5 Big Mistakes People Make When Choosing a Domain Name

So you have decided to go ahead and start your own business.  Let me be the first to congratulate you, but also let me be the first to warn you about jumping into choosing a name that is not a good fit for either you or the business you have chosen.

One very important thing to remember is that once you have registered your domain name and you have set up your website, started advertising and getting leads coming in…..at that stage of the game it’s already too late to make a domain name change very easily if you realize you have made a poor decision.  It would mean starting all over again.  So, let’s see how we can avoid that scenario.

Here are five mistakes that people often make when picking their domain:-
THE DOMAIN NAME HAS VERY LITTLE RELEVANCE TO YOUR BUSINESS.   This is a very serious mistake because when prospects reach your website and you are not providing them with the information they are expecting, then they are going to quickly leave your site, never to return again.  You want to choose a name that will immediately tell your prospect something about your business and what they can expect when they visit your website.

THEY DO NOT CHOOSE THEIR OWN PERSONAL NAME.  If you are interested in building a reputation for yourself on the internet, then it is a very good idea to purchase your own personal name as soon as possible.  You might not use it immediately, but if you do become very successful, you might find that someone else has purchased your name so that they can capitalize on your success.  I have actually seen this happen with a very famous internet marketer.  He was not able to get his personal name without adding a tag to it.

THEY CHOOSE DOMAINS THAT ARE CONFUSING.  You want your domain name to be easily understood.  If you are reciting the website address to someone over the phone, you want them to be able to write it down without you having to go over it a number of times for them.  For instance, if your site was ‘help4you.com’ that could be confusing.  Some people might type in ‘helpforyou.com’.  It is best to stay away from using numbers that could also be words.

THEY PUT DASHES IN BETWEEN THE WORDS IN THEIR DOMAIN NAME.  You want to choose a name that is easy to type.  If you are like me, you find typing in website addresses with dashes to be an annoyance.  You want people to be able to reach you easily and dashes just don’t cut it!

THEY DON’T CHOOSE A DOMAIN NAME WITH LASTING POWER.  You need to choose a domain that will serve you for the long haul.  There is no point in getting a ‘fad’ name that will lose it’s meaning in the near future.  This name is going to represent you and your business so choose one that you are going to be comfortable with for many years to come.

Well, there you have it.  Have fun brainstorming for your perfect domain name.  If you come up with a few that you just love and that are still available, I advise you to go ahead and get them.  You don’t have to do anything with them right now.  Many people have been very disappointed when they returned later to purchase a particular domain name, only to find that in the meantime it  had been taken.  Don’t be disappointed….grab that name, if it’s a good one.

Your domain name is like a snapshot of you….make sure it depicts you in a favourable light.

Jan Shimano was District Manager for Health & Welfare Canada for many years. She was also self-employed as a Nutritional Consultant and a Master Herbalist. She is currently a Business and Health Coach and operates her own internet marketing company from her home on Vancouver Island. Jan invites you to learn more about her at http://www.WealthyHealthyLiving.com

Related articles

• Choosing A Domain Name