Choosing a Domain Name

Your domain name is an important part of your branding and business identity so you will probably want to give it careful consideration before selecting it.

The first thing you should be aware of if you haven't previously investigated this issue is that most words in the English language have already been registered.  That may sound astonishing, but you can easily prove this to yourself by seeing what names are available.  There are over 46 million active domains registered today.

These days, most new domains either rely on a combination of several words or the use of a less popular suffix such as .biz or .info. You may even find that the combination of words you wish to use are already taken.  However, you can get around this by placing a hyphen between the words.  This will be counted as a new domain and you will be permitted to register it.  However, it does raise the issue of whether or not you want to use a domain name that is the same as an existing one except for only a hyphen. Fortunately, even today, if you get creative, you can generally find a word or combination of words that work for you and that you will be able to register.

Name Search Sites

There are many websites that offer you the ability to search for available names and some of them even provide you with suggestions should the word or combination of words you input turn out to be taken.  We can refer you to these sites or help you to identify a suitable name.

Domain Name Pricing

In Australia, one of the issues to consider is whether or not you require a "dot com dot au" name or simply a "dot com" name. Unless you definitely need to identify yourself with Australia or you need to target Australia exclusively, you will find that .com domain registration fees and website hosting fees are much cheaper than their Australian .com.au counterparts.

We strongly recommend you talk to us about registering your domain name before you do it because we can save you substantial amounts in registration fees.

Domain Name Hosting

Once you've registered your domain name, you will need to have your website hosted.  Your domain name registrar does not have to be the same company that hosts your website.  So, apart from price, it doesn't really matter who you register your name with, provided they are a registered, reputable domain registrar.  You can check this at the icann.org website or with auda.org.au in Australia.

Many people think that the name you use is critical in relation to "search engine optimisation" or the ease with which people find you on the internet. While it does help to have a domain name that directly reflects the kinds of words people are likely to use when looking for the kind of services you offer, it is not the only factor. There are other factors that play a critical role in determining where you appear on the search engine pages.  If you've optimsied your website properly, you can easily compensate for a domain name that doesn't quite match the kinds of words people are likely to search for.