Okay, I twittered this, but 1) I haven’t blogged yet today and 2) I’m hoping to get some more answers still. So here goes…I’ve been asked to write an article about what one should know before even purchasing a business URL, let alone start up a website.
This is a big deal since many people immediately run out and buy a URL because their starting up a business and wind up spending a lot of money they don’t need to spend: paying more for registration, paying for services that you don’t need, spending more on a website than is needed, etc. So I’m hoping for this to be more of a tutorial/how-to sort of piece.
So I ask, any suggestions for your fellow webbies and bloggers?
I DM’d this on Twitter, but I can elaborate here.
Scope out any websites using similar domain names to the one you want to buy BEFORE you buy. See whether it’s likely that you’re going to be confused with anyone else. I know how hard it is to come up with something unique and easily remembered, but give yourself plenty of time to buy a domain name, don’t rush into it.
Also, if launching an online business as opposed to, say, a blog or entertaining site, and I had a couple of domain names to choose from, I would go with the one that is most informative as opposed to the wittiest. You don’t want to be taken the wrong way and risk offending potential customers.
Just my .02, off the top of my head, etc.