What's in a (domain) name?

The next time you see an advertisement with a web address or internet address, look at the part that comes just before the ".co.nz", ".org.nz" or similar at the end. Some familiar examples are coca-cola.com and kelloggs.com, and the part that you've recognised is called the domain name.

Not long ago domain names were hot property with popular names or names of large organisations bringing big prices. Now, however, the situation is more stable and you shouldn't have too many problems finding a suitable domain name at a reasonable price.

This doesn't mean domain names aren't as important as they once were. Many start-up enterprises wait until they've secured a good domain name before they settle on the name of their business. Any company, but especially one that depends on the Internet to generate turnover, needs to give this aspect of their trading name careful consideration. Here's how to go about choosing the right domain name for your business.

Start with your company name

Your own name, or some variant of it, is always the best place to begin. A name like Atomic Corporation can become "atomiccorporation.co.nz", "atomiccorp.co.nz", or "atomcorp.co.nz". Similarly, Smith and Jones can become "smithandjones.co.nz" or "smithjones.co.nz". Stay as close as you can to your existing name and try to register that first.

A product name might work

Your company might have a popular product or service that could be used as a domain name. Perhaps Ace Guttering could use "gutters.co.nz" or an aquarium could use "fish.co.nz". If your firm is the national distributor for an imported product you may be able to use the product's name as your domain name, noting that you should be sure your distributorship is secure for the next few years.

Keep it short and simple

If you're starting from scratch or looking for a domain name that doesn't necessarily have to relate to your business name, keep it as short and simple as possible. It's easier for others to remember, less likely to be misspelled, and more likely to fit in advertisements and on business cards.

Or make it memorable

Two of today's best known domain names are Google and Yahoo! On their own they don't say much about the businesses they represent, but since their territory is global and their main purpose is to be memorable, they succeed as domain names. Other companies take an off-the-wall approach to their domain name which is why we see "ToxicRat.co.nz" and "InYourFace.co.nz". Not pretty names, but definitely memorable.

Be as individual as possible

With literally millions of domain names it's hard to be unique, but the best way to avoid confusion or conflict with similar domain names is to have one that's as far away from any other as possible. There are many databases of registered domain names (not all registered names are in use so they won't necessarily turn up in a web search) and you should search through as many as you can find to ensure your name isn't too close to someone else's.

Be easy to spell

Someone looking for a firm named Clarke and Walker at "clarkeandwalker.co.nz" could easily key in "clarkandwalker.co.nz" (did you notice the missing "e"?) and miss you entirely. As well as being original, your domain name should also be easy to spell - and hard to misspell.

Your domain name becomes your trading name and brand to anyone in the world who doesn't already know you by your business name. It's worth putting a bit of time into choosing a good one, and spending a bit of money to register it and keep it safe from poachers. It becomes a part of your business, your online address, and an element of your marketing, so be sure you get it right before you go ahead.

Use the right top and second level domains

If you're targetting NZ only, use ".co.nz", or perhaps ".net.nz". There are other options, but they are not intended for businesses.

If your market is international, try .com, .biz or .net. You can also get clever with top level domains - .tv (Tuvalu) or .bz (Belize) for instance are examples domain "hacks" - using a country top level domain for an alternative meaning.

For more information contact your RAN ONE business professionals at
Academy of Business Excellence Limited