What type of domain should I pick for my Website?
“There are quite a few things to consider when deciding to set up your new website, and choosing an appropriate domain name is up near the top of the list”.
- When choosing your domain name, try and pick something that describes your business. Your business name and your domain name don’t necessarily have to be the same, but it will make things easier if they are. For example, if your business involves accountancy and its name says “John Callaway & Co.” Well, then rather than registering “johncallaway&co.com ” the obvious choice would be “johncallawayaccountants.com”. This way your domain name also carries the keyword “accountant” which when searched in association with the business name will be beneficial.
- Try to keep it sweet. Long-winded domains are a hassle for typing, as opposed to a shorter name which won’t be mistyped.
- Find a good Hosting Company. Look around as each company has different offerings, depending on how big or small your site is. Read the small print. Some developers, like ourselves at DigiMark.ie, offer hosting as well at competitive prices. There is a good local hosting company here in Portlaoise called WebCore. They are great on service and offer good value with their various packages and certificates.
- Should I use “.ie” or “.com”? My opinion would be to register both if you can get them. If your main business is within Ireland, well then use the .ie after your name, as this will show your customers your Irish. The same goes for the hosting company. Hosting your site from a company that offers cheap rates but is a million miles away may not be beneficial if you get into bother, and keeping it local also offers some leverage with Google searches for your domain.
- Domain registration can vary in price, but generally the “.ie” is more expensive than the “.com”. You get a discount if you register for more than 1 year at a time.
- If it’s a “.ie” the registrars will want some documentation to validate the domain. A business registration number along with a letter of intent is usually sufficient.
- You can also register a few different domains that will describe your business, and have them pointing back to your own domain. The more the merrier.
- When advertising, make sure you advertise the full URL with the “.ie”, “.com” or “org” extension.
If you want to get in touch, please email paul@digimark.ie