What’s the importance of understanding how to buy a domain name? For entrepreneurs in the process of starting a new venture, getting a domain name is one of the first steps you’ll take to build an online presence.
You need to buy a domain name for your business so you can create a website, which will allow your ideal clients and customers to find you online.
A domain name is a big part of your business identity so it’s important to buy a domain name that will accurately represent your business and that’s easy for people to remember.
Related: What is a domain name?
This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about buying a domain name. We’ll cover:
The steps involved in buying a domain name. How to choose a domain name registrar. How to search for a domain name. Tips for choosing a domain name. Mistakes to avoid when selecting a domain name. Additional considerations when you buy a domain name. How to register a domain name. Conclusion and next steps.
Ready to dive in? Let’s go!
How to buy a domain name in 3 steps
Buying a domain name may seem like a daunting process. After all, there are so many domain extensions and domain name registrars to choose from, it can be quite difficult to know where to start. However, once you know what is involved in buying a domain name, the process becomes pretty straightforward.
There are three steps that you have to follow to buy a domain name:
1. Choose a domain name registrar where you will register the domain name.
You should choose a reputable registrar company that satisfies several criteria to ensure your domain name is in the right hands. We’ll explore those criteria below.
2. Search for your desired domain name and see if it’s available.
Domain names are a hot commodity, which means your first choice might not be available. Fortunately, you’ve got plenty of options.
3. Register your desired domain name with your chosen domain registrar.
Once you choose an available domain name, you’ll be ready to register it for a specific amount of time. We’ll show you exactly how to do that, too.
Let’s go through the above-mentioned steps one by one.
How to choose a domain name registrar
The first step toward buying a domain name for your new venture is selecting a domain name registrar.
There are several factors you’ll want to consider when selecting your domain registrar, but before going into those details, let’s break things down a bit and explain a few different terms that you might come across as you’re searching for the right domain name registrar.
Registrar refers to a company, such as GoDaddy, that manages the domain name registration process. Different domain extensions (such as .com) are managed by their respective registries, but those registries don’t sell domains directly to users (aka registrants). That’s where the registrar comes into play.
Like a middle man, the registrar works with the registries in order to deliver domains to end-users.
So, now that you’re a bit more familiar with how the registry/registrar relationship works, let’s take a look at what to consider when selecting your domain registrar.
ICANN accreditation
ICANN (or the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) is the governing body over domain name registrars. They provide guidelines and enforce rules that all accredited registrars must follow.
This is important, as it normalizes the domain name registration and management system (such as domain transfers, domain WHOIS updates, etc.). It also allows the domain customer a route for further assistance if they feel that their domain registrar isn’t abiding by the rules set out by ICANN.
Since your domain name is your online identity, this additional layer of governance is vital.
Most registrars are accredited with ICANN these days, but if you’re not sure, you can check through ICANN directly.
Complete control over your domain
There are some registrars that only provide partial control over your domain.
This could include the registrar adding their own contact information to portions of your domain details (which can make transferring your domain to a different provider much more difficult), or even preventing you from making critical updates to your domain settings (such as the ability to point your domain to your desired hosting provider).
Your potential domain provider should be able to tell you their policies on this before you register your domain name, so don’t be afraid to ask if you’re going to have full control of your own domain before you register it.
Quality 24/7 support
What’s the benefit of having full control over your domain name if you’re not able to get support for any questions that might have come up?
Choosing a provider with multiple avenues and availability for support is important.
It’s vital your domain name operates as expected. It’s the address for visitors reaching your site, and the last thing you need is to miss out on potential traffic because of a hiccup with the registrar.
A quality support team might even be able to assist you with choosing a domain. They can suggest available options, which will help you to make an informed decision about your domain name.
Pricing and domain options
Domain names aren’t generally going to be a huge expense. Most of the common domain extensions are available for in the ballpark of $10 to $20 per year. But something that you might want to consider are additional options for your domain, such as bulk registration, domain privacy, theft protection, etc.
But what do those options mean? Let’s take privacy, for example. While privacy isn’t required for your domain, it can go a long way in protecting your personal contact information.
Domain registrars are required to provide valid contact information for registered domains on WHOIS searches.
While there is a benefit to having valid contact information available there, the unfortunate downside is that spammers and scammers love to gather email contact information from WHOIS directories. In other words, privacy on your domain is a great way to protect your personal contact information. Make sure it’s available with your domain registrar before purchasing a domain.
What about additional extensions? While many businesses choose .com domains for their primary web address, there are tons of interest-, industry- and geo-specific domain extensions available that you might find more appealing.
Not all domain providers will have a wide selection of domain extensions, so if this option is important to you, make sure they’re available through your selected registrar.
Related: Domain extensions guide
Not all features are going to be as important for some users, so select a domain registrar that meets your needs and has the options that you are interested in.
How to search for a domain name
Once you have found your preferred domain name registrar, it’s time to search for your domain name. (We’re going to cover lots of tips for choosing a great domain name after we go over the logistics of conducting a domain name search.)
Your domain name shapes your online business identity and helps you connect with your target audience. Think of your domain name — the address that people type in to get to your website or use when they send you a professional email — as either the name of your business online or as a fundamental element of your overall branding.
Your domain name is the anchor for your business’s identity on the web.
As such, you shouldn’t put off registering a domain name for your business.
Because it’s so central to your online identity, it’s best to buy a domain name in the initial stages of naming your business.
That way, you can check on domain availability BEFORE you settle on a business name.
How to search for domains at GoDaddy
The world’s biggest registrar, GoDaddy has searching for domains down to a science. GoDaddy has an easy to use domain search feature for mobile and desktop users, as well as a few other options for securing just the right domain name.
Simply follow these steps to register a domain name with GoDaddy:
1. Visit GoDaddy.com
Open up your preferred browser and go to GoDaddy.com. Once the home page loads, you’ll see a search bar where you can begin your domain search.
2. Enter your domain in the search bar
Enter your preferred domain name, and click Search. At this point, one of two things will happen:
If your domain name is available, great! You’ll be presented with the opportunity to add it to the cart.
If your domain name isn’t available, you’ll be prompted to search for a new domain name or select a different variation.
The good news? Even if your domain name is already taken, GoDaddy’s suggestion tool will list new ideas, with different extensions or variations, that you can review.
If you like one of the options, great! If not, enter a few of your other domain options into the search bar until you land on one that’s available.
Pro tip: Don’t shy away from different domain extensions. While .com is still one of the most widely registered domain endings, the availability of hundreds of new domain extensions gives you the opportunity to register a domain that perfectly represents who you are and what you do.
Go ahead, give it a try:
SEARCH Other ways to search for domain names
Now that you know how to search for a domain name through GoDaddy, there are a few other channels you can use to find the perfect domain for your business.
By extensions. Depending on your business, you could find the perfect domain extension for your niche. If you want to browse by domain extensions, all you have to do is visit GoDaddy and search for available extensions by keyword, options available now, categories and more.
At auctions. Whether you’re looking at an expired domain name or are simply interested in purchasing a domain someone else already owns, GoDaddy Auctions is a great place to start. Searching for a domain name here is simple. Just enter your keywords or browse the listings to see what’s available.
On Afternic. Domain sellers can post their domains on Afternic and have their listings sent out to more than 100 platforms worldwide. That makes Afternic a great resource for searching for a new domain name. All you have to do is enter your new search idea on the home page, and Afternic will take care of the rest, directing you to a page with available domains for sale.
With that said, here are some top tips for choosing a domain name and which domain naming mistakes you should avoid.
Tips for choosing a domain name
Finding a domain that’s available, valuable and relevant is important to online success, which is why registering a domain name requires strategy.
Your domain name should accurately represent your business as well as be easy to remember and promote.
Choosing a domain name that points out your value proposition (what makes your business special), vertical (what space you operate in), or geographic area can help you drive business and stand out from the competition.
Consider what do you do and where you do it
Your domain name should be indicative of your venture. To start, list out the following information to get a better idea of what you can possibly incorporate in your domain:
Business industry (e.g. bakery) Services (e.g., catering) Products (e.g., cupcakes) Geographic location (e.g., New York City) Words that describe your business (e.g., delicious, decadent, custom, sweet, supreme)
Use that list to brainstorm a variety of short, memorable and representative domain names. Be sure to check out industry- and geo-specific domain extensions including .catering and .nyc.
Keep it short and simple
It’s an obvious strategy, but registering a domain name that is short and memorable isn’t as easy as you might think. The fewer words or characters your domain name has, the more likely your customers will spell your domain correctly and find your site. This method might require some creativity, but it will pay off.
On the “simple” front, make sure your domain name is easy to spell and avoid using numbers and hyphens.
Do some research
Research your potential domain name on social media and trademark databases.
The key to building a successful brand online is consistency so it’s advisable to keep your social media handles the same as your domain name.
Also, take some time to run your domain name through the trademark database.
Determine value
Domain names are valuable. People buy and sell domains every day for more than the normal registration price. Another helpful data point to check is GoDaddy’s Domain Appraisals tool. It can give you an idea of the potential value of your domain choice.
Why is this important?
More valuable domains tend to make very good choices for business names.
They fit many of the important factors that help contribute to online success in naming, such as popular usage, memorability and branding.
Related: 10 tips for choosing the perfect domain name
Mistakes to avoid when selecting a domain name 
Photo: missresincup via Compfight cc
Your domain name is your business’s unique identifier on the web, so it’s super-important that it makes the right impression. If you avoid these five domain naming mistakes, you’ll be well on your way to making that happen.
1. Don’t fart (or, avoid an embarrassing mishap)
True story: A metal artist named Frank signs all of his artwork with a single letter “F.” He searched for a domain name that exactly matched his business name when planning to start his website for F Art Gallery.
The gallery’s domain sounded great when written with the appropriate spaces — but not when typed into a web browser. Sure, fartgallery.com was memorable — but not likely the kind of memory Frank wanted to leave with potential customers.
When you think about your website address, think about it as a sequence of words and letters in a sequence, rather than as separate words. You’ll save yourself some embarrassing looks when people see your new domain on a business card or email address.
2. Don’t show off (or, try too hard to be clever)
The point of doing business online is to make it easy for people to find your website and take whatever action you want them to take — check out your products and services, call you for estimates, buy your widgets, whatever.
If you want people to easily find you, don’t make it hard for them to remember your website address by choosing a domain name that takes liberties with language simply for the sake of being clever.
Also, consider the international spelling of words. If you use a word like “colour” and your business is primarily doing business in the U.S., expect to lose potential customers typing your domain with the American spelling of “color.”
Clever is cute, but using a clever spelling of a domain makes it harder to market your business online.
3. Don’t stunt your growth (or, name yourself into a corner)
When choosing a domain name, it pays to think ahead.
For example, you might want to avoid including the one product you sell now in your domain name if you plan to expand your product line in the future. Likewise, including a location is your domain name is a smart move if you’re planning to do business locally but could stunt your online growth if you’re planning to expand to new areas.
Give yourself room to grow.
4. Don’t be antisocial (or, pick a domain that’s not available on social media)
Check social media before settling on your new domain. As mentioned earlier, the ideal situation is to claim social handles that mirror your domain name.
Related: How to claim social media handles — and why you should do it now
5. Don’t sell yourself cheap (or, avoid premium domains)
Another true story: An entrepreneur went looking for the .com version of a business domain and it was already taken, but for sale on the domain aftermarket for $2,500 — a price he considered too high to shell out for the ideal domain name. He decided to go with the .net version because it was available at a normal price.
Within a few years, the business exploded; their product was everywhere. This happy entrepreneur then decided to invest in the .com version of the business’s domain name.
Here’s the catch: A lot of people had been typing .com instead of .net when searching for the business’s website. The impressive number of “hits” to the parked web page attached to the premium .com domain had spiked its price to $15,000.
A simple decision to save money turned into a $15K mistake.
So, if you know you want a domain for your business and it’s available as a premium domain, save up and invest in the perfect domain at the beginning. You can save yourself money in the long run.
Additional considerations when you buy a domain name
Before you rush out and register your domain name (we’ll cover exactly how to do that in a minute), there are a couple of things you need to keep in mind — the cost of the domain and domain privacy.
How much does a domain name cost?
The cost of your domain name will depend on a couple of factors:
The extension you use. Where you buy the domain name — a reputable registrar, a private seller or an aftermarket service? The length of time you’re registering the domain for as well as additional options chosen such as domain privacy, etc.
In general, regular domain names range between $10 and $20 per year, depending on the extension and available discounts or special promos that registrars have active.
If you’re looking into buying a premium domain, you can expect to pay upwards of hundreds of dollars. However, there is no definitive answer nor a minimum range for premium domains.
The best way to get a feel for the domain cost is to enter the potential domain name in GoDaddy’s Domain Appraisals tool and to browse sites like Afternic and GoDaddy’s Domain Name Aftermarket.
Should you add domain privacy (private registration)?
Another consideration to keep in mind is to decide whether you want to add domain privacy or not. Domain privacy allows you to hide your private information so nobody can see it when they perform a WHOIS lookup. This is useful as it protects your information from getting scraped and used by online scammers and spammers.
You can easily add domain privacy during the domain registration process.
GoDaddy offers full domain privacy and protection packages for both individuals and businesses. This service protects your private information, prevents domain-related spam, and it can also safeguard your website from accidental loss of domain due to expired credit card, potential hacking attempts, and deter domain hijackers.
How to register a domain name
Wow — we just covered a lot of territory. Now it’s time to get out there and register a domain for your business.
How to register a domain name with GoDaddy
If you’re ready to make your mark on the internet but are not sure how to actually register your domain name, here’s a step-by-step process for registering your available domain name with GoDaddy.
1. Enter the domain name in GoDaddy’s domain name search bar.
2. Click Add to Cart. 3. If desired, register additional extensions to protect your online brand. Click Add to Cart for each additional domain name. 4. Click Continue to Cart. 5. Select a domain privacy plan, or click No Thanks.
6. Decide if you want to attach your domain name to a free starter website.
Keep the box checked for “Start your website for free” if you want to attach your domain name to a free trial of GoDaddy’s Website Builder. Uncheck the box if you want to pass.
7. Decide if you want to attach your domain name to a professional email address.
Choose from three professional email plans or keep the box checked to No Thanks.
8. Click Continue to Cart. 9. Sign into your GoDaddy account or click Create Account.
You’ll be prompted to enter your billing and payment information. GoDaddy offers several payment methods so choose the one that’s most convenient for you. You will need to provide your billing address but if you’ve chosen domain privacy in the previous step, that information will not be visible to the public.
10. Review your order under My Items and click Complete Purchase.
Consider registering your domain name for a longer term to save money in the long run and prevent accidental domain expiration.
Congrats, you now understand how to buy a domain name and are the proud owner of a new online identity. It’s time to get your brand on the web!
Conclusion and next steps
Buying and registering a domain name for your business might seem daunting, but once you know what’s involved in the domain registration process, the whole experience becomes much easier. Let’s quickly recap how to buy a domain name:
1. Select your domain name registrar
The first step is to find a reputable domain name registrar that you’ll use to register your domain name. While there are many domain name registrars out there, you need to make sure that your chosen registrar meets several criteria:
They are an ICANN accredited registrar. They provide 24/7 quality support. They give you complete control over your domain name. They offer affordable domain names, several payment methods, and additional options such as domain privacy, bulk registrations, and additional extensions. 2. Search for your desired domain name
After you have chosen your domain registrar, you will need to search for your domain name and see if it’s available. For this part of the process, you will want to keep the domain naming tips in mind:
Keep it short and simple. Consider combining what you do with your location for a unique domain name. Consider registering additional domain extensions. Avoid domain naming mistakes such as choosing a name that’s too specific and doesn’t allow you to grow, not checking the domain name spelling, or trying to save money by not buying a premium domain. 3. Register your domain name
The last step is to actually register the domain name. GoDaddy makes buying your domain names a breeze so once you have found your perfect domain name, add it to the cart and then create your GoDaddy account. You will then enter your payment and billing information, add extra options such as domain privacy or additional extensions, and complete the purchase.
Next steps
Now that you have your perfect domain name, it’s time to take the next steps toward creating a memorable online identity for your brand.
Get a professional email that matches your domain name
If you opted not to take this step during the domain buying process, give it some thought now. An email address that is attached to your domain name will add to your brand credibility and make you look more professional than a plain Gmail or similar email address.
Create a website
Your website will become your online home so it needs to have a professional design, tell people what you do, and allow them to easily hire you or buy from you. Read our guide on how to start a website for an in-depth look at your options.
Related: You’ve registered a domain name. What now?
This article includes content originally published on the GoDaddy blog by the following authors: Isaac Irvine, Genevieve Tuenge, Stacey Hartman, Nancy King, Maxym Martineau and Nick Fuller.
The post How to buy a domain name in 3 steps appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.
Read more: godaddy.com
Whether it’s for a business or blog, or you just want your own slice of the internet, your domain is your digital address online. If your domain is your address, your domain extension is like your ZIP code in that it gives your website visitors a little more information about you.
In the beginning of the internet age, domain extensions were extremely limited. As Make Use Of tells it, “In 1984, the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) established the first six domain extensions: .com, .edu, .gov, .mil, .org and .net. Shortly after, the first two-character country code domain extensions (like .uk and .us) were established. In 1988, .int was also introduced.”
Fast forward to today, and your domain and your domain extensions can be just as unique, and utterly fantastic, as you are. How unique? Let’s put it this way, there are more than 1,000 top-level domains for internet addresses online.
Related: What is a domain name?
Your guide to domain extensions
We’re going to take a deep dive into domain extensions in this article. Here’s what we’re going to cover:
What is a domain extension? How can domain extensions help with business branding? Can domain extensions improve SEO? What are top-level domains? What is a gTLD? Understand the options for naming and branding your business with domain extensions. Using domain extensions for creative marketing and customer engagement. Using geographic domain extensions to connect with local customers. Using industry-specific domain extensions to show what you offer at glance. Conclusion and next steps.
In this post we’ll cover what domain extensions are, what you need to know before you commit to one, how your choice can help you with branding, and so much more. Let’s get started, shall we?
What is a domain extension?
In case we’re speaking Greek to you, let’s explain what domain extensions are.
A domain extension is the combination of characters following the period in a web address.
For example, in GoDaddy.com, the .com is the domain extension of the GoDaddy domain name. The five most common domain extensions are .com, .net, .org, .co and .us.
How can domain extensions help with business branding?
Consider for a moment the time and research you put into your last car purchase. Just like you wouldn’t blindly buy a vehicle, you also shouldn’t fly blind when buying the pieces that make up your online presence.
After all, much like people will make assumptions about a person by the car they drive, your public will judge you by both your domain and your domain extension — so you must choose wisely.
If they see a .org attached for example, they might think it is a community driven or nonprofit website. If the domain ends with .edu, well, that tells the visitor it’s most likely an educational website, or associated in some way with a school or academy.
The domain extension you choose should reflect what your brand stands for.
We’re going to talk a lot more about specific domain extensions for specific industries further along in this article.
Can domain extensions improve SEO?
The short answer? Not quite yet.
However, as the .coms continue to flood the market, the newer and more unique domain extensions could rise to the top at some point in terms of search engine preference. This could happen because people like their brevity and will tell search engines they prefer domains with shorter domain extensions by way of clicking.
After all, domain extensions are a faster indication of what a domain offers, which can help a time-deprived user when they do a quick scan of results in a search.
Where domain extensions really come in handy for businesses, however, is in website visitation and conversion.
When a business has an easy-to-remember domain and domain extension, it’s more likely that people will visit it.
And, if they are searching for something specific online like diamonds, for example, a jewelry company with a domain name such as yourjewelrystore.diamonds might get more visitors than a business with a domain name like yourjewelrystore.com simply because of the specificity of their domain extension.
What is a TLD?
Spoiler alert: It’s the same thing as the domain extension.
The top-level domain, or TLD, is the last section of a domain name — the part to the right of the dot. In the domain name, example.com, the .com is the TLD (aka domain extension). The TLD is intended to communicate the purpose or location of a website.
There are several types of TLDs, but the three most common are gTLD, ccTLD and sTLD.
Country-code top-level domain (ccTLD)
Country-code top-level domains (ccTLDs) are intended to be specific to countries, sovereign states and territories. They typically consist of just two letters such as .au for Australia, .fr for France, .nz for New Zealand, or .us for United States.
Many of these domain extensions have strict rules that prohibit just anyone from being able to register them.
One such restriction for some ccTLDs is that you are a resident of the country, territory or sovereign state you’re registering for. Codes like .us and .mx require you live or be located in these countries to register a domain with these extensions.
Exceptions include .co for Colombia and .ly (looking at you bit.ly) for Libya — anyone can register these ccTLDs. Similarly, .fm — the domain extension for Micronesia — is being unofficially used by FM radio stations, podcasts and related broadcasting businesses.
Sponsored top-level domain (sTLD)
Sponsored top-level domains (sTLDs) have a sponsor that represents a specific community that is served by the domain. Think .gov for United States government sites, .post for postal services, and .mil for U.S. military websites. Like ccTLDs, these domain extensions have very strict rules for ownership.
The third type of TLD, generic top-level domains (gTLDs), perhaps hold the most branding potential for business owners.
What is a gTLD?
Generic top-level domains, aka gTLDs, are domain extensions that aren’t tied to country codes or regions, do not require a representative, and are not always restricted in terms of who can own them. (Some geographic domain extensions do require registrants to live and/or do business in the area represented by the geographic gTLD — more on that later.)
gTLD examples
Some examples of generic top-level domains include:
.loan: How perfect would this be for a bank or loan company? .club: Imagine your loyalty program or membership site with this fun extension! .work: This could be the perfect domain extension for an online job board, for example. .stream or .live: Does your business do live streams or live broadcasts of any kind? This could be just the right gTLD for you. .blog: Where my bloggers at? .guru: You’re already called a marketing guru or an internet guru or whatever type of guru, why not make it official? .miami: Let’s say you’re a travel agent who specializes in trips to Miami; what better way to announce your escapeto.miami or travelto.miami to the world?
These descriptive new domain extensions — such as .lawyer, .careers and .tips, just to name a few more — give you a new opportunity to register domains that perfectly represent what you and your business are all about.
With all the new generic top-level domains now available, the online branding possibilities are endless!
SEARCH
Understand the options for naming and branding your business with domain extensions
As of 2019, there are now more than 1,000 domain extensions available. If you’re trying to find the right name and domain for your business, this could be good news for you. On the other hand, maybe all these options are starting to feel a little overwhelming.
Not being limited to a more traditional TLD like .com (although that’s still the most popular and recognizable domain extension) means you can get more specific than ever before.
We’ve addressed a few domain extensions above, but there are also others that might specifically intrigue business owners — including .app, .shop, .menu, .jewelry and even .pizza.
For instance, if you have a pizza shop named Mike’s Pizza, you might try to register mikespizza.com. This is a short, representative domain name. Alas! It’s not available (Remember, the .com domain has been around awhile so many short .coms have already been snagged). Check out a few of your other options:
Here’s another example: Before gTLDs, you might have resorted to a cumbersome domain name like PhoenixBikeShopOnline.com. Now, you can shorten that name to PhoenixBike.shop. Awesome, right?!
“These new gTLds are really hot,” said actor Oleg Taktarov, star of 15 Minutes, Rollerball and Predators. “They are fantastic for branding yourself or your business. People breaking into the [entertainment] business can easily market themselves with a .actor domain for their website and show the world that they are in the trade.”
Should you purchase a domain with one of these newer domain extensions to be your primary website address? How about to be an alternate domain name or to protect your turf? Let’s take the considerations one-by-one:
Branding and naming
As we mentioned earlier, taking one of these new domain extensions for your web address is more descriptive, and explains what you do in a simple and easy way. On the other hand, .com is so ingrained in our psyche that customers might not remember a web address that doesn’t end with a .com.
But, as more and more of these new extensions become available, we’ll all become more accustomed to alternate addresses.
A lot of them might become even easier for us to remember. Looking for a pizza for dinner tonight? Go to a .pizza web address.
A related question: If the .com you want isn’t available, should you grab a different domain extension or change the name of your business online?
Our vote goes to the new domain extension.
It’s better to have a domain name that truly represents who you are and what you do.
The bottom line: For now, a .com might still be the best way to go, if it’s available. But, if it’s not, don’t hesitate to get a new extension. Even if you already have a .com address, you might want to consider a new extension as an alternate, or vanity, web address and redirect visitors to whichever domain you prefer.
Protecting your brand
For those of you who already have a .com address, you might be wondering if you should scoop up your name with additional domain extensions so that you can protect your brand. After all, if you are mikespizza.com, you might want to register mikes.pizza rather than letting someone else take it.
Should you do it? Sure, you can do this, but don’t go crazy.
After all, unless you’re in the business of buying and selling domain names, owning too many domains can get pretty expensive year over year.
You really only need the addresses that are truly relevant to your business.
Protect your brand by purchasing your name with a new extension or two (maybe even three or four), but there’s no need to go overboard. You probably only need a couple of truly relevant ones.
Related: Using multiple custom domain names to control your online identity
Using domain extensions for creative marketing and customer engagement
If you haven’t guessed by now, domain extensions hold value for creative marketing campaigns and increased customer engagement. Strategically place them within your existing website, and they instantly become a valuable shortcut and marketable URL to drive visitors deeper into your primary website.
Domain extensions + brand marketing = creative genius!
Let’s look at some of the ways you can use domain extensions to create multiple landing points for your target customers, increase customer engagement, and support your marketing goals.
Loyalty programs
If you’re a marketer or small business owner, you can use the new domain extensions to brand loyalty programs.
Let’s say your business is Fresh Brew Coffee, a local coffee shop, and you have just launched a customer loyalty program. You register a .club domain name — like freshbrewcoffee.club — and link it to your existing website. You could also create loyalty cards with this easy-to-remember domain listed on them.
Related: 7 eCommerce customer loyalty program ideas
Building buzz
Say you want to create some buzz around a new product that you are launching. Your marketing campaign could include a domain and a site for the product using the new .buzz extension — yourproductname.buzz.
For Paris Fashion Week and its other Fashion Week websites, Access Fashion Media created .buzz domains to drive engagement, branching out beyond their original .com extensions.
Promote a sale
Does your business participate in Black Friday sales? If so, create a domain such as yourstorename.blackfriday or set up a custom domain for any big sale, such as yoursalename.sale.
Feature a contest
Offering a contest that you want to build excitement around? Create a domain such as yourcontestname.win using the .win domain extension. You can use the easy-to-recall URL to promote the contest in your social media networks and other marketing channels.
Collaborate on an event
Does your business participate in any collaborative events like “shop local” with other local businesses? If so, create a .events domain and website for the collaboration.
Work with your collaborators to promote the custom URL, such as youreventname.events, to drive traffic to an attached website that includes event details and a list of participating businesses with links back to their websites.
Make it your primary domain
Using a domain with one of the new domain extensions as your primary website address can be a great marketing move for your business — especially if the extension aligns with your product or service (which it should!).
There are so many domain extensions it’s still easy to get a short and memorable domain name that is truly representative of your business.
Events website business Confetti uses confetti.events as its primary domain. 
Find the official website for planning a tour of the Eiffel Tower at toureiffel.paris
Domain extensions and digital ads
We’ve established that domain extensions likely don’t impact SEO yet — but they could help with ad spend.
In an article for Search Engine Journal, SEO expert Bill Hartzer recommended considering using keyword-rich generic top-level domain names for Google AdWords campaigns.
He based his recommendation on positive outcomes from an AdWords test campaign that used the same keywords, ad copy and landing pages to send traffic to a .com domain and, at the same time, .diamonds domain. As he explains:
“At first, when we first ran the ads, we found that we got more impressions on the .DIAMONDS ads, and the .DIAMONDS clicks were cheaper. The clicks on the .COM ads were more expensive, but ultimately the .COM clicks converted better. Eight months later, however, we ran the same ads again, and found that the .DIAMONDS clicks were still cheaper than using a .COM domain name. But, it turned out that the .DIAMONDS clicks were converting better than they had before.
I’m now recommending that if you’re running Google AdWords ads, consider using a keyword rich new gTLD domain name. You should, of course, do your own testing, but you may end up paying less for clicks and getting more conversions.”
While it is still too soon to know exactly how the newer domain extensions will perform in search engine results pages from a branding standpoint in the future, having multiple domains using the newer extensions makes good sense. And, you might get an SEO boost eventually … so why not?
Related: 7 small business SEO tactics that you can do in-house
Using geographic and industry-specific domain extensions to connect with customers
Another big advantage of the available generic top-level domains is that you can use them geographically if you are a local business.
Geographic and industry-specific domain extensions can connect you with your ideal customers.
With extensions specific to geographic areas including cities, countries and continents — like .nyc — you can make it easy for local customers to find your products and services (i.e. your business) online.
Pride of place
Take, for example, the benefits of branding your New York City-based business with a .nyc domain extension.
Hard working, fast moving New Yorkers are proud to call the Big Apple home. If your business is located in one of the five boroughs and serves residents of America’s most bustling city, you might consider purchasing a .nyc domain name.
When you brand your website with a .nyc domain name, customers who want (or need) to shop local can rest assured that they’re looking at a New York business on the Web.
In addition to .nyc, a new wave of geographic domain extensions — including .vegas, .london, .quebec and dozens more — enable you to name your business online with a website address that’s connected to a specific place.
Be you, where you are
If you buy a .london domain name such as IansHats.london, for example, your customers instantly know that you’re the famous Savile Row haberdasher — not some imitator who just happened to buy up the domain name first. (We hope no haberdashers named Ian are offended by this example!)
And you don’t necessarily have to run a business to benefit from geo domains.
Maybe you just want to identify with a certain locale and share information on an easily recognizable website. Planning a bachelor party in Sin City? Set up TomsBachelorParty.vegas to keep all the deets updated. Want an online display case for your porcelain cat collection, the one overtaking the spare bedroom in your Quebec home? Consider PatsLesChats.quebec.
Related: What happens in .vegas, doesn’t stay in .vegas
Use industry-specific domain extensions to show what you offer at a glance
We’ve shared a lot of domain extension examples in this article so far, but now we’re going to get even more specific — industry specific, that is. Take a look at our examples below for the following industries:
Hospitality / Food and beverage Travel Schools Construction Media and news coverage Clubs Public service (ahem, running for office? You WANT to check this section out!)
We’re betting that after you read through them, you’ll be inspired to find ways to use domain extensions to your marketing advantage whether you’re in one of these industries or not.
Hospitality domains fit for foodies
Whether you’re a caterer or barista, own a bar or restaurant, or just love dishing about great eats, the new batch of food-related domains can heat up your business online.
A website name that ends with one of the new food domains — including .bar, .beer, .catering, .coffee, .kitchen, .menu, .pizza, .recipes and .restaurant — makes your edible offerings obvious at a glance.
It’ll be faster and easier for people searching for food and beverage products and services online to identify your business.
Want to showcase your restaurant’s special menu for the winter season? Try a website name like SteakZoneWinter.menu. Want your customers to know you have the hottest wings and Monday night football on every screen? Maybe the odds for WingsSports.bar are in your favor. Are you a brew purist? You can trumpet your ale affinity with a name like OnlyCraft.beer. Like to blog about 20 different ways to make deviled eggs? Register a name such as PerfectEgg.recipes.
These domain extensions are so fresh that you’ve got a perfect opportunity to secure a name that’s just right for your business. And that’s yummy.
Related: Great domains for restaurateurs and others in the food and hospitality industry
Travel sites with .vacations domain extension take off
Help your travel services business jump to the head of the line — online — with a website address ending in the new .vacations domain.
A .vacations domain tells your visitors exactly what your site is about.
Imagine searching online for travel services and coming across one of these fun names:
romantic.vacations getaway.vacations tropical.vacations relaxing.vacations affordable.vacations luxurious.vacations cruise.vacations fishing.vacations
A domain name like paradise.vacations is precise. It can’t be mistaken for a real estate site promoting a paradisiacal home. And your customers can be confident they won’t find themselves on a website about paradise in the afterlife.
The .school domain puts a whole new spin on learning
Schools and training centers now have .school, .academy, .degree and more education-related domain extensions to help them shine online.
Whether you run an elite private academy or an apprentice program for electricians, a .school domain name will set you apart from all the others vying for students online.
And because part of your domain name appears after the dot, your web address might actually be shorter than it would be with another domain — always a good thing.
Related: How to build a school website in less than an hour
Build your business with a .construction domain name
Planning and building is in your blood … How great is it that there’s a domain extension that speaks to your customers, telling them exactly what you do in a quick glance?
The .construction domain extension does all the talking, letting you focus on building an awesome business offline.
Instead of registering a clunky domain like AwesomeNameConstruction.com, you can register AwesomeName.construction — shorter, sweeter, scannable and downright awesome.
Whether you’re a building inspector, carpenter, architect, general contractor or anyone else in the building trade, a .construction domain name will make your business stand out like a beautiful skyscraper amongst one-story flats.
Breaking .news to drive your business online
Whether you’re an investigative journalist, a specialty blogger, and advice columnist hoping to sell your work into syndication, or even an everyday entrepreneur with a news section on your website, the .news domain name can help you build and grow your business online.
Perhaps you’re looking to share the news of your biz or blog via live streaming. With the new .live domain extension, it’s never been easier to show the world at a glance that you’re streaming fresh, valuable content.
Join the .club
The online world got a little more exclusive by helping to identify groups — formed around shared passions and interests — with the .club domain extension.
Clubs are for everyone, but this domain extension is especially perfect for:
Groups and associations Retail loyalty and affinity programs Online networking groups (e.g. Facebook and LinkedIn) Sports and entertainment clubs or teams Consumers with special interests or hobbies
Now, groups such as golf, health, yacht, tennis, chess, book, social and country clubs can make a grand entrance without needing to introduce themselves — the domain does all the work!
Maybe your current domain name is something like, TheBestBookClub.com. It has a ring to it, but what if you could use TheBestBook.club? Instantly, you’ve added marketing value to your group — making your .club even more official!
By the way, those online networking groups we mentioned? If you own a .club domain, you can redirect your domain to your groups on them. Imagine being able to tell someone to join your community at yourbusiness.club instead of finding you at facebook.com/longstringofnumbersandletters.
Related: How to redirect a domain to Facebook
Cast your vote for a .democrat or .republican domain extension
Political leanings? The .democrat or .republican domain extension is perfect for candidates, officeholders, activists, party organizations, clubs and individuals who identify with either the Grand Old Party or its Democrat counterpart.
Just add your name, city or cause for a proudly partisan web address.
Did your gubernatorial candidate from the GOP just get elected to your state’s top office? Then you could be onehappy.republican. On the other side of that political fence? Then you might be a despondent.democrat.
Just sayin’ …
To learn about domain extensions for even more industries, check out:
Domain extensions for accountants, attorneys & other professional services Retail domain extensions to attract online shoppers Great domains for salons, spas & other businesses that make us look and feel better Domain extensions for artists, designers, writers & other creative types
Don’t see your industry here? That doesn’t mean there isn’t a domain extension that’s perfect for you. GoDaddy’s domain search tool makes it a snap to find industry-specific domain extensions.
Conclusion and next steps
All in all, domain extensions really are an extension of you and your brand.
We’ve covered a lot in this monster of a post. But it all boils down to one simple question — How will you use the plethora of domain extensions available to you?
Domain extensions offer many opportunities to creatively market your business. Their usage is virtually limitless.
If you’re a creative business owner or marketer, or a blogger, the wide variety of domain extensions offer an excellent opportunity for business growth as well as innovative customer engagement.
Next steps
So, what’s next?
Choose the perfect domain name. Once you decide on a domain name, register it with GoDaddy. Set up a professional email address using your domain name. Attach a website to your domain name.
Happy naming!
This article includes content originally published on the GoDaddy blog by the following authors: Laura Messerschmitt, Isaac Irvine, Cody Landefeld, Genevieve Tuenge, RuthAnn Hogue, Maxym Martineau, Andrea Mosher, Andrea Rowland, Nick Fuller and Jennifer Dunn.
The post Domain extensions guide: What you need to know before you pick a domain name appeared first on GoDaddy Blog.
Read more: godaddy.com
Businesses want stability. They understand that domain prices increase over time but want predictability.
Imagine if next year you had to pay 10 times as much to renew your domain name as you paid this year. Based on an action proposed by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), price caps could be removed on several top level domains, which could significantly increase the price of domains. Find out what’s happening—and how to take action to stop this change before April 29.
Who Sets Domain Prices?
There are three parties involved when you register a domain name.
One is your domain name registrar, such as Namecheap.
When you register a domain name at Namecheap, we have to reserve the domain name through the domain name registry.
Think of the registrar as a domain name retailer and the registry as the wholesaler.
The wholesale registry charges Namecheap a set fee per domain name per year. Namecheap then adds a little markup to cover things like support, provisioning domain services, transaction fees, etc.
There’s a lot of competition for domain name registrars. This keeps prices that companies like Namecheap charge in check.
Domain registries, on the other hand, have little competition. Only one registry can sell .org domains. The same goes for .info, .com, .net, etc.
A third group has historically kept the prices the registries charge Namecheap and other registrars in check. ICANN includes a provision in its contracts with registries that limits what they can charge.
Now ICANN has proposed removing all price restrictions on .org, .biz and .info domain names!
This could have a major impact on how much you pay to renew your domain names and register new ones.
Sky-high .Org Prices Could Be Coming
ICANN’s current contract with Public Interest Registry (PIR), the group that runs the .org domain name, lets PIR increase the wholesale price of .org domains by 10% a year.
That’s a lot, but at least it’s capped.
Now ICANN is proposing extending the contract to operate .org but letting PIR set whatever prices it wants. Rather than a 10% increase to renew your domain next year, it could suddenly start charging registrars like Namecheap 100 times as much. Registrars would have no choice but to pass these charges on to customers.
This means that the price for the domain name you’ve been using for over a decade could shoot up. The registry has to tell the registrar six months in advance, but then they are free to charge whatever they want. Switching domains is hard, so you will have little option but to pay the higher prices.
ICANN has also proposed lifting price caps on .info and .biz domain names.
ICANN’s Bad Justification
ICANN has an interesting justification for why it wants to remove price controls.
In 2012, ICANN started accepting applications to operate “new“ top level domains. Any company could apply to create alternatives to .com on the right of the dot. That’s where domains like .guru, .money and .xyz came from.
The contracts for these new domains are different than for older domains. ICANN didn’t impose any price restrictions on the new domains. After all, the companies that applied for the domains put their own money at risk.
ICANN believes that the contracts to run older TLDs like .org should be the same as those for running new top level domain names. This ignores the long history of these legacy top level domain names and how the contracts to run the registries were awarded. Whereas new top level domain companies risked their own money to introduce new domains, the registries running .org, .biz, etc. are merely stewards for what should be considered a resource that belongs to the web.
What Can You Do?
ICANN is asking the Internet community for input on its proposal to remove price caps. You can make your voice heard.
If you want to make sure ICANN doesn’t let legacy top level domain operators increase prices to infinity, now is the time to act. There are open comment periods for ICANN’s proposed new contracts, but you need to take action by April 29, 2019.You can leave your comment on each proposal here:
.Org comment period.Info comment period.Biz comment period
Also, the Internet Commerce Association, a group that advocates on behalf of domain name owners, has created a simple form you can use to submit comments on the .org proposal. The form lets you select the concerns you have about the new .org proposal and easily submit them to ICANN.
Make your voice heard: tell ICANN to not remove its price limitations.
The post Help Keep Domain Prices in Check appeared first on Namecheap Blog.
Read more: namecheap.com
Your brand is an asset to your organisation, it is the brand that differentiates one organisation from another for example the Nokia brand belongs to Nokia Corporation. It is therefore important to spent time investing in your brand and building it. It is the brand that provides a source of confidence, credibility and trust to the customers. As your brand is important offline so it is online. Many companies and individuals have lost large amounts of revenue due to their failure to protect their brands online.
Registering domains should be viewed as a first line of defense against brand abuse online. Online brand abuse causes substantial brand erosion, lost revenue, reduced marketing ROI, diminished customer trust, and tarnished reputation, therefore everyone have the greatest stake when it comes to protecting brands online. Implementing a comprehensive domain strategy and being vigilant about how your brands are represented online is paramount.
A domain is your internet/ web address which your customers type in the address bar of a web browser for example smartchoicedomains.com. Because the name can be requested by any business, the name may be available for a short time only or may be already taken. It is therefore of significance to register a domain name that relates to your company name in the earliest time possible. Imagine if Nokia Corporation's domain was owned by someone else.
Your company's domain names enable customers to interact and transact with you online and, as a result, are a valuable corporate asset that needs protection against cyber crimes such as;
Cybersquatting
This is an act where one rides on your goodwill or trademark in bad faith by using your domain name for his profit.
Typosquatting/ URL hijacking
Internet users sometimes make typing errors when inputting a website address in the address bar in the browser like repeating a character or omitting a character. This error can lead one to a different website designed to capture users who commit such errors.
Phishing attacks
This is a method used by cyber criminals where they send emails pretending to be a credible company with the intention to get personal information or steal money. Phishers use email and channels such as social media, riding on the trust people have in a brand in order to obtain personal details like credit card numbers.
Brand hijacking
Is an activity whereby someone acquires or otherwise assumes the online identity of another entity for the purposes of acquiring that person's or business's brand equity.
How to protect your brand online
First register a domain which describes the name of your business as best as possible and register all the popular Top Level Domains (TLDs) for the brand and the country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs) in the countries you operate. The Top Level Domains entails domains such as .com, .net, .biz, .org domains related to your business and forward/point them to your primary domain. Secondly you have to register domains that evolve around your brand or company. For example; Google have registered most of the domains evolving around their name. If you type in the Google address and omit a letter that domain may still fall under Google's ownership. Just try to type in http://www.gogle.com, or http://www.gooogle.com.
Implement proper management of your domain portfolio. Too many companies spread their domains across multiple registrars which give room for domainers and other scam artists to exploit the improper management. I have had numerous occasions where companies no longer know who registered their domain and who is managing it, and they end up registering domains unrelated to their products and losing the relevant domain. Do whatever you must to ensure your organization has a single view of your domains, enabling it to ensure early renewals and quickly assess both opportunities and threats related to the brand. And when you are developing a new brand you can as well register new domains for the particular brand well before launch time.
Are you stuck without the videos required for your video marketing exercise? Use the public domain. It has a number of items from almost every conceivable segment. The oriental as well as the occidental, you will find everything there. Go for it and grab your share of the internet wealth. Consider the following steps to use the public domain effectively.
1. The US public domain holds an array of films on space program, news clips, movie trailers, industrial films etc. Several of these have been digitized and you can download them for free.
2. Most of the digitized versions are of a high quality and can be quickly converted into a DVD like product to be enjoyed through TV. You know now how to use this raw material for your profits, and it is perfectly legitimate too.
3. Publicdomainreview.org is one website which can be of immunity help to you when you are looking for public domain material. You can also use Google to fine tune your search for specifics.
4. As a sample project, you could download material relating to life in USA during the 1940s and build a website around that theme. Spice it up with some clips from World War II and the aftermath. Once you are finished, look for companies selling memorabilia and sell the real estate on your site to them.
5. If you are gifted with a creative bend of mind, try putting together several movies or film clips around a subject and build a documentary.
There's an explosion going on in the domain industry on the Internet. It's called Global Domains International , otherwise known as GDI or website.ws , and if you havn't heard of it yet ... you will soon! In short, Global Domains International offers excellent domain name availability, instant registrations, 24-hour global DNS activation and secure domain management and editing.
Started in 1999, by Internet entrepreneurs Michael Reed and Alan Ezeir, GDI has been successfully taking the Internet by storm in the area of domain names and web site services. Originally offering the domain name extension, .ws, these entrepreneurs have been quickly building a domain empire. By incorporating their own free high-tech sales video into each domain account in Global Domains International, the videos have been used and personalized instantly by GDI independent sales representatives to generate new accounts 24/7. Since these new accounts are set up instantly, it has allowed the company to acquire new business and grow incredibly fast. In fact, GDI has recently been named number 37 on Inc magazine's list of the top 500 fastest growing companies (the " Inc 500 List"), making Global Domains International poised to become the largest company the industry has ever seen.
"Location, location, location" is as important to the real estate industry as a domain name is to the Internet. One of the best things about GDI domain names is that they are abundant. Domain names are the human-friendly forms of Internet addresses, and are commonly used to identify and find web sites. The primary purpose of domain names is to create addresses that are easier to remember and use than numbers. Domain names are ordinary words, letters, or numbers that signify the location of a web site on the Internet, such as "drugstore". More important than anything when talking about domain names, is availability, and this is where GDI excels. Domain names are registered on a first-come, first-served basis. GDI, being the newer kid on the block, offers many more unique domain names that may no longer be available from extensions like .com or .net.
Domain names are very important for any online business. Domain names can contribute a lot towards the success or failure of a web site. More than a web address, relevant domain names are an important element of a successful Internet marketing strategy. Relevant domain names are high quality names that contain generic key words or key word phrases that are descriptive of an industry, a business or specific products or services. Relevant domain names are not only meaningful, they can have a very positive influence on site's ranking in search engines.
URL is the abbreviation for, "Uniform Resource Locator", a term that identifies a web site address on the Internet. A site's URL containing the phrase, "convertiblecars" has a higher possible correlation, and thus, a higher possible ranking to the keyword word search for "cars" than a URL without that key word match.
With the 2007 most recent count of web sites reported to be a whooping 12.8 million and growing, the demand for the kind of relevant domain names available from GDI, is exploding as well.
If you would like to learn more about GDI , you may read an in-depth article or watch a short informative video (free test drive) at: Global Domains International .
Fortunately, choosing a domain registrar is one of the simplest things you'll do. Just keep in mind:
Good Resources for Finding a Registrar
I found a couple of truly helpful resources for finding a good registrar.
The site below is dated 2018, but it has some excellent reviews of several registrars as well as some good advice:
Consumer Search Registrar Reviews
This next one is a forum called NamePro. Users rate a variety of registrars. Remember, you're better off with a company with 200 very good reviews than a company with four excellent reviews. NamePros Registrar Reviews
From the research I've done, including reviewing the sites above, I've decided that domain registrar Godaddy is the best choice. It took me a while to come around, given the company's tacky name.
I have many domains with Godaddy, and I've had no problems with them. They're in the background, where no news is good news. I also use several other companies, like NameCheap and NameSilo.
The main thing to keep in mind after you've registered your domain name is that you'll need to renew it at the same time the following year. You should get a notice in your email, just be sure you don't ignore it.
Or, if you're site isn't working out for you, you'll want to keep it from renewing if you're set up for automatic renewal.
One Final Bit of Advice
Keep track of your renewal date and information, especially the name and contact information for your registrar. I recently got "renewal notices" in the mail for one of my domain names from not one, but two different registrars. Only problem: neither one was my registrar. And both offered a one-year renewal for about $30, as well as options for two years at $49 and five years for $94. The companies are Domain Renewal Group and Liberty Names. Avoid these companies at all costs. And keep in mind, those are just the two that contacted me.
So be sure you renew with your own registrar.
Best of luck with your brand new domain name! Smart Choice Domains team will be happy to talk with you and answer questions for you too.
Promoting your news web site online requires more due diligence than promoting a business that sells a physical product. Like the name of your site, your domain name should be unique, like: usabestnews.com recognizable and something that people can easily remember. After you set up the brand and generate content, the next step is to promote the news articles and make sure they get read. One way is to promote through social media.
Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter offer opportunities for readers to directly connect with web content. Create accounts on the most popular social media platforms. To syndicate your news feed on those services, there are a few prerequisites. Make sure that your news site has an RSS/Atom feed. With the RSS/Atom feed handy, create an account using the service "TwitterFeed." Follow the instructions and link the RSS/Atom feed to your Facebook and Twitter. Every time you publish an article, it appears on Facebook and Twitter automatically.
When it's convenient, be sure to login to your accounts and interact with readers and potential readers.
On Facebook fan pages, there's limited personal interactivity between the page administrators and fans. Facebook appeals to more organic growth. You promote the articles on your site's fan page and wait for people to "like" you: that's not a formula for success. You can do more with a Facebook fan page -- a lot more.
Consider running sponsored ads for your news site. This allows your site to receive exposure on user profiles of those within your targeted demographic. Facebook Ads offer businesses the opportunity to broadcast ads based on a specified age range, location and interests. You'll also see very detailed estimates on how many people your ad will "reach." Those estimates will come in handy when crafting a presentation for potential advertisers. Before you invest any money in Facebook Ads, consider the nature of your news site. If your news site appeals to a limited or niche demographic, you should focus instead on promoting your site for free by using Twitter and submitting your site to search engines.
Critics of the Facebook advertising program have said that Facebook ads are too discreet and not very engaging. To overcome these issues, you need to have ad copy that will emotionally invest people into reading the news on your website. Think like someone at a news desk. You need a captivating headline and concise teaser copy that brings people to you. Consider mentioning milestones for your publication ("Over two million subscribers!") and announcing/reminding potential readers of resourceful sections (i.e. Classifieds). Your teaser copy must be clear and focused on one subject. Don't hesitate to place advertisements that announce giveaways and contests held by your publication. Advertising a news site on Facebook will always be trial and error, but the likelihood of gaining new visitors will increase when you invest in longer ad campaigns. Continuously tweak your ad content until you find the right wording and demographic.
Your Facebook page content needs constant maintenance. You need to populate your Facebook page with news articles regularly. Be sure to interact with your readers regularly and converse with them. Human interaction is a popular social media trend for businesses. Encourage readers and viewers to not only check out your content, but also comment and get involved in other ways. For example, readers respond favorably to captivating visuals -- just like they do in print publications. Readers tend to respond to photos of stunning and colorful landscapes, food photos, and timeless portraits that readers can relate to. It's preferred that the visuals you upload on your Facebook page relate to articles on your website. Follow up with some text that encourages people to check out your articles and features.
Twitter takes things to the next level. The popular social media service allows news sites to interact with people directly. Take advantage of the features that Twitter has, such as the "Find People" option. If you have a Gmail, Yahoo or an AOL e-mail account that has contacts, use that e-mail account and Twitter will search for contacts that also have a Twitter account. Be sure to "follow" those who are already following you on Twitter. Sites like "Twellow" ( http://www.twellow.com/ ) can help you find followers based on categories. Tweet Grader ( http://tweet.grader.com ) allows you to find and follow users who live in your community. Follow members that would be interested in the news on your web site. The people you choose to follow should also have many followers and update regularly. Never think about the amount of people you follow. Always think about the type of people who you want to follow. Quality over quantity is an adage that's welcomed on Twitter. If you focus on finding the right people -- and not following a lot of people -- you'll be successful.
Connect with users who either benefit from reading the articles you publish or would be interested. For example, if you have an article that features a certain business, follow popular users that are likely to express interest in the business and their product, including the business' Twitter account. If you have an article that covers an event, follow popular users that have a strong likelihood of posting or re-tweeting event information. Interact with these users in moderation. Imagine you're at a bar and you overhear people talking about something that you're interested in. The best way to jump in is to study the flow of the conversation and then take part once the opportunity to do so arises. If someone asks a question about a subject featured in one of your articles, feel free to answer them with a link. People will appreciate the friendliness as long as you're focused on being resourceful and not promoting your news site directly. Remember, you're trying to promote your news site -- so being resourceful should be your primary goal. Once you develop a large following or subscriber base, you will no longer need to do this.
It's important to note that message boards are good for article promotion. While message boards are now taking a backseat because of social media, they're still very useful for generating buzz and traffic. Register accounts and take part regularly on message boards that relate to your content. It's advised that you link to your material responsibly and sparingly. In other words, do not spam a message board with links. Only give self-serving links when there is relevance and a deficiency of information. Provide a link to your domain name in your forum signature. Also, don't hesitate to customize your forum profile. People will be more attentive to those who have a strong, human presence. And once you feel that your site has developed a consistent, substantial amount of traffic, you won't need to continue promoting your site on message boards.
News websites are a dime a dozen, which is why it's so important to have quality content. No matter how you promote your news site, the goal for your news site is to have articles that are clear, engaging, thought-provoking and resourceful. When people are able to see that your news site is dynamic in design, organization and content, they will use your site as a resource. News is often considered a disposable commodity in the digital marketplace, but it takes a good content provider -- with the promotional know-how -- to make the news something worth reading.
How your web page looks definitely matters. The fact is, first impressions last for a long time-and sometimes longer than you think-for rarely does a person bother to revisit a site which he finds dull and uninteresting the first time he has viewed it.
Simply put, it's imperative that your site looks good, is exciting, intriguing even, as though a person has found clues to a treasure and is now obligated to pursue it until he has found it.
If you don't want to lose your visitors, you need to hold their interest, as if they're beholding a work of art. More visitors will follow, and there are many ways to attract them to your site.
However, before someone can visit and admire your site they should know what your domain name is to enter it into their browser.
From here on, we're going to discuss domain names, or web addresses, and how much they matter.
Why Do Names Matter?
Names are either remembered, forgotten, or, worse, ignored - all because it sounds bad, unimaginative, and irrelevant to the viewer. Ever wonder why parents find it hard to name their children, and how the right name can have great significance to their lives of their children?
It's just like that.
Names are important, and they must mean something- or represent something. There's no need to stress any further on that. That is the law of names. Names have their own survival of the fittest-either be remembered or forgotten. Words hold power, and so do names.
In the online world, having a distinct name on the web is important. The domain name will be among the first things the viewer will see to get a feel of your site if it's interesting and initially judge both its relevance and credibility. The domain name you choose will also matter for SEO.
Your brand name is an important thing as well; it must work together with your domain name. Your brand and domain name are attached to each other and cannot be separated; they must match.
The viewer will see everything as a whole, so the logo, colors, words, etc., on the site must fit well together. This is called "site aesthetics."
For example, if your site is about Asia, then it's best if it has the word Asia on it-say, TravelAsia.com-or, better yet, has a .Asia instead of a .com. Travel.Asia sounds a lot better. It's specific, concise, and easy to remember, and it sounds subtly entertaining without losing its professional tone.
"Out of sight, out of mind" - feels a bit weird for me, and hopefully for you too. For it is understood that search engine optimization is about: to be visible - and also exactly where and when required by customers your products and services. When there is statistical evidence that 9 out of 10 purchases is preceded by a search online, it is quite surprising that search engine optimization as a concept is not more widely known than it is.
Anyway, what said Matt Cutts then, the Google's own SEO super-guru? Well, according Jajja Magazine, it was mainly two things that felt new and perhaps a bit surprising:
1. Age of a domain has no importance on Google. It has "always been called" the older domains prevail newer. Recently, says Matt Cutts, Google does not care about a domain name's age, as long as it is older than six months. It's new.
2. Keyword in domain name may be less important. Do you have a domain name that is your keyword, it has so far been pretty easy to top the Google results for that keyword. Now that Google place less emphasis on keywords in the domain name it will make it harder. It's new.
But these two new features does not necessarily mean a revolution, as I see it. And to the extent they do, so it should only be of benefit.
First: To obtain and maintain a good Google position, you must have really good content. Content that is relevant content that engages, content that people want to share and read. If you succeed with it so will also your backlinks. And the longer you worked on continually improving the content, the greater the chance that you have acquired many inbound links. Thus, the age effect - in practice. It is not new.
Second: When the importance of keywords in the domain decreases, increasing the space for content and links further. Maybe it's bad news for some affiliate sites that put their hands on some industries hottest keywords for their domains, but good news for most people.