A guide to choosing domain names.
Choosing a domain name is a big decision. When I originally started trading under Taming the Beast years ago, a search on that phrase didn’t bring back too many results. A search on Google recently brought back 697,000 results…..how times change…..
Think up a number of possible domain names
Finding a good domain name that isn’t taken these days is pretty hard to do. If you have ever tried to get a user ID with a service such as Yahoo, you will understand how frustrating it can be when you think up the perfect name that nobody else could have possibly thought of, only to find that yes, you can have that name if you are happy to have 7865 tacked on to the end of it. King Solomon is reported to have said “There is nothing new under the sun”…..or the Internet it would seem.
Don’t set your heart on any one name, but make a list of possibilities. It’s a good idea to be online at the time and to access a WHOIS application to determine whether a name has been taken.
Typing an address into your browser will not be an accurate way of ascertaining ownership as approximately 86% of all domain names currently registered are not in use. A WHOIS query is the most accurate way to tell. To access a WHOIS application and check on the availability, try this Internet domain name search tool.
Generic, Business names and Trademarks
Most people choose to register their business name as a domain name, but it’s well worthwhile considering selecting a generic name, something that is related to your subject area or industry. Not only will it be easier for people to remember, but it will also have greater resale value if you should choose to sell your site in the future.
It is also wise to check whether the name you are registering encroaches on any other trademark. Many people have registered celebrity or company names hoping to make a quick buck by selling them back to their “owners”. This usually backfires as it is an illegal practice called “cybersquatting”. It’s definitely not worth the court case, even registering a misspelling of a popular brand name can land you in hot water.
Generic terms cannot be trademarked to the point of the exclusion of others using the word combinations. Since generic one word domain names are virtually impossible to locate now, try two word combinations that inspire and promote your products or services; e.g. solidbargain.com.
A domain name should be short and simple
Ok, so you have found your name and decided that you wish to build a world wide empire. You have chosen www.evry1-has2visitmywonderfulsite.com ….what’s wrong with this? Sure, it’s descriptive, it challenges and it’s generic. But it’s also a mixture of numbers, letters, abbreviations, hyphens and horribly long.
A domain name should be easy to remember, easy to relay to someone over the telephone and where possible, the first letter should be as close to the letter “a” as possible. A number of indices categorize alphabetically. Domain names should also be as brief as possible. Unfortunately, when I began “Taming the Beast” in the mid-90′s I didn’t consider some of these issues.
Domain Privacy
Did you know that when you register a .COM, .NET, .ORG, .BIZ, .INFO, .ME or .MOBI domain the contact details of the owner become publicly accessible in an online database called Whois. The details stored could include your name, address, email and phone number.
Spammers mine this for email addresses. It can even be used by scammers looking to steal or transfer your domain name.
Protect your details
WHOIS privacy stops your personal or business details being found. It replaces your details with generic information from our privacy service and is absolutely free.
Release Of Reserved Short Domain Names
On 1 December 2010 we will begin a Sunrise phase for the release of reserved short domain names.
During the Registered Rights Sunrise phase – starting at midday (GMT) on December 1st and closing at midday (GMT) January 17th – trade mark rights holders can apply for a domain that matches their trade mark. They will need evidence of using the trade mark in the UK prior to 1 January 2008, as each application will be independently verified.
If there is more than one verified application, domains will be auctioned off to the highest bidder, with proceeds going to the Nominet Trust. Domains not allocated will then go forward to a second sunrise phase, when the rights qualification will be extended to unregistered rights holders. Any remaining domains will proceed to a “landrush” period in which anyone can participate. Ocean Telecom will make further announcements regarding these stages in due course.
Does Your Domain Name Have a Dirty Secret?
When it comes to choosing a domain name for your business, it helps to have a ‘dirty’ mind. Otherwise you might end up being stuck with a domain name that will get you into trouble with word-based content filters.
That’s right, if your domain name inadvertently contains a ‘naughty’ keyword or phrase, your entire Website may be blocked by content blocking filters still commonly used by large corporations, libraries, schools, and overprotective parents. Your site might also be hindered from showing up in some search engines, and some of the email messages you send from your domain could end up being blocked by spam filters.
Here are some fictitious examples of what at first appear to be innocent domain names:
- HireThisExCopper [dot-something]
- EssexWorld [dot-something]
Look closer, however, and you will notice that the first domain contains the word “sex” and the second contains the phrase “sex world.” Both of these domains could end up running into trouble with filters, especially the second one.
And can you spot what’s problematic with these domain names?
- ScanAlley [dot-something]
- CanalTours [dot-something]
Both contain the word “anal” which also poses a risk of running afoul of filters.
You get the idea…
So before deciding on your next domain name, be sure to scrutinize it carefully. Look for any and all ‘troublesome’ words and phrases. The last thing you want is to have your seemingly innocuous domain name misinterpreted by word-based content filters.
Big Changes Coming for .CA WHOIS
Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) which operates the .ca registry, is about to introduce some big changes to its existing WHOIS policies. The changes are largely associated with what information WHOIS databases, registrars and resellers are able to disclose about registrants.
These upcoming changes will have a pretty significant impact on some of our .CA policies. Specifically:
Our public WHOIS database, like CIRA’s, will protect registrant information by default. All personal information about individual registrants will be kept private, including the name of the Registrant and the name and any contact information.
- Registrants have the ability to disable WHOIS privacy from the CIRA registrant interface if they choose to do so. It is enabled by default.
- Corporations and organizations will have the option to request similar WHOIS protection in special circumstances. It is disabled by default.
- Interested third parties will still be able to contact the registrant by using a contact form available on CIRA’s website (similar to other WHOIS privacy services).
- Resellers will be required to keep registrant information confidential, revealing personal information via telephone or otherwise under very specific circumstances only.
