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An Internet presence has become essential to promote your
business

The Internet has leveled the business playing field for
companies, enabling companies, no matter what size they are, to potentially
showcase their products and services to people all over the world. 

Over 81 million Indians now have access to the Internet and
over 1.9 billion Internet users exist worldwide, making it a rich and powerful
media to create awareness of your business.

An Internet presence starts with your domain name

An important first step to transacting any business on the
Internet is to select and register a domain name. The domain name represents
your company’s brand and identity on the Internet.  In order to boost your company’s chances of
being recognized on the Web, it is necessary to choose a meaningful domain name
and register it as soon as possible.

Tips for choosing an ideal domain name

Considering that your Internet identity starts with your
domain name, it is important to pay attention to selecting the most appropriate
domain name for your business and registering it at the earliest opportunity.
An effective domain name can make the difference between a powerful Web
presence and a relatively ineffectual one. Here are quick tips that can help
you make the right decisions:

1. The domain name should be related to your business: A
good rule of thumb is to create and select a domain name that identifies your
company’s name or the kind of business, products and services. For example if
you are in the jewelry export business, www.jewelryinternational.com or
www.jewelryoverseas.com could be possible domain names that relate the most to
your business. 

2. A short and catchy name is more memorable: When picking a
domain name, try to make it short, memorable and easy to remember. It should be
easy to spell too so that visitors to your Web site do not get directed
elsewhere in case they mistakenly type in the wrong spelling. Also, avoid
abbreviations, hyphens or Hinglish terms in your domain name. 

3. Get a .com domain name: Selecting the right domain name
extension is important as it increases your visibility on the net. A .com
domain name offers you one of the best options because it helps lend instant
visibility and credibility for your brand online, both in India and globally..
It is also the most likely extension to be typed in by first time users.  A .com domain name is appropriate for
businesses of all sizes and it is one of the most widely used domain name
extensions around the world.

4. Having a keyword rich domain name is an important factor
in Search Engine Optimization. It could boost your search engine rankings. For
instance, a domain name such as www.Indianhandicrafts.com will be the right
domain name to pick if you are building a Web site to sell handicrafts. It may
not only help you achieve higher search engine rankings, but the name also
identifies your line of business. So select those key words for your domain
name that are likely to attract the most online traffic. 

Buying and registering your domain name

You should access the Web sites of companies that perform
domain name registrations in order to search and find out if the domain name
you have chosen is available for you to use. If your desired domain name is
taken, the domain name service typically recommends other selections that you
could use. If the domain name that you desire is unavailable, the domain name
suggestion service may be able to offer an effective alternative name.

For a minimal fee, you can register your .com domain name.
The minimum registration term for .com domain names is 1 year (and the maximum
is 10 years). You may be able to pay for registering your domain name online
through your credit card or via cheque or a demand draft. Authorized registrars
and resellers of domain names typically offer online and phone support.

A good strategy is to choose and register your domain name
in advance of building your Web site. This way you will know that a certain
domain name belongs to you. In the case of registering a domain name without
having built a Web site, typing the domain name into the browser window will
bring up a page indicating that the domain name has been registered by someone.

Now is the time to establish your Internet presence. With
these handy tips for selection and registration of your domain name, you will
be able to do so quickly and efficiently.

Welcome to the Internet World!

* Manish Dalal is the Vice President of APAC, Naming Services, Verisign.
*
The views expressed by the author in this feature are entirely his/her
own and do not necessarily reflect the views of SME Times.

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• To Be Able To Succeed On The Web Select The Right Domain Name (ronmedlin.com)