The online segment of a business empowers it to reach beyond geographic boundaries and gain exposure to a larger share of targeted consumers. With a growing number of companies operating solely online, business owners are dedicated to establishing a strong online presence in order to maximize profits. To optimize the benefits of selling in the online marketplace, companies operating on the internet should secure the right domain name from the start.

A domain name is the unique name for a website’s address on the internet, and is an important part of branding a business. Our domain name here at Volusion is Volusion.com. The domain name you select for your business is what potential customers will type into a browser to find your website, so it is best to select one that is easy to remember and type.

If you do not yet know what you plan to name your business, it may be helpful to research available domain names first to get an idea of your options. If your business name and domain name match, potential customers can guess how to get to your site even without knowing the address. The first step to securing the right domain name is checking its availability. You can search domain names for availability directly from the Volusion website.

Do not be discouraged if your first few domain name ideas are unavailable, as there are billions of websites out there with each having at least one domain name! With so many sites on the Web, it comes as no surprise that most good domain names are taken, but this does not mean you have to settle for a less desirable one. For a $500 to $1000 investment, you can get a premium domain name perfect for your business. User-friendly domain name search tools like Volusion’s will offer suggestions for premium domain names based on keywords you enter, and allow you to purchase your domain name directly.

If the domain name you want is taken, consider contacting the owner to see if he or she is open to selling it. If not, select a different domain related to your business with the points from the list below in mind. You can find out who owns a domain using the “Whois Search” tool on Volusion’s Domain Name Registration page.

While there are certainly not concrete rules when it comes to selecting a domain name, here are a few considerations to get you started:

• What top level domain (TLD) to choose. The top level domain in Volusion.com is the .com at the end. Other top level domains you have probably seen are .net, .org, .biz as well as country specific TLDs like .ca and .uk. In most cases, the .com is the chosen TLD for commercial sites because users are accustomed to hearing and typing .com, though country specific TLDs have advantages in certain situations. Some business owners opt to purchase the .net or .biz when the .com is unavailable. If you purchase a .net or .biz, keep in mind that some users may not remember to use the less common TLD, and may end up going to the .com address that does not belong to you.

• Whether to use the hyphenated version if your first choice is unavailable. This means using the-domain-name-i-want.com if you are unable to get thedomainnameiwant.com, for example. Using the hyphenated version of a domain is a feasible option, though if you choose to do so, there are some considerations to keep in mind. For instance, it may be difficult to convey the URL verbally, such as through word of mouth publicity or in a radio ad. On the other hand, some believe that URLs with important keywords separated by hyphens can give a site a relevance boost in the search engines, though this theory would be difficult to prove.

Check out Choosing a Domain Name: 4 Tips on What Not to Do for more considerations related to the wording of your domain name.

• Whether a particular domain name can be easily remembered by the average person. People are more likely to find your site if they can remember and type the domain name easily. In general, shorter domain names are easier to remember and type, but users’ familiarity with the name you choose also plays a role. For example, using an acronym for your domain will keep it short, but a series of letters that do not make up a word may be difficult for many people to remember. Do not hesitate to ask for opinions from family, friends and colleagues, who can give you outside perspective on whether a certain domain name is memorable and easy to type.

Selecting the right domain name is an important step in beginning to build a strong online brand. Using Volusion’s intuitive domain name search tools and a little creative thinking will make it easy to find the perfect domain name for your business.

Search Domain Names Now!

-Pam Westbrook, Ecommerce Marketing/Copywriting

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