Building a Website: Are You Master of your Domain?

Last week we discussed the different marketplaces that are available for you to set up shop, but what if you want to build your own website and host your own shop? Well, I think that's a great idea!

Even if you run your shop through etsy or another hosted site, it's a good idea to have a "business card" website, which at the very least has your basic contact information and directs people towards various outlets where they can find your work- eventually perhaps you can move to hosting your own shop on there too, hmm?

But how to build a website? Ah, there in lies the tricky part... I started to tackle the how-tos of building a website and all the different options you can take here and quickly realized that it's really a whole lot of information to cover in just one little post. So, I'll be spreading out some "building a website" posts over the next few days to make sure all the basics get covered. Today, let's start with first things first:

Are you Master of your Domain?

If you have a business and you don't yet own a domain name for it, stop here. Head to this instant domain search right now. Buy your domain name. Pronto!

Yes, you need one. Plus, they're inexpensive- usually just $9.99 a year or less. Even if you're not planning on doing anything with it right away, why not buy it now and hang onto it until you need it?

As it's not so fun when you go to register a domain name and find it's already been taken by an Asian make-up manufacturer that seems to be no longer in business, but still has the domain registered for the next 3 years and you can't do anything about it. (ie: Modish.com, which has been taken and re-registered by said company since I started my blog. That's why I registered modishblog.com instead!)

Tips for choosing your domain name:

1. Get a .com
   Try to get a domain name that ends with a .com because they are by far the most common and are what people naturally assume when they type in a web address. yourbusinessname.com would be ideal!
   
   I'd rather have a .com that is a little off the mark (like modishblog.com) than a .net, .biz, .info or anything else that people aren't as acclimated to.
2. Shorter is better
   When it comes to web addresses, shorter is better. The easier to type, the easier to remember, the easier it will be for your future customers to visit you. Also, shorter names are easier to include in your branding, on web banners, on your business cards, etc.
   
   Along those same lines though, if your business name is long, your full business name would be better than some random abbreviation that doesn't necessarily make sense. Also, avoid dashes and things that can trip people up if they happen to hear your web address vs. seeing it in print. mydomainnameislong.com is still better than my-domain-is-cool.com. Think easy!
3. If you're based outside the US, get a country specific domain
   I would say a .com is best for most businesses, but if you are based outside the US and have a shop or other business that caters more toward local clientele, than a country specific domain would work well for you. There is .co.uk for you UK folks, or .ca for Canada, for instance. Location appeal can be a plus for many customers who want to shop locally. You may want to get the .com version too tho, if it's available! (If you're in the US, don't get a .us address! They're still so unused, no one will remember it!)
4. If your domain of choice is taken already...
   If the .com of your dreams is gone, think of what verbage you can change to get one that's available still, and still relevant to your site and easy to remember. Can you add "shop" at the beginning or end, perhaps? Or another defining word?
   
   If the .com of your choice is taken I would not settle for a .net, .biz or anything else of the same domain, as people will inevitably head to the .com accidentally and then whoops! There goes your customer...
5. Should you buy more than one?
   When you purchase your domain name it may be suggested by the registrar that you purchase multiple extensions (the .net, .biz, etc) to protect that domain. If you secure a .com, I don't really think it's necessary to purchase the other ones too, but if you're really worried about a .net of your domain popping up and targeting themselves toward a similar customer base, you may want to just buy it and have it redirected toward your .com address.
   
   You may also want to consider purchasing common misspellings of your domain, if there are some, to have them re-directed towards your main site.
   
   And if you have a country specific domain like was mentioned above, I'd definitely try to purchase a .com if it's available too, and have one re-directed toward the other.
   
6. Register it, now!
   What are you waiting for? There's new sites popping up every second. If you don't already have your domain registered, do it now! Whenever I think of a new business idea, I immediately go register the domain name just in case. Some of them I've used, some of them I've passed on the idea and let expire, but I think it's better to have them secured for future plans than to not have them be available when you're ready. If you have a business idea, don't miss out on the opportunity for your domain of choice- grab it now!
   

Securing your domain is just the first step. As we continue with this series in the next few days, we'll look at different types of sites you can build, the difference between self-hosted and hosted sites, different options you have for setting up a shop easily, a look a web designers and how much it would cost to have a professionally designed site and more.

See you back here tomorrow!