There are a number of factors you want to keep in mind when you are purchasing a domain name. The following is a list of suggested guidelines to help you create a successful domain.

1. Keep Things Simple

Create a straightforward and easy to remember domain name. Avoid using long or hard to spell words as well as actual numbers (ie: cash4you.com).

2. Choose The Correct Extension

.COM is the most widely used extension. It is recommended for almost everyone because the average person will type in .COM when searching for a website without knowing what the actual extension for the website really is. There are however times when .org and other extension are more appropriate.

3. Use Keywords

As a rule of thumb, it is best to buy a domain name that matches with your business name. However, sometimes these names have already been taken and are no longer available. The best thing to do in this case is to create a domain with keywords related to your industry.

4. Look Closely At How The Words Appear

Occasionally it happens where the name of a business or organization can create a rather embarrassing domain name when put together (ie: “Sydney Therapist” -> sydneytherapist.com). In this case, it is best not to have your domain name match your business name.

5. Choose Your Company Name Or Brand Names

The average person will search for a company name or brand name first when looking for a specific website. Having your domain name either your company name or brand name allows you to take advantage of having the keywords being searched.

6. Make Your Domain Unique

When creating your domain name, don’t just add a dash to your domain name if the one you wanted isn’t available (ie: exampledomain.com and example-domain.com). Customers aren’t likely to remember the dash in your domain; so all the traffic from users searching for you will end up going to the domain without the dash. Be creative!!

7. Check For Abuse

From time to time, you may come across a domain name you like that has recently expired or that the existing owner is selling. Be sure to check for any abuse history by the previous owner, which can result in a Google penalty.

8. Choose A Domain Registrar With A Reliable Reputation

GoDaddy.com is one of the top domain name registrars. If you choose to go with another company, be sure to do your research so you can be sure they are a reputable company.

9. Use Automatic Renewals For Your Domain

Automatic renewals are the best option for maintaining ownership over your domain. Domain owners sometimes lose track of their expiration date and without realizing it, they lose ownership over their domain due to non-payment.

10. Don’t Wait, Purchase Your Domain Name ASAP

Domain names are fairly cheap, if you think of a great domain name go purchase it right away! Chances are sooner or later someone else will think of the domain name and if you wait too long, you’ll lose your chance.