Choosing the domain name

Going live
You'll probably want to register a domain name (like www.yourcompany.com) and choose a company to host your site. Opt for a company that provides both as they then offer free statistics capturing for your site. Give your website a name that's professional and easy to remember. A domain is the home of your website - like www.yourname.com. According to Verisign, in 2004 domain name registrations across the globe hit 64.5 million names. If you don't already have a great domain name, you need one, and fast. Even if you have no intention of having a website yet, a domain name is worth securing. Crucially, owning a domain name gives you instant access to the appropriate email addresses for that domain (yourname@yourname.com). This is important if you want to create a professional perception of your business from the outset. Using your own domain name email addresses will contribute to building a solid impression of you and your products or services. And with the low cost of domain names, there is no real excuse for not having one, especially if you are serious about your business.

Attention to detail
Currently you can buy domain names at throwaway prices. Hence, free domain names, such as www.yourbusiness.someone - else.co.in (where you get a name that sticks on the end of someone else's) have the same turn - off effect.

What's in a name?
How do you choose a name that people will remember? After all, the right domain name will attract buyers, increase visibility and inspire trust.

Keep it short and memorable.
Short memorable brand names are effective. Or ones that are slightly bizarre: Yahoo, Google, msn, Virgin and Amazon. Short and snappy domain names are less likely to be misspelled and more likely to be remembered and passed on via word of mouth.
But as a guru says: " Bear in mind the brand personality of your business, what you offer, your USP and consider the implications of being listed alphabetically too " .

Use your company name, own name or a relevant solution - related name.
Brainstorm domain names that solve a problem. For example, if you were selling an arthritis remedy and you identified a niche for customers that wanted lasting arthritis relief then you could register the domain www.lastingarthritisrelief.com. Or, you could opt for a name that describes the products or services your company provides (e.g. www.financialservices.co.in). Either way, your name will help drive targeted traffic to your website if you take this approach. You can search availability of domain names at the registrar you intend to purchase it from, or direct from the nic.net. If your chosen domain names aren't available you can either go back to the drawing board, or approach the owner of your dream domain to see if they will sell it to you. It's worth seeking legal advice first, although a direct and honest approach often works.

These steps help:
• Check the availability of your domain name before committing to it. This may seem obvious, but it has caught out other companies in the past.
• Avoid using trademarked characters.
• Register various suffixes (.org, .net, .co.in) to avoid others registering your name with a different suffix.
• Know when your domain registration is due to expire and renew it in good time.