Choosing a Domain Name for Your New Blog
So you have an idea about a new blog and are just beginning the process of organizing your thoughts and putting a plan in place to bring it to fruition. Assuming that you have already determined the niche market that you which to write about, the very next concern you should have is deciding on a domain name.
Good Domain Names are Hard to Find
Needless to say, there are a limited number of domain names that most people consider to be good choices. Virtually ever short, catchy .com and .net names have long ago been taken. There are other choices for your domain name, such as .info, .biz and the like, but most experts agree that choosing one of the original domain name suffixes remains the best choice today.
That being said, you undoubtedly need to choose a longer name in order to find that the URL is still available for purchase and for registration. Generally speaking, the shorter the domain name the better. However, most internet users are beginning to recognize that longer domain names are now required and frequently used, even by some of the major websites.
In any even, choose your name carefully and don’t waste any time registering it once you have made a decision. Domain names have a way of disappearing at the last minute, so jump on your choice once you decide. The to register a domain name for one year is only a few dollars, so it’s better to secure your domain name choice as soon as you think you might have found the one you are looking for. Even if you change your mind later you won’t be leaving too much money on the table.
Domain Name Registrars
There are literally thousands of websites through which you can purchase and register a domain name. I have had good luck over the years using GoDaddy. Their prices are low and I have found their customer support more than adequate. Their user control panel is easy to use and quite intuitive. I have dozens of domains registered through goDaddy and have never had a problem.
The choice is yours, of course. You can expect to pay anywhere from $2.00 to $20.00 per year to register a domain name. Don’t out your domain name registration off for one more day because somebody, somewhere is thinking the same thing you are about the name you have settled on.
Final Thoughts
Getting your new blog from the conceptual state to the functional stage is an exciting time. Choose your domain name carefully and it will serve you well for a lifetime. Just do it – register your new domain name today!
About the Author
The Amateur Blogger is just that - new to the blogging game, but interested and willing to learn more. In reality my name
is David Zemens. I own a small website development and web
consulting firm called 1955 Design.
If you are so inclinded you can follow the real me on Twitter. You can also follow 1955 Design on Twitter.
I would check out TDNAM (the Domain Name After Market) it is a list of domains that have expired and you can pick up some great domains there.
Another great idea Tom. Thanks for making the suggestion. Finding a “good” domain name is tougher and tougher. That’s why I was delighted to find AmateurBlogger.net only a week ago. I think it’s a great name and was lucky to get it.
Gee, I did not know if I made a good domain name. It has been on my mind every since I launch my blog five month ago. I hope I did fine.
@Walter – Thanks for visiting and for taking the time to leave a comment. For a blog that’s only five months old you seem to be getting great traffic and a tremendous amount of comments. You must be doing *everything* right.
I have had two domain names registered and all I have tried only once and found my name available. It’s just a matter of being creative and a little bit less formal if you are choosing a name.
And I strongly advise against choosing anything other than .com or .net unless you have the money to splash on publicity. People have come to be programmed to assume every internet domain must end with a .com and to a lesser extent .net, anything other than that and you are giving them too much work.
Thanks for stopping by and comment GH Blogger.
I agree with your comments about .com or .net domain names. Who can keep track of the other domain suffixes? I know that I cannot, so I suspect that others are in the same situation.
Certainly we all have to be more creative in choosing names as the number of names available diminishes each and every day. It’s getting tougher and tougher to acquire a domain name that is short enough and catchy enough to be a good choice.
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