Creating your perfect domain name

Picking your domain name is one the first steps in the website development process. A domain name is the text people type into their web browser to get to your website.

Your domain name is an important part of your web strategy, and can be used to shape your complete website design, as well as your brand image, personality and direction. With this in mind, selecting the right domain name for your website is a critical branding and website strategy exercise. You want people to remember your domain name, and get to it easily. Below are some of the tips that we consider to be most important when selecting your domain name.

This list is far from exhaustive, and we welcome your comments / additions below.

1. If you have an existing, recognised brand name, consider the use of this as an option, e.g. "Mcdonalds", "The Warehouse". "Expert".
2. If you don't have an existing and recognised brand, think about what you do, or a problem that people will use you to fix, for example if you are a plumber you may not be able to get plumber.com, but you may be able to register "leakysink.com". The use of key words that people search for your services under is a key strategy to search engine optimisation, and an important consideration for your domain name.
3. Make sure it is memorable.
4. It has to be unique. If your domain name is similar to other competing websites, your visitors may accidentally go to your competitors instead of yours (and never come back).
5. It must be easy to spell. Our website is www.expert.services, note that it is a common word, well known to all, and we haven't tried to be tricky, calling it xpert, or any confusing alternatives. If it's difficult to spell, it's difficult to get to, and you will miss some potential visitors. If the name you are going for has a range of potential spelling alternatives, such as through, and threw, pick the alternative that people will most often use.
6. Avoid using the number 0, as it looks like the letter O. This can lead to people getting the wrong domain name, and either not finding your website, or worse yet, going to a competitor's website instead of yours.
7. Pick your main domain extension with some thought. If you are aiming for international business, go with .com (if available). If you are mainly targeting business in New Zealand, go with .co.nz. If you are a Not-for-Profit organisation, use .org. There are a range of domain extensions available. For a complete breakdown of these, have a look at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Internet_top-level_domains
8. Localise: If your business is locally based, and solely services one region, consider including the region's name in your domain name. Local searches are increasing in significance in search engines, and this may help pull you ahead of your competitors.

 If you have any further tips or questions, please leave a comment. If you are facing any problems with your web presence, contact the Expert team and we will assist you.