Unfortunately, many people overlook this important step. Let's look at a few tips for getting a domain that will attract the right customers to your site.

1. Choose A Name That Describes Your Website

Your domain name should make it clear to your visitors what your website is about, even before they land on the site. Don't make them guess what you're offering.

eg. If your name is Lisa Barstow and you run a hair salon, get a domain like lisashairsalon.com instead of lisabarstow.com. Unless you already famous, or want to become famous, your own name isn't the best option.

Also, shorter is better because it's easier to remember. It's also easier for them to type, with less chance of spelling mistakes.

2. Choose a Domain With Your Keywords in It

Most websites rely on the search engines to a certain degree for getting visitors. If you use your keywords in your domain name, it can help with getting ranked higher in the search results.

Spending the time to research your keywords and find a domain that uses them, while still meeting the first criteria (descriptive, short as possible) is well worth the time.

There are plenty of other things you'll need to do to get good rankings in the search engines, but your domain name sets the foundation for everything else. Also, avoid using dashes in your domain even if it makes it easier to find a keyword-rich name. Hyphens are believed to hurt your rankings in some search engines.

3. Can You Use A Different Extension Than .com?

In a word, 'No.' You could very well use .net, .biz, .org or .info as an extension and no one would complain, except that you'll likely regret that decision in the long run. Here's why. Websites ending with any other extension besides a .com usually requires extra marketing efforts to establish credibility because everybody assumes a .com extension to be the standard in domain name branding.

How would you like your potential customers to end up on your competitor's client list thanks to the time and money you spend on marketing?

In some cases it makes sense to use a different extension, such as a non-profit society using .org, but generally you should stick with .com.

So don't rush into picking your domain name. Research your market and find the keyword phrases that people are searching for. There are quite a few websites that let you research this information, such as Wordtracker.com and GoodKeywords.com. Putting the effort in up front will pay off in the long run.