From: Subject: Choosing a Domain Name About the Aut Date: Thu, 9 May 2002 10:44:16 -0700 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: multipart/related; boundary="----=_NextPart_000_0060_01C1F746.77352EB0"; type="text/html" X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2600.0000 This is a multi-part message in MIME format. ------=_NextPart_000_0060_01C1F746.77352EB0 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Location: file://E:\_Internet_\_Notes_\@\Choosing%20a%20Domain%20Name%20About%20the%20Aut.html = Choosing a Domain Name About the Aut Choosing a=20 Domain Name

About the Author:
Tips=20 provided by Jumpline.com, offering web hosting from $14.95. = Visit http://www.jumpline.com/ for=20 more=20 information.
If you wish to = have a=20 presence on the web, your domain name is one of the most important = decisions you=20 will need to make. It is the center of your Internet identity and makes = it=20 easier for people to find your site. What types of things should you = take into=20 consideration when choosing the name that will represent you on the web? = Jumpline.com offers these tips.

Keep it=20 short
Although some places allow you to register a name = with up to=20 63 characters, you have to keep in mind that people need to be able to = remember=20 it. Try to register the shortest name that your customers and visitors = will=20 associate with your site. The general rule of thumb is, keep it under = five=20 characters if possible. (Not including the suffix.)

Dot=20 What?
There are many different extensions available right = now. For=20 businesses, we recommend a .com suffix. It is the first extension that = most=20 people try when searching for a site. Also, since it is one of the = oldest=20 extensions, .com shows that your business has been around for a while = and that=20 you have a well-established presence on the web.

Avoid = Trademarked=20 Names
There are two really good reasons for this. First, = it's not=20 very nice. We have all heard the stories about the zany guy who thought = ahead=20 and bought "some-huge-multi-million-dollar-company.com" and sold it to = the=20 company for enough money to retire on. But, remember that those = companies, like=20 yours, have spent lots of time and money creating their brand, and what = goes=20 around comes around. Also, companies are no longer opening their = pocketbooks to=20 get their names back. They are calling their lawyers.

Register Your Domain A.S.A.P.
Domain names = are being=20 snatched up faster than candy at the St. Patrick's Day parade. You must = register=20 soon unless you want to get stuck with = "the-domain-name-that-no-one-wanted.net".=20 You do not have to have a web master or an e-commerce department or a = web design=20 consultant or... Heck, you don't even need a web page. Just get out = there and=20 register before you loose the opportunity to get the name you really = want.=20

One May = Not Be=20 Enough
Sometimes, it isn't a bad idea to register several = similar=20 domain names. If you have "yourname.com", register "yourname.net" so no = one else=20 takes it. You can register your full company name and a shorter, easier = to=20 remember version. Some people even register common misspellings of their = company's name. (You don't need a separate web page for each. Several = domains=20 can point to the same site.)

Character = Types
Just a reminder. Domain names can only use letters, = numbers,=20 and dashes. Spaces and symbols are not allowed. Also, domain names are = not case=20 sensitive.

Ask=20 Around
When you have settled on several available name = choices,=20 see what your friends and clients have to say. A name that may make = perfect=20 sense to you may be too hard for other people to remember. Is your = domain easy=20 to say? Is it hard to spell? Do you have to explain why you chose the = name?=20

Don't = Shell Out Large=20 Amounts of $$$
At one time, companies were able to get = away with=20 charging reservation fees plus a "mandatory" $70 InterNIC fee. Recently, = it was=20 decided that other companies should be able to compete to sell domain = names.=20 This has lowered prices dramatically. To see how much, check out http://www.jumpline.com/ where you = can=20 register your domain for $20.

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