domain+name



Blogging Is Better Than A Résumé Developing Your Professional Identity Is an online reputation important?

** Domain Names **

// If you look around, you’ll find that the vast majority of the “big” blogs have their own domain name. Search through any list of “things bloggers wish they had done differently,” and “getting my own domain name right away,” is almost always mentioned. // [|Jean Sarauer]

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What is a domain name?
Put simply a domain name is the address that people use to find you or your company online; it's what you type in the browser's address bar to go to a specific website. More information about domain names.

TLD Top Level Domains
Short for //**t**op-**l**evel **d**omain,// and refers to the suffix attached to [|Internet] [|domain names]. There are a limited number of predefined suffixes, and each one represent a top-level domain. Current top-level domains include: [|Webopedia]
 * com** - commercial businesses; this is the most common TLD
 * gov** - U.S. government agencies
 * edu** - Educational institutions such as universities
 * org** - Organizations (mostly nonprofit)
 * mil** - Military
 * net** - Network organizations
 * ca** - Canada

Tips For Creating Your Own Domain Name
Just like everything else with blogging, **there’s no one right or wrong way of doing things when it comes to choosing a domain name**. There are, however, a few general guidelines that seem to work well more often than not:


 * **Be clear on your brand** – What sort of image are you trying to convey? Aim for a domain name using words and a tone that plays up your brand.
 * **Know your target audience** – What words would your average reader use to search about your topic? Include one or two of these if possible.
 * **Keep it simple** - Shorter names without hyphens or numbers are easier to remember and easier to type accurately into search engines.
 * **Go with a .com extension if possible** – .com has an established, solid feel to it, and people are comfortable with it.
 * **Consider shelf-life** – Consider what you plan to do with your blog and how long you plan to do it before putting pop-culture words in a domain name.
 * **Allow room for growth** - Will your name let you expand on your topic in the future?
 * **Stay legal** - Skip any trademarked names or names that seem likely to have you consulting with an attorney.[|Jean Sarauer]

Should I Use My Name?
There are advantages and disadvantages to using your name. Check out the opinions: Daily Blog Tips Taking Your Blog To The Next Level What's In A Name?

Places to Get a Domain Name
There are lots of services that offer domain name registry Netfirms