separate keyword phrases with dashes. For example, if you run a website on schnauzer dogs, do some keyword research. Chances are, your top-ranked keyword will be “schnauzer dogs,” and you can get a lot of search engine traffic by naming your site “Schnauzer-dogs.com.” The reason the dashes are there is because it makes the domain name an exact match to something a customer would type into a search engine (the dashes act as spaces). When you search for information on schnauzers, you won’t type If you’re setting up an Internet business—whether for part-time income or a full-time living—you’ll need to choose a domain name for your site. Choosing the right domain name is a very important decision for your business—it could make or break your web traffic and, ultimately, your website’s success. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the domain name minefield, pick the right name, and hopefully turn your part-time income into a booming Internet business.

Do make it memorable. You don’t necessarily have to pick a domain name that’s the same as your business name. For example, if your business name is Torimatsu Sushi, it won’t translate well on the web—it’ll be misspelled often. Instead of calling your website Torimatsusushi.com, call it “Ilovesushi.com” or something else catchy, straightforward, and easy to spell.

Don’t use double letters. For example, if your company’s name is Joe’s Store, your customers will have a difficult time finding your site. Should they type Joesstore.com or Joestore.com? The double letters cause confusion, which can lessen your traffic.

Do choose a name that’s not too close to someone else’s. Make sure there’s nobody out there using a domain name that’s very similar to yours. Type in your name with a .net or .biz distinction, plus a few variations of your name, and see what you come up with. If there are a lot of similarly-named sites out there, choose another name—the last thing you want is to have your customers confuse your competitor’s site for yours.

Don’t use any ending other than .com. There are several options for domain name endings, including .biz, .net, and .us. Don’t use these. The .com version of any domain name gets by far the most traffic—just because it’s what customers automatically type in first.

Do use keywords in your domain name if you can. Many believe that if you use a high-ranking keyword in your domain name, your site will see improved search engine rankings. You should separate keyword phrases with dashes. For example, if you run a website on schnauzer dogs, do some keyword research. Chances are, your top-ranked keyword will be “schnauzer dogs,” and you can get a lot of search engine traffic by naming your site “Schnauzer-dogs.com.” The reason the dashes are there is because it makes the domain name an exact match to something a customer would type into a search engine (the dashes act as spaces). When you search for information on schnauzers, you won’t type i

don’t necessarily have to pick a domain name that’s the same as your business name. For example, if your business name is Torimatsu Sushi, it won’t translate well on the web—it’ll be misspelled often. Instead of calling your website Torimatsusushi.com, call it “Ilovesushi.com” or something else catchy, straightforward, and easy to spell.

Don’t use double letters. For example, if your company’s name is Joe’s Store, your customers will have a difficult time finding your site. Should they type Joesstore.com or Joestore.com? The double letters cause confusion, which can lessen your traffic.

Do choose a name that’s not too close to someone else’s. Make sure there’s nobody out there using a domain name that’s very similar to yours. Type in your name with a .net or .biz distinction, plus a few variations of your name, and see what you come up with. If there are a lot of similarly-named sites out there, choose another name—the last thing you want is to have your customers confuse your competitor’s site for yours.

Don’t use any ending other than .com. There are several options for domain name endings, including .biz, .net, and .us. Don’t use these. The .com version of any domain name gets by far the most traffic—just because it’s what customers automatically type in first.

Do use keywords in your domain name if you can. Many believe that if you use a high-ranking keyword in your domain name, your site will see improved search engine rankings. You should separate keyword phrases with dashes. For example, if you run a website on schnauzer dogs, do some keyword research. Chances are, your top-ranked keyword will be “schnauzer dogs,” and you can get a lot of search engine traffic by naming your site “Schnauzer-dogs.com.” The reason the dashes are there is because it makes the domain name an exact match to something a customer would type into a search engine (the dashes act as spaces). When you search for information on schnauzers, you won’t type

ype Joesstore.com or Joestore.com? The double letters cause confusion, which can lessen your traffic.

Do choose a name that’s not too close to someone else’s. Make sure there’s nobody out there using a domain name that’s very similar to yours. Type in your name with a .net or .biz distinction, plus a few variations of your name, and see what you come up with. If there are a lot of similarly-named sites out there, choose another name—the last thing you want is to have your customers confuse your competitor’s site for yours.

Don’t use any ending other than .com. There are several options for domain name endings, including .biz, .net, and .us. Don’t use these. The .com version of any domain name gets by far the most traffic—just because it’s what customers automatically type in first.

Do use keywords in your domain name if you can. Many believe that if you use a high-ranking keyword in your domain name, your site will see improved search engine rankings. You should separate keyword phrases with dashes. For example, if you run a website on schnauzer dogs, do some keyword research. Chances are, your top-ranked keyword will be “schnauzer dogs,” and you can get a lot of search engine traffic by naming your site “Schnauzer-dogs.com.” The reason the dashes are there is because it makes the domain name an exact match to something a customer would type into a search engine (the dashes act as spaces). When you search for information on schnauzers, you won’t type

e your competitor’s site for yours.

Don’t use any ending other than .com. There are several options for domain name endings, including .biz, .net, and .us. Don’t use these. The .com version of any domain name gets by far the most traffic—just because it’s what customers automatically type in first.

Do use keywords in your domain name if you can. Many believe that if you use a high-ranking keyword in your domain name, your site will see improved search engine rankings. You should separate keyword phrases with dashes. For example, if you run a website on schnauzer dogs, do some keyword research. Chances are, your top-ranked keyword will be “schnauzer dogs,” and you can get a lot of search engine traffic by naming your site “Schnauzer-dogs.com.” The reason the dashes are there is because it makes the domain name an exact match to something a customer would type into a search engine (the dashes act as spaces). When you search for information on schnauzers, you won’t type

separate keyword phrases with dashes. For example, if you run a website on schnauzer dogs, do some keyword research. Chances are, your top-ranked keyword will be “schnauzer dogs,” and you can get a lot of search engine traffic by naming your site “Schnauzer-dogs.com.” The reason the dashes are there is because it makes the domain name an exact match to something a customer would type into a search engine (the dashes act as spaces). When you search for information on schnauzers, you won’t type in “Schnauzerdogs” in a search engine—you’ll type in “Schnauzer dogs.” The exact match makes all the difference in your rankings.

Don’t make it too long. If your business is called Joe’s Fantastic Shoe Emporium, you might want to think about shortening it for the web. Joesfantasticshoeemporium.com is just too complicated and difficult for customers to type in easily. The longer your name is, the easier it will be for those looking for you to make typos and mistakes that will keep them from finding your site quickly.

Do buy your own domain name. What’s easier to remember: www.hostserver.com/online-deals.html, or www.online-deals.com? Make sure you own your own domain name and aren’t just buying space on someone else’s. It’s definitely worth the money.

The right domain name can really get your business going, while the wrong one can definitely hurt it. Pick a good domain name, and you’ll see your part time income grow into a strong Internet business much more quickly than it would with a hard-to-remember, hard-to-spell name. Use these simple tips to help you pick the right one—your business will thank you.