing registrar. This means that if the contact who received the losing registrar's email took no action, deleted their email, or chose to ignore it, the transfer request would be considered approved from the losing registrar.
I'd like to point out the potential danger that can be caused here. There is potential for someone trying to take control or ownership of the domain name by initiating a transfer request. If they can somehow get the transfer request to this step, and the contact on record for the losing registrar does not receive the email or takes no action, the transfer will be automatically approved! For this reason, it is always recommend to be with a registrar who has some kind of "domain locking" or "domain protect" feature.
If the transfer is approved, then the losing registrar notifies the registry. The registry then moves the domain name from the losing registrar to the gaining registrar's account. The registry then notifies the gaining registrar that the transfer has completed and the gaining registrar notifies the person on the account where the domain transfer was initiated.
Is this complicated? Well it certainly can be. However, it's best to understand this because you'll be surprised at how many customer service representatives don't even know the details of this process. And the worst thing you can do is "take someones word for it" when it comes to your domain names! I hope this helped out a few people and remember: lock your domains, always make sure the contact information in both the WHOIS record and your registrar's account is up to date!
Barry Davis has been in the domain name industry since 2000. He has contributed to the online community and now offers help for people in the domain industry at Domain Name Registration.

Your Domain Can be Stolen

Your Domain Can be Stolen
Posted by Patrick Connor on: 2006-09-10 22:42:39
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles
Believe it or not, even thieves are already high-tech these days. Browsing the net and reading through online forums, I came across a startling story about how thieves have found their way to infiltrate the world wide web. I read about a lady who was planning to put up a web page of her own. As the normal process dictates, she first thought of a domain name for her website. She chose her own name and had it checked in CNet Domain Search page for domain registrations and found out that it is very much available. A couple of days later, she checked it again and was shocked to discover that her name is already taken. She found out that her name is already a domain name registered to a firm with the name Chesterton Holdings.
The helpless lady brought the matter to the attention of Larry Seltzer, a columnist of eweek.com and a staunch critic of cyber crimes. Larry Seltzer investigated the matter himself. He checked the website whose domain name is that of the lady's. He immediately came to a conclusion that firm who "owns" the website and its domain name is a domain squatter, one among many domain squatters scattered all over cyberspace. Seltzer saw that the website is full of advertisements all domain squatters are associated with. He even claimed that the advertisements were syndicated through information.com. In Seltzer's column in eweek.com, he followed the next events regarding the theft of the lady's domain name. He reported that after a number of days, Chesterton, the bogus owner, has already let go of the stolen domain. He said this could have been prompted by the low hits or very few visits the site had. Apparently, silly domain squatters do not stay long in a domain, which is not lucrative for them. Squatters are somehow wise, at least in that sense.
The question that was immediately formed in my mind that Mr. Seltzer also posted, is how in the world was Chesterton able to register someone else's name to be its domain name? Moreover, why was the squatter allowed or given the permission to have ownership of a domain that is obviously not theirs? Anyway, I think my questions are unanswerable as of the moment. Even big companies and other established domain owners cannot exactly explain how domain theft is being successfully done. I bet you have also heard of the stealing of panex.com's domain. Well, if you have not, the bottom line is that even the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), whose mandate is to police the world wide web, failed to fully account the culprit behind the theft.
Curious about how rampant domain theft is, I made a little cyber investigation and probed on my own. I logged on to search.com, a property of CNet domain, and searched for the availability of my own name. I guess you've already guessed the result. Yes, my own name is already a registered domain name. With whom is it registered? Bingo! It is with Chesterton Holdings. My possible domain is already stolen. But I am confident the squatter will leave sooner than I think. My name is unpopular nor does it sound good to generate thousands of hits and visits. There is no way that notorious domain thief can make profit out of my unpopular name.
Though my stolen (domain) name is not much of a big fuss for me or for others, domain theft is an issue of great concern for other web owners. It is alarming that theft incidence can happen so easily and victims cannot do anything to account for the theft done.
Who is behind this syndicated theft? I do not think we can answer right now. Who is to be blamed for the proliferation of cyber thieves? We can go on pointing fingers but still not quell domain theft. I guess the only question we can answer as of now is who is already registered in a particular domain and who is not -- thanks to whois, a *querying database*. Whois is a transmission control protocol(TCP)-based query or a response protocol. It is utilized to identify the owner of a domain name, an IP address, or an autonomous system number on the internet. But then, it is also very probable that domain squatters are using whois to know which domain, in the form of people's real names, can they squat in.
Domain theft and squatting is really a complex and alarming matter. This issue is a concern for current domain owners but more so to those planning to put up a website. This issue is most especially pertinent to those who are planning to put up an online business and use a website for marketing. I guess the best that people can do is to seek only the services of trusted web servers and hosts for domain registrations to ensure the security of their domain.

For more valuable information on domain registration, affiliate program(s),
please visit http://www.businessanalyst.com/

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

What To Do When All The Good Domain Names Are Taken

What To Do When All The Good Domain Names Are Taken
Posted by Rick Coelho on: 2007-06-21 00:56:36
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles

Decent available domain names are becoming harder to find these days. Nearly 25 million ".com" names have been registered, and over 23 thousand are purchased every day. It also means that you're more likely to win the grand prize lottery then find a great domain name.
Owning a domain name that helps to successfully "magnetize" a flood of incoming traffic is like gold to any online business. But the increasing scarcity of domain names that are simple to remember, short and suggestive have turned them into red hot commodities. Just take a look at some of the recent domain name acquisitions:
· business.com sold for $7.5 million
· asseenontv.com sold for $5 million · altavista.com sold for $3.3 million
· loans.com sold for $3 million
· autos.com sold for $2.2 million
· wallstreet.com sold for $1.03 million
· forsalebyowner.com sold for $835,000
· drugs.com sold for $825,000
· cinema.com sold for $700,000
· art.com sold for $450,000
· engineering.org sold for $199,000
· fruits.com sold for $160,000
· perfect.com sold for $94,000 However, while some of these domain names may have been sold for millions, corporate buyers backed by large bank accounts are not alone in the domain name game. Even entrepreneurs are making a great living in purchasing and selling their own domains. Not a day goes by, that a domain name sells for as less as $100 or as much as $1 million on public auction sites. For example, eBay.com recently featured actual bids for as little as $500 for "golegs.com" to as much as $20,000 for "arlington.com" -- and thousands more drifting anywhere in between. Some people seem to know where to get these "nuggets of gold." In fact, a small handful know about an untapped goldmine that lies discreetly tucked away in the dark corners of the vast Internet. And the awareness of this source has helped these "lucky" individuals earn either outrageous fortunes or monstrous levels of traffic for their website. The goldmine to which I'm referring is the pool of recently expired domain names. While only a few knows it exists, regardless it is expanding with every passing day. There are literally tens of thousands of unclaimed, non-renewed and expired domain names that become available on a daily basis. An expired domain name is one that was registered previously but was not paid for in time for the renewal date, thus returning it to the listing of available domains. There are many probable reasons for non-renewal (e.g., forgetful owner, no more interest in site, no longer in business, no longer active or didn't pay for whatever reason). However, you may be asking, "Sure, but I'm never going to find good domain names before some other person snatches them up." For a long time, being "lucky" also meant being alert for the numerous domains that become available, and being quick in registering them before anyone else does. New tools are becoming available, making the process of searching, finding and registering great domain names much easier. In fact, some of them assist you to become aware of the near expiring domains, giving you an advantage over your competitors that permits you to grab names seconds after they've been dropped. Nevertheless, a compelling domain name can help an online business become more visible, credible and accessible. And it will help someone earn a rather large fortune. While in the past, finding one was very prohibitive, with the help of tools that are now at your disposal, you now can be a part of the gold rush, too.
--------
Naming a domain can be a difficult task when your goal is to run a successful business online. For an idea on how to choose a domain name click here!

Choosing Small Business Website Names

Choosing Small Business Website Names
Posted by Jim Degerstrom on: 2007-07-08 23:01:42
Self SEO > Domain Name Articles

I disagree with the comment made by some web developers that all the good domain names are taken. Search engine optimization, or seo, does not depend heavily on the www name you select. For my clients just starting out the decision choosing small business website names has never been an issue. It is a fact that all the 3 character and 4 character domain names with the key extensions are taken. Furthermore, I agree that a vast number of choice domain names are no longer available; however, the selection of a suitable www domain for your small business is possible if you remain flexible.
The real value in the name you choose from a search perspective is how easy it is to spell and remember. Of the two types of visitors to your site, the human visitors and search engines, the ability of a person to remember your domain name and spell it correctly to pass it on to others outweighs any SEO value. Search engines are robots and don't care. Using words like "greatest", "best", or other exaggerated terms in your domain name is thought by some to be a disadvantage and penalized by search engines. Search algorithms change often and likewise that theory, and although you may not be penalized for using such words, consider the reaction of your human visitors. They may not stick around if they feel you boast without the content to back it up. For a serious small business commercial enterprise, my advice is avoiding adjectives in the domain name entirely. In some cases new clients approach me to redesign an existing website, and it surprises me that some of the basics are overlooked. For example, a commercial enterprise in business for profit should not select a dot ORG domain simply because the dot COM was taken. This was the case from a conversation with a client interested in a site makeover. Their ORG version was online for two years with little or no backlinks or serious indexing from search engines. The mindset of getting one particular name should be reconsidered especially if it's your first online venture. Here's a breakdown of the most desirable domain extensions and the usual purpose of each: COM - Commercial for profit enterprise INFO - Information only related website NET - Companies providing internet services ORG - Non-profit organizations Certainly there are many more like BIZ, US, WS, and others which are all reasonable choices, but for your commercial small business my recommendation is always acquire a dot COM www domain name. The client mentioned earlier did not realize a dot ORG was intended for a non-commercial enterprise, and they decided the poor website SEO performance was something that justified getting a new dot COM. We easily found an available www domain using their company initials and one key word about their target market which is medical. Despite my advice that they keep the existing site and simply change the theme, they decided to just let it go when it expired. My commercial site choice was my first and last name, and very unique at that. Using your name is okay, and expected if you're famous. There is, however, little or no value as far as keywords in my www domain to attract visitors, so is that a mistake for search engine optimization? Certainly not. The fact that I have collected more than 100 screenshots of generic phrases relative to my business that made Google page one is evidence the content, not the domain, is key. Here's some advice to help you when choosing a new dot COM small business website domain name. Start out with a list of about 10 domain names that you would like to have. Next, make a list of market related single word terms about what you do and the customer base you service. If your market is localized, consider geographical terms that relate to where you sell or provide services. Spend 30 minutes brainstorming to come up with the initial names and additional lists of single word terms. You may want another list of significant initials. Next, search for "WhoIs" in Google to find free online services that keep a database of available domain names, and follow the link in the search results. Each database has a search box which allows you to input the domain name and extension. Begin with your first choice and work down the list and keep track of available names for review later. It may not be easy, so try combinations of the key terms as you continue to search, and keep in mind you want a domain name that is easy to spell and remember. By the time you're done you should have a half dozen or more available names, so take your time and select the best one, and then register the name immediately. Tip: The domain name may not be significant for search engine optimization, but the length of your registration can be. My advice is registering domains for 2 years minimum, and 5 to 10 years if that's in your budget. Search engines consider that the length of your registration reflects your commitment to be online long term, so at today's prices 5 years is practical and should cost less than $50 USD. There's nothing wrong with getting the dot COM domain name you want, and then registering the other major extensions that are available for the same name. If you are highly successful in your online venture, having the other extensions registered in your name prevents others from attempting to take advantage of your reputation by association. In conclusion, the concept that all the good domain names are taken is a myth. You may not get exactly what you want, but practical options are available with a little research and due diligence.

Jim Degerstrom writes small business advice based on 30 years in management, sales, and marketing, including GM or President of small companies in 5 states. He is proficient in website and graphic art design, and runs his online Small Business Resource Center and offers advice on his Small Business Advice Blog from Kissimmee, Florida USA.

Good Domain Name

Domains are hot again. After the bubble burst in the 90's, no one ever thought that anyone would pay a 5 years salary for a domain name again. Think again. iFly.com was recently sold for $65.000. Thats not a wild sum, but it's not a wild domain either. I did read somewhere that creditcards.com was sold for $2.750.000 last year. Someone did a pretty good investment there. I browsed ebay and found that ss.com was up for bidding, and the tag was around $55.000.
So why do people spend a redicoulus amount of paper on something as silly as the right to use a certain address on the internet? Think of it as real estate. Buy and sell later. Another reason is that the clever SEO crowd discovered that anchor text is one of the strongest SEO tool availible. That means if someone link to my site with the text "widgets" in the anchor tag, search engines will associate my site with "widgets" and give the site higher rankings on that particular search phrase. So this means that if I own "widgets.com", chances are that many people will link me up with the domain name, and since that contains my main keyword, half the SEO is already made.
Don't get stuck in keywords
So what should you look for when buying a domain name? Assuming you don't have the big bucks to spend, you try altering your searches and broaden your acceptance of domains for your web presence. This can be very frustrating. Let's say you are selling "widgets". So you want widgets.com - tough luck. That domain was registrered 3 years ago and some guy wants a whopping 50 grand for it. Ok, what about "widgets.net" or "widgets.org". Try again. All of them are most likely occupied. Given that all popular keywords are taken combined with the releases of some new country codes, people are coming up with some creative domain ideas. How about welcome.to/sweden? or the popular del.icio.us?
Let's rewind this for a moment. Is it really that important to have your main keyword in the domain name? Should you really be looking for "buy-widgets-at-my-site.info" in the end? Think of the big ones. Google. Amazon. Kelkoo. Apple. The key is not the keyword - it's the brand. Keyword domains are out. Branding names are in. Big time in.
So when choosing your domain name, don't get stuck in the keyword thinking. Take it back to the brand. If necessary, have a domain lookup tool at your disposal when choosing the brand in the first place.
I particularly like google (who doesn't). Its easy to remember, you can verbalize it (let's google that) and it has a deeper meaning (googolplex - the highest number there is). And today, the brand is stronger than ever.
Learn the lesson from google itself. Think beyond keywords.
This article was written by David Hellsing
David Hellsing is a designer and web developer living in Gothenburg, Sweden. He is the founder and gentle dictator of Stylegala and the swedish design firm monc.