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The first step in registering your domain is to find an available name.
You can search for a domain name by following these simple steps:
- Enter the domain you wish to register into the search box. Do not include the www prefix.
- If you only want to search for specific extensions, check the box(es) located beside the corresponding extension(s).
You may check as many as you wish, but if you are interested in finding out whether your domain is available
for all the extensions, you can simply leave all the boxes unchecked.
- Once you are ready to search, click 'SEARCH'.
A DOMAIN:
- can only include alphanumeric characters from A to Z, 0 to 9, and hyphens (-);
- cannot include symbols such as underscore (_), the 'at' sign (@), the 'and' sign (&), and period (.);
- cannot start or end with a hyphen;
- must be under 63 characters, excluding the domain extension such as ".COM";
- is not case-sensitive, i.e. it does not matter whether you type namesonic.com or NaMeSoNiC.com
FOUR USEFUL TIPS TO REGISTER A "GOOD" DOMAIN:
TIP 1: Use a single word or a combination of words with no more than 3 syllables.
The key is to have a domain that is short and easy to remember. Take a look at some of the most
memorable domain names around: Amazon.com, Yahoo!, Google, and eBay. They are all short, memorable,
and can easily roll off your tongue. Ask yourself this question: with over 26 million domains already registered
(almost half of which are .COM domains), how do you expect someone to remember YOUR domain when he/she is sitting
in front of the computer?
TIP 2: Use easy-to-spell words.
Assuming you have a catchy name that is short and memorable, is it easy to spell? For example, words like souvenir,
rhythm, receive, advice/advise, enquiry/inquiry are sometimes tricky to spell. It has nothing to do with the
educational level of your potential visitors - it is about making it easy for them to reach your site.
Internet users are generally impatient, if they can't find your site the first or second time, it is very easy for them
to quit and try your competitor's site.
You do not have to restrict yourself to the words in the dictionary. Try using made-up words
that are easy to pronounce and spell for the average Internet user, such as Kinkos, and Intel.
TIP 3: Be creative... but be careful too.
With so many domains already registered, people are getting creative to try to register their desired domain.
For example, if easyshopping.com is taken, someone else will register ezshopping.com, ecshopping.com,
or even eseeshopping.com. Other common practices include: using "4" instead of "for", "u" for "you", "k" for "c",
"z" for "s", and adding hyphens after each word. Even though the domain ez-guide4u.com might sound effective
(easy guide for you), every time you mention the URL to a friend, you'll have to say "the letter E and Z, then dash,
then the word guide, then the number four dash the letter U dot com".
Don't overkill your domain with these 'creative elements'.
TIP 4: Don't just settle on any name - be critical and think carefully.
Having said all that, it is not impossible to find the perfect name for your business. Do not give up and register
a domain name you are not 100% happy with. A domain name is your online identity and could be your best selling tool -
so do not overlook the power of a good domain name.
When registering your domain name, think like a customer!
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