Ideal Domain Names - Get them while supplies last

FIRST PRINTED IN MONITOR MAGAZINE (Circa 2001)

Just about every banner ad for companies selling Internet domain names reminds us of what could be called a growing shortage of really good names. Happily, though, the Internet is far from running out of decent, usable - even memorable - domain names. But you must use your imagination and know something about how domain names work before you buy.

At the ISP I work for, it is my responsibility to register domains for customers and, in some cases, suggest names when they haven't come up with one yet. So, based on some of the questions that I get on a regular basis regarding domain name registration and hosting, allow me to explain some of the pitfalls and dispel some of the misinformation surrounding the adventure of picking your domain name!

The first thing to understand about domain names is who provides domain names. In case of the .com, .org and .net domains, a company called Network Solutions pretty much had a monopoly. In these enlightened times, though, many companies have joined the ranks of the 'accredited domain registrars'. While there are some variations within their pricing structures, the rule of thumb continues to be that two years of service with your domain name of choice will set you back (US) $70., usually payable by credit card.

Depending on where you live in the world, you can also take advantage of national registrars who are authoritative for top level domain extensions such as .uk (United Kingdom), .nz (New Zealand) or .jp (Japan). Here in Canada, companies that are provincially incorporated (with offices in just one province) can acquire a domain with an extension of '.on.ca' at no charge from Canada's equivalent to an accredited registrar, the Canadian NIC. If a company is federally incorporated (with offices in more than one province) it can register a domain ending simply in '.ca'. From the Canadian NIC's unassuming site ( http://www.cdnnet.ca/), you can run quick searches to see if the domain name you are interested in registering is available and read about the process involved in acquiring it. If you have any questions about the registration of a Canadian domain name, ask your Internet service provider to get the domain registered on your behalf.

While registering a domain name at no charge is an attractive notion, I have been asked, on many occasions, whether there is any sort of stigma attached to having a '.on.ca' or '.ca' domain name. Happily, there really isn't. Internet users who happen across a '.on.ca' address on a business card or other promotional material really don't give it a second thought. Users who happen across your '.on.ca' address while performing a search on the Web may never even look at your address as they click through to your site.

On the other hand your domain name can be a great vehicle for advertising hooks and incidental visitors, if you can pick one that:

really says something about your business is nice and short is easily spelled. In my humble opinion, you have a great domain/Web address if you can give it to someone over the phone without stopping to spell the whole thing out for them.

If you are wracking your brain to come up with the perfect name, there are many different things you can do to broaden the possibilities.

Certainly, taking advantage of your company's provincial or federal incorporation can sometimes land you a domain name that has been literally sitting there waiting just for you and your business. The Canadian registrar reserves domains only for registrants whose domain requests fit their criteria. If your domain name is not an abbreviation of your business name or of the company name you are operating as ( i.e.- ONT INC 123456 o/a Bob's Bait and Tackle) then they will reject your application. This obviously protects Canadian companies from the pervasive cyber-squatting that has so sorely plagued the .com world.

If you simply must have a .com, .net or .org, there are a number of easy things you can do to modify your address just a bit if you're having trouble getting the exact one you want.

Say Bob's Bait and Tackle tries to get ' bob.com' and finds it taken. Since domain names can only contain alphanumeric characters and dashes, Bob can't try 'bobsbait&tackle.com', as cool as that would be. But Bob might take a stab at ' bobsbait-n-tackle.com' or, perhaps, register 'bobs-b-and-t.com'.

Maybe, after some consideration, Bob decides, instead, to register the domain ' getworms.com', as it will be a real eye-catcher in lime green vinyl on the side of the company truck. If you have a winning 1-800 number, why not register it as your domain name? Chances are it will be available and it will be one more reason your prospective customers will remember how to contact you when the time comes to buy.

So, remember, your domain doesn't have to be overlong, confusing or esoteric. Even though many choose a 'prestigious.com' domain name, any domain that makes an impact with your customers and works well in partnership with your present advertising strategy can be really worth having!