Choosing a Domain Name

Choosing a domain name may seem straight forward, but there are several important factors that should be considered - and not all of them are obvious.

A domain name is the first step towards starting your online business. Don't be fooled into thinking that it’s a simple case of registering your company name with “.com.au” attached to the end. There are many considerations when purchasing and registering a domain name, some of which you may be aware of and others that don’t present themselves as obvious.

A few domain recommendations from Jala Design:

• Different types of domain names
  
  First you will need to think about the domain name(s) you are going to purchase. The obvious choice to start with is www.yourcompanynamehere.com.au but there are other considerations.
  
  The .com.au is the most recognised and widely used extension in Australia, with most businesses opting to use this, so if possible attempt to register your business name under the .com.au domain name to help protect your online identity. It is noted that to register a .com.au in Australia, the registration needs to be attached to a company or an ABN number.
  
  If selling internationally you could also think about purchasing that country’s extension if possible.
  
  
• Keep the domain name short
  
  Trying to remember a series of several terms instead of two to three memorable words creates unnecessary complexity for potential customers. Keep your domain name short and punchy.
  
  
• Be Specific
  
  Obscure names and references can confuse and disorientate users when trying to recall your domain name. They may also go to a more relevant site name when searching for your product or service in any of the major search engines.
  
  There is also a term called ‘type in traffic’ – this is the type of website visitor that is looking for catering or an electrician and will type in www.catering.com.au or www.goodelectrician.com.au to their internet browser. Having a specific domain name can help pull these types of visitors in.
  
  
• Use plain English
  
  If possible, try to avoid using the number 0 in your Domain Name. This can often be mistaken for the letter o. Likewise, try and avoid using 2 for ‘to’, 4 for ‘for’ and the letter u for ‘you’ as these terms can confuse your visitors.
  
  
• The generic equivalent of your product or service
  
  When registering a domain it’s always a great idea to see if the generic equivalent of your product or service is available to purchase. For example, if I was a florist in Manly, I would look for the domain name www.floristsmanly.com.au or perhaps www.manlyflorists.com.au.
  
  
• Is your domain already registered?
  
  Many people think the registration of your business and company name automatically restricts the online equivalent from being registered. This is incorrect. Domain names are issued on a ‘first come first served’ basis so it makes sense to get in quickly and register the best possible name for your business.
  
  If you feel that there is no alternative name that suits your business and you want to register a similar name to one that is taken, there are some variations that might be available. For example:
  
  
  • Try adding a hyphen to the name
  • Try adding a combination of hyphens
  • Abbreviate or use acronyms
  
  These methods should be used as a last resort as there are still plenty of domain names available for the creative site owner.

Check if the domain name you want to register is available

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