How to Choose the Right Domain Name for Your Company

As the editor of DomainNameWire.com, I'm frequently e-mailed by people asking for domain name advice. Specifically, what should they look for when registering a domain name for their company? This may be basic for some of you, but I hope some of my readers gain value from this.

Let me start with the things to avoid when registering a domain name that will be used for your main company web site.

1. Never use a hyphen. If your domain is some-name.com, many people will forget the hyphen when typing your name into the browser or sending e-mail to you. This can result in lost business.

2. Avoid digits if possible. Using digits requires you to spell the domain name out to people. For example2.com, you need to tell people it's the digit "2" rather than the word "two" or even "to".

Here are the positive things to look for in a domain name.

1. .Com extension. It's imperative that your domain name be available with a .com extension. I've seen businesses and major web sites try to get away with .net or .org, and perhaps half of their intended visitors land on someone else's web site. Or worse, confidential e-mails are sent to the wrong domain.

2. Easy to spell. Keep in mind that your spelling might be better than most people!

3. Short. Try to keep it to 2 words, 3 maximum and 20 characters or fewer.

These are general guidelines applicable to your main company domain name. There are instances where hyphens, numbers, and non-.com domain extensions are fine for secondary sites and search engine-optimized sites. But your company's main domain should follow these general guidelines. Good luck!

Andrew Allemann is editor of Domain Name Wire, a news and opinions site for the domain name industry.

In The News:
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://mybroadband.co.za/news/Internet/5548.htmlcid=0ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNHgnkcT1JdGfEq287NoEYFEH6EpBgMXit wins mixit.co.za battle/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMyADSL,nbsp;South Africanbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Sedo Parking and similar online revenue services allow bdomain name/b owners to park bdomain names/b and link to websites that display keywords and phrases b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20081009/1142502506.shtmlcid=0ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNFqbuuS6DLOdftaaHOwlkxcp67PvgKentucky#39;s Gambling bDomain Name/b Grab Sets A Terrible Precedent/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTechdirtnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Last month, we wrote about a bizarre lawsuit in Kentucky, where a judge gave the government the ability to seize the bdomain names/b of numerous online b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd width=80 align=center valign=topfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/kentucky-online-gambling-domain-seizure-case-predicted-outcome-100808.htmlcid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNFFpp06qR_--TX-qoh5yWNwevUdaAimg src=http://news.google.com/news?imgefp=Id4xvMtHAuwJimgurl=www.gambling911.com/files/publisher/kentuckycourt.jpg width=80 height=42 alt= border=1brfont size=-2Gambling911.com/font/a/font/tdtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://government.zdnet.com/%3Fp%3D4089cid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNHxUfXDz-MwBbguEVbfMDpWIoz3NQPoker sites fight to get bdomain names/b back from Kentucky/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fZDNetnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Kentucky circuit court judge Thomas Wingate granted the request, ordering bdomain/b registrars to do just that. Wingate found that Kentucky’s anti-gambling b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.gambling911.com/gambling-news/kentucky-online-gambling-domain-seizure-case-predicted-outcome-100808.htmlcid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNFFpp06qR_--TX-qoh5yWNwevUdaAKentucky Online Gambling bDomain/b Seizure Case: Predicted Outcome/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrGambling911.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.online-casinos.com/news/news7653.aspcid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNHciai8QH5RPquo1N6PoDwi5VYLZQWASHINGTON POST LOOKS AT KENTUCKY ACTION/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrOnline-Casinos.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pokerlistings.com/kentucky-judge-mulls-online-gambling-case-31634cid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNER2lGPxZgML9NCtI6J4fx9S5XC8AKentucky judge mulls online gambling case/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrPokerListings.com/nobr/font/fontbrfont size=-1 class=pa href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pocketfives.com/online-poker-scene/judge-deliberates-in-kentucky-online-gambling-case-3403207cid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNGBC8FKy-EKT0tiytXSWwWX0UtJfgnobrPocketFives.com/nobr/anbsp;- a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.pocketfives.com/online-poker-scene/emergency-internet-gambling-summit-in-kentucky-to-occur-today-3395204cid=1254902324ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNElEBUfAkb93wxSoJ2zTrrzgwD2WQnobrPocketFives (press release)/nobr/a/fontbr/font class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1254902324hl=ennobrall 29 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ihotdesk.com/article/18819909/Domain%2520extension%2520registration%2520%2560complicated%2560cid=0ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNHRd5N1RZbKnZX_LiEjL-dl2XCGvwbDomain/b extension registration #39;complicated#39;/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fihotdesk - IT News,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1A spokesperson for the Internet Corporation for Assigned bNames/b and Numbers said applying for a bdomain name/b is not as simple as going to a local registrar, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/traffic-down-under-domain-charity/story.aspx%3Fguid%3D%257B15CE8AE9-8AEC-4527-A12F-A5638EB1D970%257D%26dist%3Dhpprcid=1256165589ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNFMYh-3nlHa8raEpRv3VqkgwikwGATRAFFIC Down Under bDomain/b Charity Auction Supports ICA/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fMarketWatchnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Fabulous.com and TRAFFIC, joint organizers of the TRAFFIC Down Under bdomain name/b conference, will hold a charity auction of ten premium bdomain names/b with b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.examiner.co.uk/news/business-news/2008/10/11/cyber-squatters-warning-86081-22011167/cid=0ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNHJ6LOz9-mlDnUMWtrFmhGHG1-JzACyber squatters warning/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fHuddersfield Examiner,nbsp;UKnbsp;-/font nobr15 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Mr Pow, of computer support company Ulysses IT, said: “Many of the potential website bdomain names/b for the new company – such as LloydsHalifax.co.uk – were b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.prweb.com/releases/2008/10/prweb1457544.htmcid=1256605380ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNFVUxrnq59Q9y8xQXNzxY_qqltYggInvesting in Domains When the Markets Fall Could be a Good b.../b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fPR Web (press release),nbsp;WAnbsp;-/font nobr5 hours ago/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Intermarketing reports bdomain/b investing could be a good alternative investment option. After witnessing the success of .Me bdomain name/b online auctions, b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://internetcommunications.tmcnet.com/topics/enterprise/articles/42221-pro-doma-name-registrations-show-impressive-growth.htmcid=1255570202ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNEHb2t1zuJErkE45_Di07VauSNRzg.pro bDomain Name/b Registrations Show Impressive Growth/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fTMCnetnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1This huge rise is indicative of untapped demand for .pro bdomain names/b for professional service firms who want to develop a brand bname/b online. b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://in.sys-con.com/node/703460cid=1255570202ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNGsqNYJ05I3IZNy8e_GOBZkewZ4kwEnCirca Announces Surge in .Pro bDomain/b Registrations/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrSYS-CON Media/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1255570202hl=ennobrall 8 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.ibls.com/internet_law_news_portal_view.aspx%3Fs%3Darticles%26id%3D57C024FF-3749-42AC-AF50-F5B0B0766746cid=0ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNFrCnHLIwrYDI0T5lBchuTEWmPciAINTERNET LAW - Trademark Infringements Of Magazine bDomain Names/b/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fIBLS INTERNET LAW (subscription),nbsp;CAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 8, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1In these cases, the complainants alleged that the infringing parties had no right to register and use bdomain names/b that were either identical or confusingly b.../b/font/div/font/td/tr/table
table border=0 width= valign=top cellpadding=2 cellspacing=7trtd valign=top class=jfont style=font-size:85%;font-family:arial,sans-serifbrdiv style=padding-top:0.8em;img alt= height=1 width=1/divdiv class=lha href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://www.networkworld.com/news/2008/101008-us-govt-proposes-digital-signing.htmlcid=1256084267ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNHp_ls-KsmiuD0DOQbGqogf5FYtsgUS gov#39;t proposes digital signing of DNS root zone file/abrfont size=-1font color=#6f6f6fNetworkWorld.com,nbsp;MAnbsp;-/font nobrOct 10, 2008/nobr/fontbrfont size=-1Under the idea, records in the DNS (bDomain Name/b System) root zone would be cryptographically signed using DNSSEC (bDomain Name/b and Addressing System Security b.../b/fontbrfont size=-1a href=http://www.citywebshopper.net/articles/includes/redirect.php?url=http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/10/feds-take-step.htmlcid=1256084267ei=zGvxSNytHKCQ6AO2qMGiAwusg=AFQjCNH-ztOltxjb_fhRVbTbdL6KoWQDoQFeds Take Step Towards Fixing Huge DNS Security Hole/a font size=-1 color=#6f6f6fnobrWired News/nobr/font/fontbrfont class=p size=-1a class=p href=http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclientie=ISO-8859-1rls=GGLG,GGLG:2005-22,GGLG:enncl=1256084267hl=ennobrall 12 news articles/nobr/a/font/div/font/td/tr/table
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