For any Webmaster developing a new site, there’s a lot to think about — design, content, promotion, backend development, and satisfying the client. The problem is that many seemingly unimportant items don’t get the attention they deserve, and the site’s name is one of these.
Why Does It Matter?
OK, so you know that your site is built around a name. You’ll use it as a domain, as a page title, in your logo, and possibly in the design. A name is much more than this, though. Your site or business name will be:
- the way in which people find your site,
- the way they will refer to it and, most importantly
- the thing they’ll remember when they leave.
If you don’t really believe this, think about it for a moment. You want to buy a book on the Web. You don’t go to a search engine and type in “books”; you go to Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and of course when you want Webmaster information, you go to SitePoint. Similarly, when you have a good experience on a site, you might say to your friends “I read a great article on SitePoint”, or “I found great book prices at Amazon”. Whatever the name of your site — and however you promote it — it’s vital to realise that the name is going to be a major part of your success.
What IS A Good Name?
So now you understand the importance of your site’s name, how can you ensure that you pick a good one? The first thing you must think of, obviously, is domains. There’s no point in having a great name for a site if you don’t have the domain, so the Whois databases are the place where you’ll do your research.
So, what makes a good domain?
- Good Extension
- Short
- Easy To Spell
- Descriptive
- Keywords
Well this is where my share will end. Thanks to David Gowans of Sitepoint.com for this wonderful article and I hope it helps you choose the right domain.
