Your domain name needs to be memorable, should match the name of your business or your products, and should include the location of your business if you service a local market. Getting these key elements to fit together isn’t always easy. This article provides some key considerations for you to keep in mind as you search for domain names for your business.

Consider Relevant Keywords

New business owners that have yet to select a trade name for their business may find it less challenging to select their domain name before they select a business name. Good domain names are limited and by searching for and choosing your business domain name first, you may find more flexibility in registering a domain name on which to build your business and your brand.

To start, go to an online thesaurus and type in some keywords related to your business. This can help you to establish groupings of possible names. Next, visit a domain reseller or registrar website and use their advanced search tools to determine the availability of domains relating to your keyword list.

Consider names which have strong keyword potential; for example, a law firm in Manhattan with a family law practice may want to register “newyorkcustodylaw.com” and “juvenilecustody.com” to key in on the phrases “New York”, “custody law”, and “juvenile custody”; any of which may be used by a potential client searching the Internet for legal assistance in Manhattan.

Keep in mind: many high-performance domains will not be available for primary registration. You simply cannot register “apple.com.” Many of the best names are already taken and are only for sale in the domain aftermarket which is also called the “Premium Resale” domain market. A premium domain that is memorable, has good keyword potential, and is highly-targeted, can be one of the most cost-effective business investments you can make.

All hope is not lost, however, if your desired domain name is taken. It is possible to bid for a name which is registered but is not for sale. There are domain brokerage services which will find a domain owner, place an anonymous bid on your behalf and negotiate the sale of the name. In the case of an accepted bid, these firms can often enlist an escrow service to ensure that you are protected in the transfer.  

Your Name in Many Forms

Your domain name is made up of two parts: your "uniquename" followed by an "extension" or top level domain (TLD). Adding different extensions to your name makes it an entirely new domain name registered to a different Web address.

While registering your new domain name, consider all the various extensions (i.e., .com, .net, .org, .biz, .info) that are available. For example, if you're registering janesbagels.com, you may want to protect your brand name by registering janesbagels.net, janesbagels.biz, etc.

You should also consider registering common misspellings of your company name so if a customer accidentally types the wrong name into their browser they will still find your website. For example, misspelling “janesbagels.com” as “janesbagles.com” can generate significant traffic to your site – register it and you’ll help customers find you!

Budget Issues

Evaluate domain name investments as you would any other capital investment for your business; amortize the figure and see what your true spend over the lifetime of the business will be. Shortchanging your domain budget by buying a name which is difficult to remember, is only registered with a less commonly used extensions (such as .biz), or does not include variations and misspellings, could mean thousands in lost sales down the road. Those lost dollars far outweigh the cost of purchasing the right domains in the first place.

When setting your domain name budget, keep in mind Guy Kawasaki’s, co-founder of Truemors.com, belief: “When you're starting a company, you can't register too many domains because it's far cheaper to buy a domain and never use it than to evict a squatter.”

Trademark Issues

When starting a new business, it is a good idea to give consideration to whether or not you want to seek trademark protection for your business name. An intellectual property attorney can help you make the decision that is right for you. The next step is to then ensure that the domain name you have selected does not infringe upon the trademark rights of someone else. Addressing these two types of trademark issues will benefit you in the long run by providing you with protection from someone else using your trademark in their domain name, and likewise, from someone else claiming your domain name is infringing upon their trademarks. You can find a lot of valuable trademark information at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office: http://www.uspto.gov/web/trademarks/workflow/start.htm.

Plan for Success

Have a plan: what will you do once you register a domain name? Will you develop it immediately as a website? Will you associate a professional email address with the domain name? Will you “park” the name while your site is under development? (Parking is also a means of monetizing website traffic, primarily through presentation of pay-per-click ads.)

If you register multiple domain names, will you forward them to one main website or will you develop “micro” sites for each name? When you go to market with a new product or service, will you use your company name with a “third level domain” (i.e., muffins.janesbagels.com) or will you register a new domain name? Take some time to think about your strategy - your answers to these longer-term questions should become part of your domain name asset plan.

Your domain name has to mean something to your customers and resonate with them so they'll return to your website again and again. You need a domain name you can display on your business materials, use in your e-mail address, and promote through online marketing. You simply cannot afford to ignore this vital piece of your small business.