Just like every person has a name, so is the case for internet websites. A domain name is the name of a website represented in characters and not in numbers. Using a domain name is highly effective, since its the best way for your customers to remember your website address.

The Domain Structure

The domain contains the name you selected and a suffix, or a TLD (top level domain). The TLD usually implies the purpose of the site. For example: Site123.com, the domain name is "Site123" and the TLD is "com". There are different top level domains for different purposes, for example: "org" for organizations, "com" or "biz" for commerce and businesses, and "net" for communication or internet companies. In addition, there are local or national endings, such as "co.nz" (for a commercial site in New Zealand, which is representerd by the ISO country code nz).

When you search for a domain name the search engine looks inside a database that contains all the purchased domain, and only if the name you are looking for is available you can purchase it. This is done to prevent the same name to more than one domain.

Selecting a Domain Name

Take some time to think about the name of your domain. Think of the name as if it was a physical location to open your store - a good store in a bad location will not do very well, its the same with a website address that is long, complex, or hard to remember. Here are a few points to go over before selecting the name:

• The domain name must be in English
• Try to select a name as close as possible to the site's content
• Make it short, an easy to remember. Every additional letter is an obstacle to your potential customers
• Use shorthand whenever possible. For example: use 4 instead of Four
• Remember that after a while people get used to the domain name, so changing it may cause a problem
• The top level domain should be selected according to your intended audience - for international audience the Australian ending "co.au" is not a good choice
  

Please Note!

If you selected an international domain name and your intended audience is over seas, it is recommended to purchase the same name with the TLD of your target counties. This way, if you decide in the future to have a separate website for each country, you will have the domain names instead of negotiating for one that may cost you a lot of money.

If the name you selected is taken with the ".com" ending, It's better to compromise on the name and not on the ending because this international suffix is highly popular.

Remember, good domain names are like prime real-estate - they're sold in a snap, so if you encounter an available domain name which suits you well, purchase it before it's gone.