WHAT IS A DOMAIN NAME?

Before we talk about that, it's important to know what is a domain name?

Let me explain . . .

Recently, I went to a lawyer to change my name for some administrative purposes. To my surprise, the lawyer told me that I can change my name to anything I want. And I can certainly change it again and again with just a small fee!

However, he told me with a serious expression that I cannot change my ID Number!

Though all of us have an ID Number and a name, we remember people by their names and not their ID Numbers. It's just so much easier to remember my name, Roger Loh, rather than by a long string of numbers, don't you think?

On the other hand, computers on the Internet communicate via Internet Protocol (IP) address. Each computer is identified by an IP address in this format:

eg. 192.168.100.1

Thus, strictly speaking, when you want to access a certain web site for information, you have to remember and type in the string of numbers that is the web site's IP address!

Thank goodness someone came up with the concept of domain names. In short, the Internet now use a Domain Name System (DNS) that converts domain names to IP addresses.

eg rogerloh.com -> 192.168.100.1

(Note: this is just an example and not the real IP address)

Now, all you need to do to access my site is to type my web site address [www.rogerloh.com] and the DNS will convert that to the actual IP address so that you computer can find my site.

So, a domain name is the part that comes after the "@" in your email address, or after the "www" in your web site:

Eg. A person with an email address of someone@rogerloh.com has a domain name of rogerloh.com

Eg. A person with a web site address of www@rogerloh.com has a domain name of rogerloh.com

Each domain name is also UNIQUE. Thus, since I have registered my domain name 'rogerloh.com', you cannot register it even if your name is the same as mine.

HOW TO CHOOSE A DOMAIN NAME

Before you register your domain name, here are some pointers on how to choose a domain name:

1) Choose a name that is easy to remember

2) A short name is better than a long name. However, short 1-word names are already mostly taken up. That's one of the reasons why you should go for other domains beside .COM (such as .NET .BIZ .INFO .WS)

3) Instead of 1-word names, you can create domain names by joining 2, 3 or even 4 words together (such as my domains, ?ViralMLMLeads.ws' & ?ViralMLMLeads.com'.)

Note that the capitalization is to capture the attention of humans easily, especially when we advertise the domain name.

In other words, domain names are NON-case sensitive. You can type in viralmlmleads.ws or VIRALMLMLEADS.WS or ViralMLMLeads.ws.

4) Some gurus advocate the use of hyphens in domain names. (So, a domain name can be viral-mlm-leads.com)

However, it is not conclusive that the hyphenated domain name is superior to the non-hyphenated name in terms of search engine ranking.

In fact, some gurus advocate that we must NOT use hyphens. They argue that when you tell someone your domain name verbally, it can be misleading and confusing! It's better to leave the hyphens out, especially when you do an audio recording or tele-seminar or advertise in the printed media.

5) The name should contain keywords that you are targeting for your online business. Keywords are search words or phrases that people typically type into their search engine when they look for information on the Internet.

Eg. Let's say I provide a solution to generate leads for MLM through a funded sponsoring franchise. Thus, it makes sense for me to include the terms like ?MLM' and ?leads'. That's how I got my domain name ViralMLMLeads.com

6) Before you go about registering a domain name, make a list of names on paper first. You can start with at least 10 to 20 names by brainstorming. Then cross out those that you don't want and prioritize those that you want. Next, attempt to register those you want according to your priority.

7) Think about how it would look on your business cards. Your domain name must be relevant to your business.

Eg. Do not choose a name associated with dog training if your online business deals solely in dog food

8) If you have a choice, secure a .COM domain name instead of any other extensions. Some people have tested that a .COM always rank higher on the search engines.