Choosing the right top level domain name for your new website is one of the first and most important steps when building your web presence. Your domain will be the name, the brand and your own virtual piece of Internet real estate. As with any investment, the initial phase of prospecting is critical. When searching for your domain name you have to remember that it should be short, descriptive and match your business name, products or services. The shorter your domain, the better, as people will obviously have a much easier time remembering it.

Which is better: .com, .net or .org?

These domain extensions are the most popular and are associated with Commercial, Network and Organizational web sites. While you may register any domain extension you prefer, the .com is still king for most commercial and popular web sites. If your website is for a non-profit organization than a .org extension will be more appropriate. A .net extension was initially intended to be used only for network providers (such as Internet service providers). However, there are no formal restrictions on who can register a .net domain name. Therefore, while still popular with network operators, it is often treated as a second .com.

Should I use dashes in my domain?

Dashes in a domain name can be used as a last resort if your first choice for a name might not be available. Also try to keep no more than one dash in your name. Remember the more dashes and or number in your domain the harder it will be for people to remember it.

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Alternatives to finding a good domain

Another option to try is to look for expired domain names. Sometimes if luck is on your side you can grab some real gems if you keep an eye out for them. Dotcenter.com is ideal for searching for expired domain names.