.com, .ca, .net or .biz?
Many companies have popular names for their businesses, but unfortunately can not get the domain name they want because another individual or corporation has already purchased it. For example, a company might want to buy www.atlantapoolservice.com, but find the domain name is unavailable.
As an alternative, some consider buying a domain that ends with a different extension (e.g. .net or .biz ); however, this is not recommended. Extensions ending in .com or .ca are extremely popular, and chances are a company will do better with a .com or .ca name, both in terms of memorability and search engine rankings. While domains ending in .net or .biz are not necessarily bad, people are more familiar with .com and .ca extensions—they expect it to be in a company’s web address. It has also been suggested that search engines tend to more carefully scrutinize these types of domains.
Instead, companies should seek out variations on .com or .ca names. There are likely a variety of alternates available; the company is limited only by its imagination. For instance, instead of www.atlantapoolservice.com, the above company could try any of the following:
- Atlantapoolservices.com;
- Poolsupplyatlanta.com;
- Poolandspaatlanta.com; or
- Poolservicesatlanta.com.
The domain aftermarket
Companies that are interested in a specific domain name because it suits the business perfectly should not despair. Even if a name has already been registered, it may be available in what is called the domain aftermarket, in which domain names that have already been taken by registrars are put up for re-sale, often at significant mark-ups. Dozens of websites re-sell existing domain names, including:
- www.sedo.com
- www.afternic.com;
- www.buydomains.com;
- www.namepros.com;
- www.snapnames.com; and
- www.greatdomains.com.
For example, after a quick search of the term ‘pool service’ using www.sedo.com, more than 150 domain names containing those keywords were listed for sale. At the time this article was written, even www.poolservice.com—a premium name—was up for grabs. Other potentially popular names for resale included:
- www.denverpoolservice.com;
- www.fourseasonspoolservice.com;
- www.allpropoolservice.com;
- www.discountpoolservice.com; and
- www.crystalpoolservice.com.
The cost to purchase one of these aftermarket domain names can vary dramatically. For example, www.poolservice.com may sell for several thousands of dollars; however, a name like www.allpropoolservice.com may go for $200. It is important to understand the retail price is never set in stone; often, negotiation via e-mail can bring costs down. In fact, some domain name sellers have been known to reduce their price more than 80 per cent from the initial asking price.
Good name, better online success
There is a lot to understand about choosing a domain name, as it can be a big factor in building online history and presence for a business. If a company works with a knowledgeable web team, its domain details will be in good hands.
Todd Bairstow is co-founder of Keyword Connects (formerly Keyword Advisors), a company dedicated to online lead generation for the home improvement industry. He can be reached via e-mail at todd@keywordconnects.com or call (781) 899-3677.
