Nptech 101: Domain Names

September 22, 2008

Posted in Technology.

Domain Names

A domain name is your address on the web. People type in (whateverorganizationname.org) and it points to your website. Domains are cheap – you can get one for $10 or less. Go to instantdomainsearch.com and start typing to find an available name.

Remember some guidelines for a good domain name:

  • Leep it short, but don’t sacrifice readability
  • To keep a domain name readable, use words and not just acronyms (riverbendcampfire.org is a better name than campfireusarbc.org)
  • Stick to ONE domain name and use that everywhere. Multiple domain names just compete with each other for search engine rankings – which makes each one less effective. Redirect any extra domains to your main domain.
  • A .com is preferable because that’s what people are most used to, but .org is ok as well. Get both if you can and redirect one to the other.
  • You don’t want visitors to type in your domain wrong and end up at the wrong site. Make sure it’s easy to spell and relatively easy to give out on the phone.

You can buy your domain name through Dreamhost (if you plan to host your website there, it’s very convenient) or Godaddy.com or any of thousands of other companies. I pay about $9/year for a domain name. Be careful not to “accidentally” buy a bunch of upsell offers like private registrations, search marketing packages, etc.

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