Search Engine Optimization All-In-One For Dummies®

Chapter 2. Domain Names: What Your URL Says About You

In This Chapter

• Choosing your domain name

• Registering your domain name

• Understanding country codes and top-level domains

• Securing domains for common misspellings of your name

• Considering domains with alternate extensions

• Choosing the right hosting solution

• Knowing how search engines view subdomains

Shakespeare once said, "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet," implying that a name does not affect an object's essential makeup. That may be true, but a Web site is not a rose — your site's name is critical to its success. Your domain name (the root of your site's URL address, such as yourdomain.com) must be chosen strategically, based on your business goals. Pick a good domain name, and you've got a foundation for a successful online presence.

In this chapter, we explain some guidelines for selecting an appropriate domain name for your Web site. You discover the basics, like how to register for a domain name and how to pick a hosting service to get your site up and running. You also find out about securing variations of your domain name in order to protect your brand (company name) long-term.

Selecting Your Domain Name

Picking the right domain name for your Web site depends on your business strategy. You need to decide how you want people to find you on the Web. You have basically two ways to approach choosing a domain name — by brand or by keywords (search terms that people might enter to find what your site offers).

If you have a ...