In: Root » » Search engines » Finding a domain name for your client
The first thing to do when researching a domain name for a business is to see whether the name of the business is available. For example, if your Web client’s company is Station Organization, the most fitting domain name for the company would be www.stationorganization.com. With an unusual or unique business name, selecting domains can be fairly quick and easy. It is when a client has a common business name, which is likely to have been already taken by someone else, that things can become tricky. If the desired domain name is already taken, you or your client needs to come up with a new name, and tinkering with the desired name is a good place to start. Easy solutions work best, such as adding a city name or state reference, inserting a hyphen between certain letters, or using common abbreviations within the name. For example, if the company name is Rochester Apartments and it’s located in New York, the client could consider using rochesterapartmentsny.com, rochester-apartments-ny.com, rochesteraptsny.com, or rochester-apts-ny.com. Conversely, the client might also consider using a different domain extension, either with or without the other name adjustments, such as rochesterapartments.net or rochester-apartments.info. If your client gets really stumped trying to find the perfect domain name, you can help him find the right one using a domain name generator, as described in the next section. Part of your job in helping a Web client choose a domain name also includes helping to select an appropriate domain extension. In some cases, the domain names with the chosen extension will already be taken by another company with the same name. In those instances, the Web client needs to use a different extension with the desired domain name, alter the spelling of the desired domain name, or come up with a similar but different domain name with the desired extension. Using domain name generators To get help finding a suitable domain name, whether the one you want is already taken or you are just interested in seeing what kinds of domains are available based on a few keywords, turn to one of the popular online domain name generators. In addition to helping you come up with new and unusual name ideas, these services can also suggest suitable alternatives based on real-time domain name availability. Most generators take whatever word or words you’d like to include in the domain name, then shake them out in a variety of combinations either with or without other words, and present a resulting list of potential names for you to choose from. The most popular and useful domain name generators can be found at NetworkSolutions.com, DomainsBot.com, NameTumbler.com, and NameBoy.com. At Nameboy.com, you can enter a primary and optional secondary word to begin the search and choose whether returned results include hyphens between characters and rhyming, which can sometimes make the domain name easier to remember. It also allows you to verify domains you’re interested in with its handy WHOIS search form. You can even search for and register domains that have expired or are about to expire. No matter which service you use, be sure that you verify the domain name availability (as described in the next section) before plunking down any money to register the domain. You may also want to find out about registration services and hosting plans before you ultimately commit. Checking domain name availability Even if you do not require the services of an online domain name generator, you still need to verify that the domain name you have chosen for your Web site is really available for registration. This means ensuring that no one else is currently using the domain you want, or has already registered it but hasn’t begun using it yet. Thankfully, verification is free and quick to do on a number of Web sites, including many of the domain registrar and domain name generator sites. For example, NetworkSolutions.com provides fast results along with providing automatic alternate name suggestions should the name you enter already be taken. With a good verification tool, finding the right name for your site should be only a matter of a having a bit of patience and openmindedness while you perform the search and verification process. |
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