Most people do not think much about their web site registration. This is a mistake, there is much there that you should know about the correct way to register your domain that can affect your search engine optimization. Here are some things to consider in registering a domain.
Time of registration:
Time of registration: If you have an idea for a business then you should register absoluely as soon as possible. The age of your domain registration is something that Google takes into consideration when ranking your site. I have a client that registered the domain YosemitePhoto.com back in 1994. He has a very well ranked website with little work done because the site was registered long ago. Not only should you register your domain name early you should get some very basic content up right away as search engines also look at how long ago they first saw your site. If you need a simple single page site for Google to look at while you contemplate how to proceed give us a call and we will help you out.
Length of Registration: Most people register their site one year at a time, but Google looks at this as one of two things. First, a lack of funds which means you are likely not a serious contender. Second, they think you might not be sure your site will be around in three years which means the same thing. Yearly registration can hurt your chances of being found on the internet. About eight months ago I registered my domain for the next ten years. Four years from now I will bump it out another five. This let's Google know you are serious about your website and they will give you a bump in their rankings.
The Name You Register: The domain name you register is one of the most critical things for search engine optimization. If you are registering a site about puppies, the best domain name is puppies.com. Because if someone searches for the term "puppies" then the search engine will think that it is likely that they are searching for your site. But, of course, puppies.com was registerd many many years ago. One thing that often works is to see if a domain that expresses not only the nature of your site but also the location of your business is available. So maybe something like SantaCruzPuppies.com would be available. Another way to go is to look at other top level domains (TLDs) like .org, .net, .co, etc. For most searches Google will rank .com above the other TLDs, but it may be worth a try. The worst thing you can do is to simply register your business name. "JoesSlopHouse.com" may be available but most people are not searching for "slop house". JoesModestoRestaurant.com woudl likely be a much better domain name for a restaurant.
Using a Reputable Registrar: On two occassions I have dealt with clients who used a super cheap registrar who later on stole their domain name from them. I have worked with other registrars whose systems are so hard to work with that I literally lost hair. So my advise to anyone looking to register a new domain name is to use a reputible registrar. There are many large providers out there, but the one that I use and can highly praise on every count is Dotster.com.
I hope you can see that registering a domain name is serious business. We are here to help our clients with all their needs, give us a call today if you need help or advise registering your domain name.
Length of Registration: Most people register their site one year at a time, but Google looks at this as one of two things. First, a lack of funds which means you are likely not a serious contender. Second, they think you might not be sure your site will be around in three years which means the same thing. Yearly registration can hurt your chances of being found on the internet. About eight months ago I registered my domain for the next ten years. Four years from now I will bump it out another five. This let's Google know you are serious about your website and they will give you a bump in their rankings.
The Name You Register: The domain name you register is one of the most critical things for search engine optimization. If you are registering a site about puppies, the best domain name is puppies.com. Because if someone searches for the term "puppies" then the search engine will think that it is likely that they are searching for your site. But, of course, puppies.com was registerd many many years ago. One thing that often works is to see if a domain that expresses not only the nature of your site but also the location of your business is available. So maybe something like SantaCruzPuppies.com would be available. Another way to go is to look at other top level domains (TLDs) like .org, .net, .co, etc. For most searches Google will rank .com above the other TLDs, but it may be worth a try. The worst thing you can do is to simply register your business name. "JoesSlopHouse.com" may be available but most people are not searching for "slop house". JoesModestoRestaurant.com woudl likely be a much better domain name for a restaurant.
Using a Reputable Registrar: On two occassions I have dealt with clients who used a super cheap registrar who later on stole their domain name from them. I have worked with other registrars whose systems are so hard to work with that I literally lost hair. So my advise to anyone looking to register a new domain name is to use a reputible registrar. There are many large providers out there, but the one that I use and can highly praise on every count is Dotster.com.I hope you can see that registering a domain name is serious business. We are here to help our clients with all their needs, give us a call today if you need help or advise registering your domain name.