Domain Dos & Don’ts

Registering a domain name is simple – selecting the domain is the hard part. Follow these tips for domain success…
Registering domain names with WestHost is simple. In a few steps you can search for your desired domain name, enter some basic information, and the domain is yours. You can hold on to it for safekeeping or build an amazing website on it – it’s entirely up to you.
For more information on how to register a domain from WestHost read this blog post.
The registration process is simple, the tough part is choosing which domain name is right for you or your business. Search engines have preferences towards domain names, and so do your website visitors. Making the wrong choice when picking out your web address could lead to disaster, but that is precisely why WestHost is here to help you.
Your domain name is the first impression individuals get from your website. This is part of the reason you want to be sure it’s a good one. Below are a few suggestions that can make choosing a domain less risky and more rewarding:
DO make it relevant
To get the most kudos from search engines think of some relevant keywords that describe your website and try to include them in your domain name. Whatever you do, don’t include anything that could be considered misleading or false. For example, if you are a plumber, then myplumbingwebsite.com is great, theflyingburrito.com is not. Be sure that your domain is simple and relevant for visitors to understand.  
DON’T use too many symbols and numbers
Your domain name should be easy to type and say aloud to other potential visitors. The longer your domain name is, the more likely it is that your website visitors will get it wrong; simplicity is key. It would obviously be bad for business if people trying to visit your site wound up on a completely different site on accident. Stick to common characters and only include symbols and numbers if they are already part of your brand name.
Do consider generic top level domains (gTLDs)
Owning the .com version of your domain is a major win and we recommend it wholeheartedly, but you should also consider registering a range of domain names for your business or website. Consider geographic web address endings if one applies to your business as well as industry specific gTLDs. For a small investment you can corner the market on your brand’s domain names that you can point to your main website or just hold on to for the sake of brand protection.
DON’T let your domain name expire
We know that this seems very obvious, but you would be surprised at how many website owners forget to renew their domain or change billing information without letting our relevant departments know. Don’t let your perfect domain name be registered by someone else due to expiration. Be sure that all of your personal information is up to date including email addresses and payment info, and set your domains to automatically renew to avoid any problems.

Find your perfect domain by heading to our domain registration page.