Some simple tips on choosing a domain name.

Keep it Short

Although some domain names can be up to 63 characters, you have to keep in mind that people need to be able to remember it, and easily type it into their browser. Try to register the shortest name that your customers and visitors will associate with your Website. The general rule of thumb is, keep it under seven characters if possible. (Not including the suffix.)

Dot What?

There are many different extensions available right now. For businesses, we recommend a .com, .co.uk or .biz suffix.

Register Your Domain NOW

You must register soon unless you want to get stuck with "the-domain-name-that-no-one-wanted.net". You do not have to have a Webmaster or an ecommerce department or a Web design consultant ... you don't even need a Web page. Just get out there and register before you lose the opportunity to get the name you really want.

One May Not Be Enough

Sometimes, it isn't a bad idea to register several similar domain names, particularly if you own a trademark for a certain name. If you have "yourname.com", register "yourname.co.uk" so no one else takes it. You can register your full company name and a shorter, easier to remember version. Some people even register common misspellings of their company's name. (You don't need a separate Web page for each. Several domains can point to the same Website using domain name mappings.)

Character Types

Just a reminder. Domain names can only use letters, numbers, and dashes. Spaces and symbols are not allowed. Also, domain names are not case sensitive.

Don't Shell Out Large Amounts of £££

Some companies still sell domain names for as much as £100, SniffHost domains start at 50p per year!

And remember, if you think that you have found the right domain name, but you're not quite sure if it's the one... register it anyway before someone else does!

You can use the box at the top of this page to check if a domain name is available.