Your domain name is the center of your Internet identity. The following should help you choose a set of domain names if you don’t already have one. And if you do, you may want to purchase others for future uses.

• Pick a name that is memorable – Many believe shorter is better, but you want people to remember your domain name. Your domain name should correspond to your business or product name as closely as possible. Get both if available and point them to the same web site.
• No acronyms – Unless your business is well known by its acronym, get a domain name that uses the full name for your marketing materials. Unless you are IBM, it is more memorable to use your company’s full name.
• Get what Search Engines like – Getting a domain name that contains your main keyword helps with the search engine optimization. Also, domain names with hyphens sometimes rank a bit higher in the search engines.
• Hyphens are ok – In the crowded world of the Web, domain names that are short, easy to remember, contain no hyphens and still represent your company or product name are hard to get. Try all combinations of your desired name, with and without hyphens to see if you can get the .com version. It is far better to get a hyphenated .com domain name than a non-hyphenated .net or .biz name inmost cases. Hyphens also make a longer domain name easier to read. On the other hand, keep hyphens to a minimum. Too many hyphens will be harder to remember and a pain to type.
• Don’t get a name close to your main competitor – If your direct competitor has your desired domain name without the hyphen, consider a different name. Check first before you invest. Find out who your prospects are finding if they type your name wrong or without hyphens.
• No funky spelling – Spelling your domain name wrong to get something close to what you want is also not a good idea. People won’t remember how to spell the name. Some companies have dropped characters to shorten the name or at least be close, but all that does is confuse your audience.
• Register your domain name now even if you don’t plan to build your site yet – Planning to write a book, build a new product, or develop a new service? A good domain name that can be used to market those efforts is a good investment to make now. Don’t wait thinking it will always be there. The cost of registering a domain name today is cheap (most registrars offer 5 or 10 year registration at less than $10 per year).
• If you can not find a good .com domain name – What happens if you can not find a good .com name for your domain? Getting a .com domain name is the best, however, .net is fine as well. I would only get .biz, .info and .name domain names to protect your brand if you do have the .com or .net. If your company is a non-profit or you feel your company would benefit from its association, get the domain name with .org. There are no restrictions on the use of .org for businesses. If you do get a domain name with a .net designation, your marketing must include the entire domain name to ensure people know how to find you.

Choosing a domain name is as important to your brand and marketing as your logo and design. Do not just take anything for your domain name. Make sure your domain name represents your company, product and image, and you’ll be setting a great foundation for your marketing efforts.