Thursday, December 28, 2006

How To Do A Secured Domain Registration To Ward Off Internet Predetors

A good investment option is starting an Internet-based business. It could attract different clients not only around the United States but also outside the country as well. If your site is highly-trafficked, other businesses will be posting their advertisements on your website instead of promoting it using other forms of communication media.

But Internet advertisers prefer websites that invests in their own original domain. You should keep it in mind in order to gain the trust of advertisers and have them display their ads in your website. You need a reputable domain registrant.

This article will focus on the secured domain registration and other considerations concerning the subject matter. Read and learn about it here.

Domain Name and Registration

First define what domain name is. Is also known as the web address and it is your unique identity address and will serve as the proof of your site’s existence on the web. It takes the form of series of characters followed by a period (.) and then by another set of characters, usually com, org, or net. It’s called as Top Level Domain (TLD). Technically, your domain name is called as Second Level Domain (SLD).

You need to register it for ownership in order to formally own a domain name. It allows you to exclusively use the chosen domain name within the given contract period that usually lasts for about a year or two. Before your contract lapse, you have the option to renew your registration or dropping the domain so that other individuals can register it.

Security in Domain Registration

You should consider some fundamental aspects in registering your chosen domain name and establishing your site’s presence on the web. This will avoid unnecessary impediments that can affect both you and your clients. Security is one of these important aspects.

Secured registration is very important because it guarantees you that your domain is protected against so-called domain predators that will transfer your domain to another registrar without your authorization.

Some registrars neglect the offering of security to their clients. This is why you need to be knowledgeable on key areas regarding domain registration security that will help you assess and decide which domain registrar company that suits your preferences and expectations. You need to consider some key areas:

Password-based security – the communications regarding the retrieving lost of forgotten passwords are encrypted or secured in any other form. The owner may gain access of his own personal domain account and will prevent predators from resetting your account password.

Payment – non-cash transactions must be made through a secured server. It should be kept confidential to avoid being used by other individuals.

Account lock – this permits you as the domain owner to alter personal information on your account and transfer domains to another registrar or client.
Make sure that your domain registration is secured. Ensure that it is at safe hands with a reputable domain registrar.

How To Make Use Of Domain Registration Search

Some things you should consider if it’s your first time to put up your own website. You should know that you need to register for a domain name. To get a domain name easily, a domain registration search will get you your own unique domain name.

Thousands of domain names that are used in the market and other thousands of people are registering everyday so it may be hard to come up with a unique domain name. You can try out different matches of domain names which have not been used by all the other websites with the domain registration search.

Coming up with a domain name with a single phrase in the English Language and all other major languages is very difficult. Here are some tips on how to start your domain registration search.

First tip is to make sure that you avoid messing up with the domains that are new in the web sites. Mostly already registered and are owned by someone domains are good domains. Don’t settle on the number-ridden and those which have a hyphenated domain name.

The search will give you a lot of choices that you can use. You might not have any choice but to use those names with hyphen or numbers when all else fails. This will make people not remember the domain name for good and is a major disadvantage.

You can make use of a domain name that is already registered you find in your search in a few days or months after its registration expires. Search engines sometimes ban some sites because of duplicates or did not get through the spam filters. You may use the domain name of these sites. Just try and go on with your search and see if the domain name is made available. If not, you may resolve to other domain name alternatives. There is just one domain name waiting for your approval which will bring luck to your site and be known to the world.

The expireddomains.com is a good domain registration search. It’s a good source for those that have been deleted or that are about to be deleted in the coming days. You can also get tips about ranking and other popularity issues which will be useful to your site. Other websites like snapnames.com provides an original backordering service for those who wants to get their own domain name.

When you have finally decided for a perfect domain name that attracts you, you can pay for it and it’s yours instantly.

Internet Domain Registration

Every computer that has access to the Internet has its own unique address and identification number. This unique address is known as its IP address, which stands for Internet protocol address. The domain name helps Internet users use the Internet more easily. So, instead of having to type the IP address, you are now allowed to use a name instead. For example, if you want to visit a website, instead of typing 206.121.156.3 you can now use www.domainname.com.

What does it mean to register?

A domain name registration company has a directory, organized hierarchically, of all domain names and their corresponding computers registered to particular companies and persons using the Internet. Your computer is associated through that domain name when you register a domain name on the Internet. You can then create a website from that computer that can be seen by people all over the world.

How to register a domain name

You can register your domain name through many different companies known as “registrars.” All of these companies compete with each other to get you to use their services. There is a directory list online of all the registrars available.

When you choose a registrar to work with, they often ask you many questions before they register your domain. The information they ask you consists of your contact information and some technical information. They then take the information you provide to them and keep those records in a central directory known as a “registry.” This registry is what allows Internet users to send you e-mail or to find your website. You are also required to enter into a registration contract that states the terms and agreements of your registration of the domain name.

Domain Registration Searches

Domain name registration is similar to registering the name of your newly established business?the name needs to be unique. Unlike a business name, however, you are not legally required to register a domain name that actually describes your website; although it would serve your cause to have a name that somehow relates to your company.

Whenever you register for a domain name, your choice is subjected to a countercheck against existing registered domain names. This process is usually free, whether or not you actually intend to purchase the name. You have to understand, though, that if you type the URL address in your browser and no site loads, it does not necessarily mean that the domain name is available. It is possible that the domain name has already been registered to an owner but no website has been set up yet. It is also possible that there are people or organizations who have purchased the name because it a name that companies will most likely take interest in.

Domain names accept alphanumeric characters and hyphens, and consist of a suffix that uniquely identifies the site. A domain name such as yoursite.com is different from yoursite.org. It is not impossible that you will see a site yoursite.com and yoursite.org representing two kinds of content that are different from and unrelated to each other. However, it is possible for a company to purchase all the possible variations of a domain name and configure them to point to only one site. You can use hyphens to distinguish your site from another similarly named site. So, instead of having yoursite.com, your domain name could be your-site.org instead.

Even after thorough research, there is still a risk that you will encounter certain difficulties regarding your chosen domain name. There have been incidents of disputes over a domain name due to trademark clashes. An example of such is the well-publicized lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation, filed by the World Wildlife Foundation. The latter demanded that the former drop the URL address www.wwf.com, because of the conflict of interests between the two organizations.

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

How to Change to a New Domain Name

When changing over to a new domain name, there are some precautions you should take before doing so. You must determine whether it's important enough that you change domain names to possibly lose some established customers and efforts you've made to gain traffic to your website.

If you already have a number of visitors coming to your website, then please think really hard before getting a new domain name. Consider the risks. If you're still sure this is the route you should take, then read the tips below for a smooth domain name transition.

What You Should Do Before Changing Your Domain Name

Below is a quick checklist of things to do before changing your domain name. Do these BEFORE you cancel your current domain name. Otherwise, you could lose valuable information or content on your website!

1. Create a thorough backup copy of your entire website.
This includes autoresponders you may have created in the email portion of your hosting control panel. Don't make the same mistake I made when changing to a new host. I forgot about the email section completely. There were several emails and two autoresponders I used on a regular basis. These were, of course, deleted when my website's hosting was shut down. I had to try and remember all the emails I had created and re-write my autoresponder messages! Imagine if I had 20 to 30 autoresponders or emails. What a nightmare that would be!

Check with your hosting company before changing domain names to see what is involved in backing up your site. If you have special programming features stored for your site, you'll need to back up these as well.

2. Re-design your web pages with the new domain name inserted in all your links. Before switching to a new domain name, be sure your site is designed with its links all changed to the new domain name. When you upload the new domain name to the Web, the website should be fully functional under the new domain name.

Redirect to Keep Good Search Engine Rankings

Understandably, a brand new domain name will be subject to the "aging delay" at Google and other search engines. The aging delay for your new domain will happen because search engines will not recognize it as your "same old" website. They will assume it's a brand new one because of the new domain name.

To help things move along faster, keep your old domain name for a while until your new one gets established. Only, do a "temporary redirect" on your old domain name. You can create this through your domain hosting control panel or by contacting your host if you're not sure how. The search engines will recognize the website as your old one much quicker.

Once your new domain name starts getting indexed in the search engines, change the redirect to a permanent one for a while. A "permanent redirect" should be left at your old domain name until your new one has been established at the search engines and any other sites or directories that were linking to your old domain name.

Your goal is to hang on to the old domain name while waiting on the new domain name to get established. It's well worth the effort, even if it costs you a little more each month for a while!

Changing a Large Company's Domain Name

If you own a large company or corporation with many employees using your website, this process can be even more complicated. Your employees' log-in information must be updated on the new domain name. Check with your hosting company and in-house programmers to find out what needs to be done.

Changing over to a new domain name is a pain, but sometimes needful. Decide if it's right for you and use the tips above to simplify the process.

Domains: Buying an Existing Domain Name Vs a New Domain Name

No one can deny that the Internet is here to stay and that businesses who do not embrace the internet are going to struggle in the coming years. With the Internet and Search Engines reaching a new level of maturity, I have noticed in their rankings that they are beginning to put more and more weight on the age of the domain in their index and because of this we have now reached a crossroad for many businesses to evaluate whether they are better off buying an existing domain versus registering a brand new domain. But Buyer Beware!

I have met many many people who have benefited and also been burnt by buying existing domain names. The major disadvantage of buying an existing domain name is that it may have been banned from the search engines for in appropriate search engine tactics, better known as black hat techniques. My own personal experience with the search engines and trying to talk to a human being in the past to plead my case over an issue with one of our own domains has made me come to the realization that none of them have a clue of what customer service is and they do not care what they do to you and this is where the problem lies when buying existing domains.

If you purchase a domain that has been banned for either Search Engine Black Hat techniques or for click fraud then you can pretty much write off that domain ever getting into the indexes ever again. Which means that if you are relying principally on traffic from the search engines, then you are going to invest a lot of money and get absolutely no outcome? In fact one of our own clients was caught where the domain they had purchased was banned in just about every index and by many of the pay-per-click engines as well. Literally the money they outlaid for this domain were totally wasted.

Look, there are many reasons why domains can be banned and in some cases they are banned by indexes for the owners simply not understanding the rules that the various search engines place on the websites that they index. Whilst that is no excuse in the scheme of things, as a buyer it is something you need to be aware of.

The key advantage of buying an existing domain that has been indexed is that it is often easier to optimize that site for certain keywords than it is for using one that is a brand new domain. If you believe the stories of Google's sandbox rule, then all new domains will take 6 to 12 months to rank well which means for a business that is purely internet based that could send you bankrupt and I can assure you I have seen that happen. Whether or not you believe or do not believe that the Google sandbox rule exists, in most search engines, the age of the domain in the index does play a role in your ranking. I have seen webpages in the index that have been there for 10 years and have less than 20 back links on extremely competitive terms and rank in the top 5 of those competitive keywords.

The bottom line is this, where possible and if you can afford it, buying an existing domain name that is already in the index is a valuable commodity. Even more so if there is an associated website to go with it. Just look at the money Google paid to You Tube for their site.

Over the last few years my team and I have helped many clients broker existing domain names, usually associated with their companies name, that have been in the index by people creating adsense accounts for Google or Yahoo and once they get control of the domains they have seen vast improvements in their traffic flow and search engine positions because the domains they had bought had been in the index for some period. In fact every one of them that has done this now has top 2 rankings in all the major search engines.

When we are evaluating domains that have been owned for some period there are a range of elements that my team and I look for. The general elements we review include -

1. Is the website currently working?
2. Does the domain exist in any of the major search engines?
3. Can you verify ownership of the domain or is the domain details blocked?
4. Where is the domain currently residing?
5. Is the domain in an area on the Internet that is used by black hat people or organizations that use questionable techniques?
6. What is the IP Number of the server the domain resides on?
7. Can we find any indications of references to issues with this domain name on professional search engine forums or bloggs?
8. Does the domain reside on any black lists for spam or for activities related to advertising? We also look to see if the domain is on any number of white lists as well (this is a positive issue)?
9. Does the domain have a history in traffic tools such as Alexa? Have there been any comments or statements placed in the Alexa Register or similar registers?
10. Is the domain registered with a reputable domain registration company?


My team and I will also look at whether or not this domain has been owned by a range of different companies or individuals and in particular if it has been deleted or pre-owned before today and resold.

I should note that there are many other issues we look at but the ten above are the key issues everyone should look at when deciding to buy an existing domain. There are many reasons why domains may not have positive findings for each of the issues above, but just like you were trying to buy a business you need to see if there are any issues and if there are can they be dealt with and are they likely to cost you money. Nobody likes to lose money on a deal, especially me, and when buying domains you need to make sure that you have done your homework and that the domain is worth the money you are investing.

Sometimes, you are better off simply paying a few dollars and putting in a lot of hard work with a new domain then buying a domain for a few thousand dollars to find that you can never rank well in the search engines because it has been banned.

Web Hosting For Idiots

A website is basically a collection of web pages (files) that contain text and images. For people to be able to view your website on the internet, you need to store these files on a web server. Web servers are computers which store thousands of web sites. The web server is connected to the internet. The address of your website is the www.me.com. When someone puts the address into a browser the browser connects with the web server and downloads the page to your computer.

What’s a browser? You’re looking through it now. It is the program you’re using to view this web page, Microsoft Internet Explorer properly, or you may be using Firefox or Netscape navigator.

With a fast internet connection you can turn any computer into a server free of charge, but the computer will have to be left on all day and night and you will have to maintain it. This is not practical and most people pay for a company to look after it. A company that owns web servers are called web hosting providers. These companies have much many servers hosting thousands of websites. Their job is to make sure they are all working.

For your website to run properly you need a space on a web server to store your web pages and an Internet connection. The amount of space and is usually quantified in MB and the more you want the more it will cost. The Internet connection needed so that your web site can be accessed online is referred as the bandwidth and is also measured in MB or even GB. Different hosting companies offer different space and bandwidth, which for a novice is quite daunting. The best web hosting company are ones that have a good customer support help line. And I mean good old fashioned phone lines. Email is a bonus but sometimes you need to speak to someone to understand things or buy services. If you know you want a website with 10 pages of text and images a good web hosting company will tell you exactly what you need in plain and simple terms. Some web hosting companies offer more than just hosting. Some offer domain name registration, email where you can turn your domain name into an email address.

Domain name registration is where you register your domain (www.me.com). You can buy these from domain registration companies.Some companies also offer web design which is where someone designs the whole look and feel of your website and uploads it to the server when your happy with it. This is great for the complete novice. You can buy the domain name, web design; hosting and email in one go from one company. This is the best way as it means every aspect of your website is being looked after by the same company.

Domain Names: What, Why, Who, and How

WHAT, exactly, is a domain name?

The Domain Name System was originally developed to help us navigate through the internet. Every computer connected to the internet has it's own IP address, a string of numbers that identify it to other computers. Domain names are a way of pointing to a specific IP address to make things easier to remember - so now you shop at Amazon.com, instead of at 207.171.166.102!

The domain name is made of two parts, the name and the extension.The name is whatever you choose, it can be your personal name, your business name, a term or a saying. When choosing a domain, be careful to select something that is easy to remember and is representative of you or your business. There are numerous resources to help in choosing a great name, search Google.com for the term "choosing a domain name".

The extension is the part that comes after the name, the most familiar extension is '.com'. There are many extensions, some available only to educational institutions (.edu) or to citizens of specific countries. The most common domain extensions registered now are .com, .net, .org, .info, and .biz. It is often recommended that when you choose a domain name, you register as many of the popular extensions as you can, to protect your brand.

WHY would I want a domain name?

The main reason that people register domain names is because they are building a website, but there are other reasons, too. The registration of domain names has become relatively inexpensive, and the variety of uses for them has expanded. Some people register domain names for email only, so they can have a personalized email address. John Doe can now get email at john@johndoe.com, for example. Websites themselves have evolved in such a way that anyone can set up and maintain their own personal spot on the web - it isn't just for businesses anymore. Blogging and forums (bulletin boards) have become very popular ways for people to communicate with friends and family, post pictures, and share other information; and having your own domain name makes finding your blog easy. Web hosting companies offer personal accounts that allow you to have email, create a blog, and even build your own personal website at very low prices.

Even if you don't plan on having a website now, registering your domain name is a good idea - you never know what you may wish to do in the future, from starting a home business to wanting to post pictures of your grandchildren. As more domains are registered, it becomes more challenging to find the exact name you want. You can register a domain for from one to ten years, and registering now ensures it will be there for you when you're ready!

WHO should I buy my domain name from?

Domain name registrars are plentiful on the internet, but make sure you register with an ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) Accredited Registrar, and register in your own name and email address. There are people who may act on your behalf to register a name for you (such as a webmaster), but be sure they register it in your name, not theirs. Even if you want to distance yourself from the everyday operations of your website and domain, you will still want to be the real owner of that name. Domain registration is very easy on the internet, using the registrar's website interface to choose your name and place your order, even the least techno-savvy can get through it. Don't be afraid!

Domain registrars offer a tool to check to see if the name you want is available, or if it is already owned by someone else. If a domain is available, you will be asked to purchase or register it. You may see the option to transfer a domain listed instead. If you register a domain name with one registrar, and later decide you'd like to move, or transfer, that domain to another registrar to receive different services, you have that option. But you must actually own that domain name in order to be able to transfer it. Many people have made the mistake of thinking that if they choose transfer, the domain will be taken away from it's current owner and given to them - this is simply not possible, nor would you want it to happen to your own domain!

So then, Who owns the domain name I want? And how can I get it? are becoming questions that are heard more often. There is a tool called a WHOIS Lookup that can tell you who currently owns a domain name, and WHOIS tools can be found on the web - search for them on Google.com, and you'll see. Buying a domain that is currently owned by someone else is no longer out of the question, either. Many domain owners are willing to sell their domains, and often list the domains for sale with various domain sale and auction services. There are also services that will accept a backorder for a domain. These services allow you to list your desired domain with them, and if that domain expires and becomes available, the service will try to register it for you. These systems work like a lottery - or more precisely, like a concert ticket system. When the tickets go on sale, everyone is trying to get the front row center seat, but only one can get it. Drop or backorder services do the same thing, all competing for the same domain name. If you choose to try for an expiring domain, research several of these services and register with as many as you can. Remember there is sometimes a fee above and beyond the registration price when you use one of these services.

HOW to keep your domain name in good health (or the care and feeding of a domain name).

First and foremost, now that you've got your domain name, be sure not to lose it! The most common way for people to lose a domain name is by not renewing it before it expires. When you register the domain name, you will be asked to provide an administrative email contact. All future correspondence relating to your domain name will be sent to that address, including expiration notices. If you change email addresses and do not update your address with your domain registrar, notices will never reach you. Likewise, you should always update any change of physical address or phone number with your domain registrar, just in case. Put your registrar on your list of places you would inform if you were to move, and you will avoid this common trap.

Another common way to run into trouble is by falling victim to a competing registrar's advertising. Sometimes unscrupulous companies will send out email or physical letters informing you that your domain will expire soon, and asking you to renew it by transferring it into their domain system. These letters can be very persuasive, convincing domain owners that they must follow the instructions in the letter or they will lose the domain name. Often these cheaters charge a higher fee than your real registrar, and don't offer a refund once you've paid them for a transfer, even if you don't use it. The best way to avoid this scam is simply to know who your registrar is, and only respond to requests made by them. Keep a copy of your first registration letter in your files, so you can refer to it later if you have any doubts.

The Domain Name System has truly evolved since its inception, and now having a domain name has become a standard for individuals as well as businesses. Your domain name is your personality, your identity, your calling card in the internet world. Choose it wisely and take care of it, and you'll spend many happy years together!

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Yahoo Web Hosting - Small Business Option?

With Yahoo web hosting, depending upon your needs, offers business quality service. Yahoo web hosting service offers everything from basic design templates, site building tools, authoring tools to advanced PHP scripting. Yahoo web hosting also provides customers with MySQL database services.

Yahoo Web Hosting Service Provides 3 Major Options

The Business Starter Yahoo web hosting is the first option and comes with 50 MG of storage, 20 GB of data transfer with 10 personal address email accounts. This is a very cost effective option for many business starters considering a good web hosting plan. This Yahoo web hosting option also has very easy to use web design tools.

The second is the Business Standard Yahoo web hosting option and comes with 100 MG of storage, 25 GB of data transfer with 25 Business Edition email accounts. With this web hosting option you also receive 24/7 toll free customer support. This Yahoo web hosting option is also very cost effective for most business plans.

The third is the Business Professional Yahoo web hosting option and comes with 350 MG and 35 GB of data transfer with 35 Business Edition email accounts. With this Yahoo web hosting option you also receive priority 24/7/365 customer support for you web hosting needs. For everything you get with this web hosting option the cost is also very reasonable for most business hosting needs. This Yahoo web hosting option also has advanced scripting, database and SSL support.

An advantage of Yahoo web hosting is that their uptime is great. They have some of the best servers and hardware you can find. Yahoo web hosting is powered by their search engine so you know that the downtime will not be an issue in most cases. Yahoo web hosting services are connected via redundant connections so that if one server goes down, another will quickly replace it with very little if any downtime.

Another advantage with Yahoo web hosting is that their data center location is very secure and in a state of the art facility. Yahoo web hosting services constantly monitor their data center 24/7/365. This helps prevent hacking attempts and many other concerns that many hosting services have to deal with.

In the end Yahoo web hosting has one of the best customer service a hosting company can provide. Unlike some web hosting services that are like pulling teeth to get a question or support issue taken care of. Yahoo web hosting is there for your needs 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This can be a great advantage for someone starting out a business with no prior experience with web hosting issues.

Webhosting Tips

About Dedicated/Private Servers Dedicated Servers or Managed Dedicated Servers is a type of Internet Hosting where the client leases an entire Server not shared with anyone. This is more flexible than Shared Hosting, as organizations have full control over the server(s), including choice of operating system, hardware, etc.
Dedicated Severs usually are used for extensive Web Sites which serve too many online visitors at once. Mail Servers, Virtual Universities or extensive ECommerce Web Sites are samples of Dedicated Server usages.Dedicated Servers provide huge Web Space and BandWidth.
If server is physically located in administration area of Web Site, it is called Co-Location Server. When a physical Server is devided to multiple Virtual Servers we will have several Virtual Private Servers(VPS). These Servers can provide greater control and performance than a Shared Hosting account. They come with exactly the same features, autonomy and functionality of a Dedicated Server, and are suitable for a wide range of tasks such as application testing/development, Domain and Hosting Resellery, high traffic Web Sites or game serving.
Dedicated Hosting Service The user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); However, the user typically does not own the server. If the server is administered in users' location, its called Co-Location Server. Suitable For:
• High Traffic WebSites
• Database-intense Web Sites
• Online Products Seller Sites


Virtual Private Server(VPS) Slicing up a server into virtual servers. Each user feels like they're on their own dedicated server, but they're actually sharing a server with many other users. A Virtual Private Server (VPS) offers a more stable, secure, and flexible hosting environment than a Shared Hosting Service . Suitable For:
• Resell hosting services
• Email Services
• Small eCommerce Websites

Website Hosting - Dedicated Servers

You have heard of dedicated servers but you really are not sure what they are and if you should have one. On the other hand, maybe you know that you require a dedicated server, but really do not know how to choose the right host. Well, either way, this article is filled with information just for you.

When it comes to website hosting, essentially they provide you with two options dedicated servers or shared servers. What is the difference? Well, shared servers are the type in which you will share the space with other people. Your website and those of other people will share the same server. A dedicated server is completely the opposite, every aspect of that server, as well as the network connection is “dedicated” only to your website.

Before choosing a dedicated server, you should have an understanding of the major differences between shared and dedicated. One massive difference is the price. In most cases, a dedicated server will cost you a great deal more than a shared server. Another massive difference is the skill levels required for each. With a shared server, the host typically takes care of administration of the server, which requires little technical skills. On a dedicated server, it is your responsibility to take care of server administration.

Before deciding if a dedicated server is for you, you should consider the level of your website. If you operate a small business or a basic website, a dedicated server is likely not the best choice. However, if you have a high traffic, large, and massive website, a dedicated server will be the likely choice.

Overall, it is important to understand your space needs, reliability, bandwidth, and budget prior to choosing dedicated server website hosting. Generally, a large website, a large company, with high traffic, may want to consider a dedicated server. A small business, with minimal traffic, will likely want to stick with shared servers.

How to Register and Secure Your Preferred Domain Name

Whilst most of the words in the dictionary have been registered as dotcom names by speculators hoping to sell them at a profit in the future, there are still many domain name options and combinations available with various extensions.

It is important to consider the following when choosing your domain name...

Choose a memorable name

The right domain name allows your prospective customers an easy way to remember and find you. It's your location on the web and also your email address.

Your Domain Name is your Brand

Secure the domain name that best represents your business name and keep it out of the hands of your competitors.

Domains are valuable online real estate and securing more than one helps protect your brand and increase your reach.

You can easily direct as many domains as you want to a single website.

Build Credibility

Having an appropriate domain name and using it to personalize your business cards and email addresses helps establish credibility and professionalism.

For instance, an email address such as john@ebusiness.com is more professional than john112@freeemail.com

Therefore, do not use a freebie domain name - it is short sighted and gives your prospective client the perception that you are "out to get a quick buck" type of business.

Your Domain Name is an Investment

Domain names, like real estate, appreciate in value as time goes by.

Furthermore, as a domain name ages not only does it become more valuable, it importantly gains more credibility & integrity with the search engines.

Therefore it is extremely important to secure as many appropriate domains as possible as soon as you can.

Not only can they all be directed to one website but it keeps them out of the clutches of your competition as well as adding to your business' online presence and credibility.


If your preferred name has already been registered...?

The chances are that your preferred domain name has already been snapped up and that you'll have to settle for a name that isn't totally ideal.

Whilst you should always go for a top level domain (TLD) such as a dotcom extension if you’re a business, as people continue to assume that dotcom equals a business and professionalism, there are some good alternatives.

Other top level domains such as .net .org .biz are good choices for the appropriate type of business, eg. a computer network business should have a .net extension & a non-profit organization shouyld have a .org extension.

However if your business is country specific, you should consider using a country-specific top level domains (TLDs) like .de, .nu, .sg, etc.

However, if your name has been taken you can always consider adding a search engine friendly term or area to the name.

For instance if your preferred name is internetbusiness you could choose internetbusiness-startup or internetbusiness-texas or internetbusiness123 etc..


Also always once your domain is registered, remember to make sure your domain record remains locked.

This feature ensures that your domain remains secure and untouchable.

So if you want to transfer your domain name to a different registrar you have to unlock it before the new registrar can actually transfer it from your current registrar.

To start your Domain Name Search click the "how to secure your preferred domain name" link below to see with what extensions (TLD's) your preferred domain name is available and register as many appropriate domains as you can get - it's an investment in your business' future!

Domain Name - How To Pick One

Picking a domain name should be easy, right? Why, I’ll just use my business name. Not so fast, Sparky. A good bit of thought should be given to selecting a domain name.

A Cautionary Note

Picking a domain name is like getting married. You are going to have to stick with it till the bitter end. People that use your site will come to know it by the domain name. Repeat visitors will often simply type in the domain name to get to the site, better known as “type in traffic”. As an example, do you search for “Amazon” when you want to buy a book or do simply type in amazon.com? If Amazon were to change its domain name to Desert, there would be a lot of confusion. The same goes with your domain. Once you pick something, stick with it.

Your Choices

Well, the obvious choice is your business name, but it may not be the best. There are four significant issues to consider.

First, is there something about your business name that makes using it as a domain an unwise choice? This situation typically arises if you have a long business name or have plural words. “Halstatt’s Rip’n Marketing Campaigns, Inc.” is going to be a horrible domain name. Clients are going to find it difficult to type in such a domain name.

Double letter problems are a second issue that is entirely unique to the Internet. What if Sams Salon wants to use its business name as a domain? The “s” at the end of first word and beginning of the second can cause confusion. Is the domain name Samssalon.com or Samsalon.com? Confusing your users is a bad way to run a site.

The third issue concerns the nature of your site and search engine optimization. If you are shooting for a particular keyword phrase, you may be better off using that keyword phrase in your domain name. Google, for instance, looks at the domain name when evaluating a site. If the words in your domain name are spaced with dashes, many believe it will help in the ranking process. This is why you see so many xxx-xxxx-xxx.com domain names on the net. If your business focuses on a very specific area, strong consideration should be given to using relevant keywords in your domain name.

Finally, your domain name should end in “.com” and I don’t want to hear any argument or see any rolling of the eyes. The simple fact is that when people think of sites, they always type in .com. Yes, there are other extensions and .us, .net, .biz, etc., may seem unique, but it kills your traffic. Pavlov and his dog experiments had it right. People have been mentally conditioned to type in .com, so don’t select any other ending. If you do, a smart competitor will register the .com version of your name to get some free traffic. If you are really lucky, a porn site will do it!

Take a breath before you select a domain name. Like a spouse, it can be either a good or bad choice.

Register Your Domain Name - What Name? Not Sure? No Need To Rush

There are many places you can search for a domain name. But choosing the right domain name is the real task. If you can include your best keyword, the one you build your Home Page around, and explain your business at the same time, you are way ahead of the game.
Some web site building companies suggest you register your name first, choose your template, and then start to build. But build what? It is important to well understand your site direction and content before you register your domain name. Spend time on brain storming your web site ideas, and choosing relevant and optimum keywords and you can use this information to find a name that suits your business well, but also helps you gain a better place in the search engine listings. If you have several words, like Ecommerce Site Builder, think about using hyphens to make it more readable, ex; ecommerce-site-builder.com.

Building traffic from the search engines is one of the most important components of site construction and design. Many would say THE most important. Having a domain name that includes a core component of your main site keyword helps the search engines clarify your site. You might also consider registering similar names and re-directing them to your site. An example might be e-commerce-site-builder.com. This just means that people finding your secondary names will be automatically directed to the main site. This covers a few more bases and protects you from other business' registering similar names to poach your customers. Maybe you could register some for those that mis-spell or make a typo as well. Often, your web site domain name registration is included in your ecommerce web site hosting fee. In any case, the cost is minimal.

Another reason not to rush ahead with excitement before you do your research is it can take up to six weeks to move your domain name. If you register your name with the first solution you find, and then do your site research which may also include a template design and a hosting solution, you may end up with a long wait before you can go online. Best to take it easy and do things in a logical order. Already registered with company ABC? No problem, but have your domain name transferred as soon as you decide on your web site hosting service. They will be able to do this for you, but it can often take some time. Don't forget until the last moment. It can be a major frustration!

Be sure to register your domain names as soon as you have decided on the best solutions though. You may be disheartened if you go back to register a name you were pondering, and find it registered two days later. It does happen! Who knows who is watching your searches? This is a nasty practice that is "not supposed to happen", and something difficult to prove if it does. Best to be decisive and happy.

You will find a list of places to start looking for your domain name here at http://www.ecommerce-site-builder.com/register-your-domain-name.html.Created by Mal Huddleston -- Copyright 2006 Ecommerce Site Builder Mal Huddleston from Ecommerce Site Builder has developed the free e-book, the Twelve Point Plan, an overview of the major steps required to build and promote an Ecommerce Web Site solution. Ecommerce Site Builder aims to educate you about ecommerce systems, show you tools that will help you, and investigate the main components required to make a successful web site. You will then make a more informed decision about the solution that best suits your needs.

How to Register Your Domain

When you launch a new website you must register a unique domain name with an authorized registrar. When the internet was first starting, all domain names and IP addresses were registered through one organization, Internic. Eventually Network Solutions took over the role as “keeper” of the internet domain names. Today, there are hundreds of websites where you can register your domain name but Network Solutions still maintains the main database of domain names. Some websites charge as little as $2.95 per year for your domain name while others charge as much as $35 per year for the exact same service. Some even offer one year free if you register your domain name with them and host your website on their servers. Why pay $35 when you can register your domain name for much less at another website?
So why does Network Solutions charge $35 a year if they are the keeper of the database and their resellers charge a fraction or even nothing? Who knows and who cares! Register your domain with one of the cheaper providers and you'll be fine. A word caution - be care who you choose to host your website. Getting a free year of your domain name isn't worth it if your webhost is unreliable and your website is down more than it's up.

You pay for your domain name on a yearly basis. It's a separate charge from your webhosting bill. When you register your domain name choose the autorenewal option if it's available. This way your domain name will not expire if you forget to renew it. If your domain name expires, it's free for anyone else to register so you need to stay on top of when it's expiring. Also registering your domain name for a 3 to 5 year term will often save you money. For example, godaddy.com charges $8.95 a year for your domain name but only $7.25 a year if you register for a 5 year term.

When you register your domain you can create different contact names. The three contacts are Administrator, Technical and Billing. Most of the time the same person is all 3 contacts. If you web designer registers your domain name for you, make sure you are designated as the Administrative contact. This gives you control over the domain name and you must be notified if someone is trying to make changes to your record. If you aren't one of the contacts then someone can transfer ownership of the domain name without your permission.
To see a record of your domain name, go to www.networksolutions.com and use their WHOIS utility which is located in the bottom left corner of their home page. Simply enter your domain name and click Search. You'll see the complete record of your domain name, where it's registered and where your website is hosted. For a complete video of how to use WHOIS, visit www.valiss.com/video/whois/whois.html.

When you register your domain name you'll have to the option of making it a private registration. I highly recommend paying the additional fee to make your information private. If you leave your registration public anyone can look up your domain information which includes your home or business address and your email address. Many spammers scan public domain registration records to find valid email addresses to spam.

I always use a yahoo or hotmail email account when registering my domains. This way if spammers to find my email address, I can just get a new “throwaway” email address and I won't receive spam at my primary email address.

Always make sure your domain record remains locked. Locking your domain name is a feature implemented a few years ago. When you want to transfer your domain name to a different registrar you must unlock it. Once it's unlocked the new registrar can “pull” your domain name from your current registrar. Once the transfer is complete, the domain name will be locked to prevent anyone else from “pulling” your domain away from you.

How To Register A Domain Name The Smart Way

You need to register your own domain name in order for you to have a website. You might have no what a domain name is all about. First, domain name is a kind of address of your website. It’s called the URL of the website. This is what you type in the address bar of your internet browser for you to go to a specific website. When using the Internet then you use a domain name.

You already have an idea of what is a domain name. Your domain name should be unique in creating your website. Thinking to have a unique domain name, it is difficult to find one since millions of websites are in the internet today. But there are services available in the internet that offers domain name search. It will search for similar names and tell if the name you chose is unique or if it is unavailable before you register it.

Thinking of a domain name for your website is the first thing you have to do when creating a website. Next is finding out if it is taken or available. This can be frustrating that is why it is recommended that you should think of several potential names for your website and try them out one by one.

There are websites that offer domain name search in order for you to check its availability. These services come from websites that offer domain name registration. You can have a domain name that is the same as others provided that the extension is different. An example of a domain name extension is “.com”. There are different kinds of domain name extension and here are some of them:

.com
.info
.biz
.net
.us


You can choose any of these extensions for your domain name.

Choosing a domain name process can take a while since millions of websites are in the internet today... CONTINUE