Choosing an Internet Domain and Publishing a Web Site

Choosing an Internet domain name for your web site can be based on several different factors. Along the same line, a domain name isn't as important for a company web site as it is for a conceptual web site. On the other hand, if you are trying to launch a new product via the Internet, your domain name can be a vital key in the successful marketing your web site.

Understanding the factors involved in choosing a domain name and in developing a web site will determine the success or failure of a web site no matter how visually appealing it might be.

There are many simple guidelines to follow when building your web site:

1. The individual you choose to develop your site should have a good marketing background unless your corporate marketing person is part of the planning process.

2. Be prepared to spend money to hire the right person to build your web site. Hiring a friend of a friend, a college student, or a cheap web site designer will be money down the drain and loss of valuable time and revenue. Usually a friend of a friend is someone who has wanted to design web sites for a long time just to make extra money, and they have absolutely no experience, no knowledge, and no clue as to what makes a web site successful. A college student may have some fairly good training in graphics design; however, they have no marketing background, and are not familiar with the guidelines necessary to publish a successful web site. A cheap web designer has no marketing background and no clue about what they are doing. A web site may look good upon completion, but if the vital ingredients are missing, looks do not matter.

It is best to choose an experienced web design company to publish your web site. Many advertising agencies have started to design web sites; however, they have not yet grasped the new marketing concepts the Internet offers. They are still trying to use traditional print methods to design a site, and those methods do not work for the Internet. Before choosing your web designer, obtain a list of web sites they have already designed. Then choose vital keywords you would use to find that type of web site. For example, if they have designed a web site for a windows and door company, do an Internet search for "windows and doors south ga" if the company is located in South Georgia. The company will primarily service clientele in the South Georgia area, so you would not need to do a search just for "windows and doors." If the company is listed on the first page of search engines, that is a good sign.

If a company is in a highly competitive field, i.e., cabin rentals in North Georgia, you will want to make sure the reference the web designer has given you comes up with high rankings in the search engines.

Each and every one of the references they have supplied you with should have good Internet rankings. If they do not, continue your search for a qualified web designer.

3. A good web designer will work with you to reach an understanding of your web site's concept. If your domain promotes a concept rather than a business name, they need to be able to comprehend your concept.

4. Never use the services of companies that claim they can increase traffic to your web site or who offer to optimize your web site. They are only mending a chain that is only as strong as its weakest link.

5. If your web site is built properly, you should never have to submit it to an Internet search engine or directory. Never pay a company to submit a web site for you. Designing a web site is like making a chocolate cake. If you add all the ingredients in the recipe but don't add the sugar, you are not going to have a good chocolate cake. It will look like a chocolate cake, but no one is going to eat it. If you enter that cake into a contest, the judges are going to push it aside and no one will ever know about the cake. It is vital to have all the right ingredients in your web site so that the search engines can find it and index it properly.

6. A conceptual web site sells concepts, not products. You can feature products on your web site; however, the idea is to sell a concept. For example, if you are selling makeup online, sell glamour instead of blush or lipstick. An example of a conceptual domain is www.overamilliondollars.com. The domain name www.milliondollars.com covers a very large base. However, using conceptual domains gives you a more specific arena on which to focus and allowing you to generate a substantial revenue. The domain name www.overamilliondollars.com allows you to feature items that cost over one million dollars, such as real estate, yachts, and other high ticket items.

A group of conceptual web sites would add value to the others. For example:

www.overamilliondollars.com
www.overonemilliondollars.com
www.overfivemilliondollars.com
www.overabilliondollars.com
www.overonebilliondollars.com
www.milliondollarsplus.com
www.amilliondollarsplus.com

Think out of the box when choosing a domain name. If your company name is already taken by another company in a different state, think of a domain name that conceptualizes your products or services.

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