In the last post, I told you that we would soon discuss selecting a domain name.  After deciding on a market to target, you’re probably wanting to purchase a domain name and get started.  But there are a few things to keep in mind when selecting a domain name.

1. Search engines place at least some importance on domain names.  The name is only one component of getting a high position in a search engine’s database for a specific set of keywords, but it’s a good place to start.  So, you’ll probably want to begin with a domain name that includes one of your target keywords.  For example, if you’re creating a site to provide help for packrats, you probably would want to include the word packrats in the domain name.  To help with this, use a free tool like MakeWords.com to create a catchy name using your selected keyword.  And to learn what terms people are using in the search engines to find sites related to your topic, you may use a free keyword tool like the software available at GoodKeywords.com.

2. Never use trademarked names in your domain name unless you own the trademark.  I once purchased a domain name to promote an ebook that taught readers how to effectively buy and sell using a well-known web service.  I made the mistake of including their name in the domain name.  After receiving an email from their attorneys, I quickly let that one go.  I was just getting started, so I had no idea it would be a big deal.  You might actually be able to get away with it for a while.  But if you’re in this to make money, it’s best to avoid the issue completely.  At worst, you could face high legal costs.  At best, you could invest lots of time and money on a site only to be issued a cease and desist order many months later.

3. Try to keep the length of your domain name as short as possible.  The site name LearnToPlayGuitarNow.com, is a great example of a domain name that is too long.  I typically don’t purchase names that long.  But the domain name CoolGameConsoles.com is also quite long, and I actually like that one.  If you find a name that’s a long but catchy enough to remember, you should be okay.  Just keep in mind that shorter domain names are preferable.

4. Try to avoid dashes in your domain name if you want it to be easily remembered.  If you have to purchase a name with dashes to get the name you want, chances are good that the market you want to target is too competitive to try to enter without some experience.  Using MakeKeywords.com or GoDaddy.com’s search tool, you should be able to find a good domain name that doesn’t include dashes.  How many domain names with dashes have you visited recently?   I must point out that search engines don’t seem to view dashes negatively.  So, if you’re willing to invest the time required to get your site ranked highly for keywords within your chosen market, including dashes in your domain name is less of an issue.  (But it usually does take time and a good knowledge of search engine optimization to get your site ranked highly.)

5. Don’t use an odd name thinking you will create your own brand unless you have a good knowledge of marketing and money to invest to promote your site.  If you’re just getting started, it’s much easier to get traffic to your site if you create a domain name using words that people might type into a search engine to locate your site’s subject matter.

So, do some keyword research to find what words are being used to find sites like the one you want to create.  Then do some research (using a tool like MakeWords.com) to find what domain names may be available that use one or more of those keywords.  Once you find a name that you like, you should register it quickly.  Good domain names usually don’t last long once they have been entered into a search tool.  There are individuals who monitor these names.  If you wait a day or two to think about purchasing your name, you may return to find it has already been registered.

Next time, we’ll go into keyword research in more detail.  I’ve managed to get several sites listed on the first page of Google, MSN, and Yahoo’s search results for some fairly popular keywords, so I’ll share a few pointers with you.