When it comes to the internet and your small business, choosing the right domain name could be the most important decision you make. Follow these steps to pick the perfect domain for your new website!

2. .COM kingdom
When focusing on an audience based in the United
States, the .com domain is king. If you are in the UK,
.co.uk is most popular, while in Germany you would
probably consider a .de domain.

3. .COM kingdom
If the .com you want is taken do NOT just select the .net
or another TLD (top level domain). Most people simply go
to the .com version of a website first and only consider
others later.

4. Do's and Don'ts of
Domain Selection

5. Do’s: domain selection best practices
1. Start with your business name.
MyBusiness.com

6. Do’s: domain selection best practices
You want the domain to be easy to remember and easy to
spell. A long string of words might not be the best option.
Is there a natural nickname or shortened version of your
business that would make for a better domain?

7. Do’s: domain selection best practices
2. Try a regional label.
MyCityMyCompany.com

8. Do’s: domain selection best practices
If your business name is not distinct, you can distinguish
your site by using a regional label. A local city, state, or
region can be added before or after a business name to
help make a better domain.

9. Do’s: domain selection best practices
3. Use a short phrase or slogan
WeDoGreatThings.com

10. Do’s: domain selection best practices
Most English words are already taken for domains.
Is there a short string of words that describes what
you do well? You can write multi-word domains in
CamelCase to make them easier to read.

11. Don’ts: what to avoid with domains
1. Words that are difficult to spell
CommonlyMisspelledWord.com

12. If you select a big, fancy, uncommon, or made-up word,
there is a chance that it will be misspelled. Save yourself
some trouble by identifying this problem ahead of time.
This is a common issue when using last names.
Don’ts: what to avoid with domains

13. Don’ts: what to avoid with domains
2. Substituting for words
Something4U.com

14. This is one of the most common traps that businesses fall
into when selecting a domain. Avoid using the words “to”,
“two”, “too”, or “for” in your domain. Never simply replace
the words with the numbers “2” or “4”.
Don’ts: what to avoid with domains

15. Don’ts: what to avoid with domains
3. Say no to hyphens
Dont-do-this.com

16. While technically allowed, adding hyphens will result in
more potential visitors ending on the non-hyphenated
domain.
Don’ts: what to avoid with domains

17. Each of these pitfalls require you to provide additional
information after telling someone your domain name. You
want to be able to tell someone your domain without
having to clarify yourself.
Don’ts: what to avoid with domains

18. Follow these steps to get
the perfect domain:

19. Pick a .com domain
Start with your business name
Try a regional label
Use a short phrase or slogan

20. Avoid words that are difficult to spell
Don't substitute for words
Say no to hyphens

21. Read the entire article at
http://blog.jimdo.com/how-to-select-the-perfect-domain-name/