At PageMaster we want you be successful in your online marketing. We create websites and provide you training to see you succeed. This post is part of our series from our Site Training Workbook.
You want a domain name that tells the world who you are. It needs to be understandable and easy to recall. The problem is many of the best domains are already taken so you may be left to be more creative.
At PageMaster Publication Services we can help narrow your choices for a domain name for your author or artist site. But if you want to do it yourself, here’s some steps to help you make the best use of creative juices.
Brainstorm 3 – 6 potential domain names for your website and consider the ABCD’s of Choosing a Domain. Consider: Availability, Branding, Clarity, and Draw for each potential name.
1. Availability.
Your domain needs to be available to able to be acquired. Unless it’s a exceptional name for you, don’t think about purchasing one from anyone but a registrar. Domains can be sold and transferred, but the price is considerable to the price of one not used.
The easiest way to do this is to type the domain your considering into the url bar and see what comes up. It should be nothing. If it points to a live site, you know it’s probably unavailable. If it points to a sales page you know the site is available at a higher price than one that comes up blank.
Once you have a few that are available consider the Branding, Clarity of Draw of each remaining name.
2. Branding.
For an author or artist your name is likely your brand. If you can get your name with a .com it’s likely your best choice to build your online business.
If your name has variant spellings or hyphenation you may decide your business name is better. However, check if your business name is available on Twitter, YouTube and Facebook if you’ll be using these these social networks to promote your work.
Authors often ask if their website should promote them or their book. Your book is usually not your brand. If you want to make it your brand like Chicken Soup for the Soul or 48 Days then yes, you should think about using your book name for your domain name.
3. Clarity.
The easiest way to consider clarity for your domain name is to say it out loud and think about how other people hear it. If someone tells a friend about your site will they remember to say a hyphen or letter or variant spelling?
Do you have hyphens? My-site.com They don’t transfer well in conversation.
Do you have numbers instead of word? 4gotten.com They are often confusing.
Do you have homonyms? TheirHare.com How will a listener know which spelling it is?
Do your words have variant spellings? Counselling.com vs Counseling.com You don’t want to give your competition business.
Simplicity is the most important factor for clarity. Now most simple domain names are already purchased. So adding “The” or “My” or “i” to your desired name may mean it’s available. Just be sure to always use the full domain name when you talk about your site.
4. Draw.
Draw means “To evoke as a response”. You want people to remember your domain name. You need to consider if you use .com, .org, .net; .ca or other top-level domain (TLD).
If you’re in Canada and your audience is from Canada .CA is a good choice and your chosen name is more often available. COM is the most well known and the one people will default to (US commercial). It’s not advisable for artists or authors to consider .ORG or .NET. If you can only get your personal name as a .INFO you may want to consider it.
I hope this quick overview of the ABCD’s Of Choosing a Domain will help you in your selection of possible domain names for the artist or author site you do up with PageMaster Publication Services. If you need more help we can help you choose the best available domain to market your books or art. Contact us today.