Benefits of Having Your
Own Domain Name
by Marty Foley
An Internet domain name is a one-of-a-kind web address that you
can purchase for your web site through Internic, the organization
in charge of domain name registration. It could contain your business
name: http://www.yourbusinessname.com, or most any other word/letter
combination that you want, based upon availability. For example,
after much brainstorming, I decided on http://www.ProfitInfo.com
as my domain name.
You may not have considered the benefits that having your own domain
gives you, so I'll list some major ones and then we'll look at each
more closely:
1) Gives Exclusivity.
2) Adds Credibility.
3) Allows Mobility.
4) Avoids Loss of Momentum.
Gives Exclusivity
Without your own domain, you don't have much of a choice; your
email and web addresses will generally be based on the domain name
of your host or Internet service provider, such as <username@yourISP.com>
and <http:www.yourISP.com/username/>.
But having your own domain name is like owning your own virtual
real estate; your own slice of cyber turf, if you will. Such exclusivity
can help build name recognition for you and your company.
Adds Credibility
As the saying goes: "You never get a second chance to make
a first impression", and in business, first impressions count.
Having your own domain name projects a professional image of you
and your company, normally associated with large companies. It tends
to say to others that you're a serious business person, operating
an established business, in a professional manner (even if you're
operating out of your bedroom at home, much of the time in your
P.J.'s; but regardless of your dress, you should still conduct your
business in a serious, professional manner.)
Allows Mobility
As mentioned above, if you set up a web site without owning your
own domain name, you end up using the domain name of your web host
by default. Such a web address is not mobile; you can't take it
with you if you ever decide to switch to another web host.
But ownership of your own domain name gives you the option of moving
your web site to another host without losing your web address. You
can pull up stakes at any time and take your domain name with you.
NOTE: Some have run into domain ownership problems when their ISP
or other person or party that took care of the process of domain
registration did not list them as the actual owner. Moral of the
story: Make sure you are properly listed as the owner of the domain
when it is registered.
Avoids Loss of Momentum
As any web marketer knows, it takes effort (not necessarily any
expense, if you know some tricks of the trade) to promote a web
site. Fortunately, over time, some of those marketing efforts can
build momentum, bringing more and more traffic to your site without
additional marketing effort. But unfortunately, if you can't take
your web address with you when you switch to another ISP or host,
you can lose much - if not all - of the momentum gained by your
previous web marketing efforts.
Now you may be happy with your current web host and have no plans
to switch, but having the option to move your web site to another
host without losing your web address is always good to have open
to you. Domain name ownership gives you that option, and any momentum
you've gained from previous effort (and possibly expense) involved
in promoting your web address doesn't go down the drain.
So, are you a serious Internet entrepreneur without your own domain
name for your web site? Then now might be a good time to start making
a list of possible domain names. However, don't grab just any domain
name in haste. A poorly-chosen one won't give you the maximum benefits
that a well-chosen one can. Take your time to brainstorm the best
domain name that you can come up with. That's a key task for serious
web marketers, especially if you consider that your web address
is the world's link to you.
Article by Marty Foley, author of Internet
Marketing Goldmine.
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Web Site Design and Search Engine Marketing 
