Owning your own domain name is like owning your own piece of real estate on the internet, under your management and control it can be carefully built up to become a valuable asset.

Sadly, many business owners don’t realise the importance or potential of their domain name; neglecting to use it in marketing opportunities or even letting it expire. Here are some helpful tips on choosing and using your domain:

Choosing the right name

It certainly pays to take your time over choosing your website name as it will have a lasting impact on your marketing strategies. If your brand name is short and catchy, it may be easy for visitors to remember. However, if your brand name is not quite so memorable, or if it is going to take time to build into a household name, it may be worthwhile combining it with a business related keyword to indicate what the website offers. A keyword is a search term that people would use to find your business in a search engine such as Google. Certainly if a keyword is included, it is easier for Search Engine Optimisation purposes. Try to avoid using a similar name to an existing website as this could lead to irrelevant traffic for both of you.

Choosing a domain name extension

The decision on what domain name extension to use is influenced by a number of factors, such as where your business is based, where your market is and what domain name is available at the time. The choice of .com, .com.au, .org, .net, etc will also depend on what type of business it is. If your market is Australian, it is highly recommended that you have a .com.au extension as this proves to your potential customers that you are a registered business in Australia. If your market is more international, a .com domain extension could be more suitable. However, the ease of registering .com domains often means that many of the good names have been taken. Consider purchasing both .com and .com.au in order to protect your brand name and prevent a competitor from obtaining it.

Using a trustworthy registrar

Make sure you purchase your domain from a credible domain name registrar. It is always tempting to go with the cheapest one but later on down the track there could be a sting in the tail. A good registrar will give you first-rate customer service and total ownership of your domain name along with access to an administration interface so that you can easily manage your account. They should also offer free transfer to another registrar if you are not satisfied with their level of support.

Marketing opportunities

Remember to continuously raise the profile of your website by including your domain name in all your marketing opportunities, such as print advertising, business cards and even in emails. Too often business owners neglect to change their contact details from their existing free email address to a new domain based email as they overlook the credibility and professionalism that a domain based email gives their business.

Don’t let it expire!

Losing your domain name could potentially ruin your business. You must take care to renew the domain name before expiry otherwise your website will no longer be available to view, your email service will be interrupted and somebody else, such as a competitor, could buy it. A good domain name registrar will send you a notification to remind you to renew the domain before it expires.

Don’t fall prey to the scammers!

Unfortunately, there are some unscrupulous people in cyberspace offering fake domain name services. Typical scams include fake renewals and domain name registration ‘blackmailing’. Blackmailing is where the fraudulent domain registrar contacts you to tell you they have a client wishing to purchase a similar domain name to yours and urging you to purchase them first. If you suspect you are being contacted by a fraudulent company, contact your existing domain registrar for their advice.

The bottom line is that you should choose your domain name wisely and then protect it; if you look after your domain name, it will look after you and your business.