Building a strong online presence starts with the right branding – and that begins with a domain name of your own. Incorporating your name into everything, from your web address to your email, will contribute greatly to the image your potential customers will perceive of your business.
You need your own domain – here’s why
Having your own domain name is a basic essential when you’re looking to establish a website for business or a blog. Your domain will be the main detail your audience will remember about you.
Choosing the right top level domain is also important. Whether you’ve decided on a .com or something quirkier such as .design for your creative blog, there are many extensions to choose from for personalisation.
Choosing your domain name
When choosing domain names, make sure that it’s highly relevant for your business. Brand or company names are the sensible choice.
In the event that the name is already taken, you can opt for a backorder service or look for alternative options, such as a different and unique TLD other than the common .net or .com, or an entirely different name that’s still relevant to what you do. Simple and catchy should do it.
You need to make the domain memorable for it to stick. Remember not to use dashes, numbers and abbreviated words. These things make it harder for people to remember the domain when typing it.
If your business is centralised in one location, try to include the name of the place in your domain. Country designations such as .au or .asia are also ideal as they make the name more regionalised.
How to register
Once you’ve chosen your domain name, you can register it at a domain registrar and make it officially yours. Type in your domain at the website and see if it’s available.
Different TLDs have their own requirements. Some don’t require anything more than your basic information, while others have certain restrictions. Country TLDs like .au also require that you have an address in the country as well as a registered business number.
Make sure to check the requirements and see that you meet them appropriately. Once you’ve registered, you can choose add-ons such as privacy settings on your Whois listing and others.
It is also a good idea to recheck that your domain name doesn’t infringe on an established company or brand. Many lawsuits occur in relation to this, especially when the new domain name registered is too similar and can be confused to an already existing business.
Maintaining your domain
Domains have expiry dates, often depending on how many years you registered it or the minimum or maximum time required. Either way, once the expiration looms closer, you need to renew within the required period before the date.
Take note that expired domain names get pooled into available names and can then be registered by other people, especially the ones who may have purchased a backorder service. Avoid loss of domain ownership as this could mean losing your business.
Keep these things in mind about domain names registration so that you’ll know what to do when it comes to getting your own.
Here Are 7 Things You Should Not Do When Launching a Startup Online
The truth stands that before one plays a game, one should know the rules in order to win. It's the same thing with starting an online business: there are things "rules" you need to consider before stepping inside the web. Here are seven things you should not do.
Top 10 Asian Destinations for Starting a Business
The diverse Asian region offers many opportunities for business, especially because of the many technological advances in the area. Many investors also choose to do business in the region because of the progressive environment and availability of local tech talent.
Top 8 Reasons Why You Need a Personalised Email Address for Business
Email is the primary mode of formal communication in the business world, this is why a professional email for your company or venture is important in conducting business.
