Researching Domain Name for Business

A Web Hosting Article Contributed by Raj Rao

Domain Name Overview

A Domain Name is required for starting any business on the Internet. However, there is a serious shortage of good suggestive domain names, because the names have been in use since the inception of the Internet. We will show you how-to research Domain Names that you can use for your business.

A Domain Name has two parts: The first part is the business name and the second part is the Domain Extension. You can choose from the following Domain Name Extensions:

.COM - This is the most popular Domain Extension which can be used for any business. Most of the Internet users assume this Domain Extension if you just mention your Business Name.

.NET - This Domain Name Extension is usually used by ISP.

.ORG - This Domain Name Extension can be used for any business related to Associations, non-profit organizations, Educational institutions etc.

.INFO - This is a new Domain Name Extension that can be used for providing any type of Information based site including businesses selling information like Yellow Pages or Directories.

.US - If your business is limited to the USA, you can use this extension, only if you cannot locate a .COM domain.

How to Search for a Domain Name

The first place to search for a Domain Name is the Domain Name Registrars like Dotster.com and Register.com. They provide a great tool to search for Domain Names based on Keywords.

Another way to search for a Domain Name is the Search Engine like Google.com that provides you tools to look for specific words within the website address. For instance, you can use the syntax: allinurl:self-timer in the Google Search box. This will give you all the websites that have the word 'self-timer' in its website address.

Third way to search for a Domain Name is the Directory of websites available at dmoz.org or the Directory within Google.com (it is one and the same). You will get a full listing of the websites within a specific category. Without visiting the website, you can see the Domain Names used by these sites.

How to Get a Cheap Domain Name

Once you have identified the Domain Name to use for your business, you need to register the same now. There are several Registrars offering Domain Names as low as $5. You can search for these Registrars in Google by using the search term: "Domain Registration" + $5.

How to Keep Your Domain Name

The surest way not to lose your Domain Name is to register the same for a period longer than a year like 3 to 5 Years. You are not only secure that the Domain will remain in your control, but you also get additional discounts.

Domain Name Tips

a) You can register with Domain Monitoring Agencies who can report back to you on a daily basis if there is any change in your or any other Domain Name that you wish to monitor.

b) You can also backorder a Domain Name through some Registrars.

c) Lookup the definition of the word that you intend to use (in Google, you can type define: some word) and look for alternate names.