Domain Names

What is a domain name?
For your website to be accessible to people browsing the Internet you need a domain name. A domain name is a unique identifier that allows people to locate your website on the internet. This takes the form of www.somename.domain. The name is the name you choose to purchase and the domain is the group you choose to belong to (ie .com .co.nz .biz ...). There are a variety of domain names available for different prices.

When choosing a domain name domain, you should consider the following guidelines:

Select a name that is memorable
You want people to be able to visit your website when they get back to their computer, so try to choose a name that is easy to remember.

Relates to your area of business
Choose a name that relates to what you do.  This makes it easier for people to locate you on the web.  A self-explaining web address offers you more possibilities with advertising campaigns.

Easy to say and pronounce
When you tell people your domain name, you don't want to have to spell it out.  Choose something that is easy to say. People need to be able to understand you over the phone, at a bar or anywhere you might be meeting prospective clients.

The shorter the better
A shorter domain name is preferable (within reason) as it doesn't discourage people from remembering it or typing it into their browser.

Eliminate confusing characters
Try to avoid including confusing characters such as _ (underscore), - (minus) and , (dot) as this means you'll have to spell out your domain name to people.

There are several important aspects to consider when selecting your domain name. One of these is how will people be locating your website. This might be determined by the products or information you are offering. Will people be searching for your type of products or services on the net, or are they more likely to see your domain name in a printed directory or on a bus. If people are simply clicking through to your site from a search engine or other affiliate sites then your domain name can ignore more of the rules mentioned above.

Domain availability