After deciding on the niche or what your blog site will be about (what subject you wish to build your website around), the next step is to choose a domain name.  So just what is that and why do you need it?

First, Some Explanations

A website is basically the content you create that is placed on a specially configured computer known as a web server. This computer,  which is connected to the internet, basically holds your information and content and “serves” it out to the users of the internet.

The computer is also known as a “hosting computer” because it serves to host or hold your website content.  For others to be able to find or go to the content on your website, you need an address for them to use (this address is called the URL or “Universal Resource Locator”.  You see that URL at the top of your browser.   The address leads to a page on your website.

The name of your website is its “domain name”.  All sites have unique domain names which are included as part of the address or URL of the website.  These unique names must be registered to you as the owner.   Actually, your registration is basically temporary ownership (like renting) of that unique name and is yours as long as you pay for the registration of that domain.  You do this through a domain registrar.  Some hosting companies also serve as domain registrars in addition to hosting. You typically choose to pay for 1-5 years of domain name registration.

It is important for you to select a good “.com” domain name and register it as yours.  There are many benefits to this domain registration for you.

Benefit #1: You own the website and your content that is associated with the registered domain name. This is your very own asset. It will grow in value and you can be proud of your very own space on the internet that you OWN.

Benefit #2: You are in full control. There are no limitations to what you can do when you own your website. You own the content and everything associated with it. You can also do whatever you like from a technology side, depending on your resources.

Benefit #3: Dot Com Domain names.  These “.com” domains tend to rank better than subdomains in search engines. If you have a .com or a .org domain you can expect better rankings within the search engines than you would be running a free website on a subdomain like siterubix (although these can rank really well too).

Benefit #4: You can create a brand/authority. Your website is your brand. You can become an expert in the industry and like some of the most famous brands you see online, it all starts with the purchase of the domain name. You have all the potential in the world to brand yourself and to grow your authority with your own website.

Benefit #5: They grow in value. If you start a domain today and work at this for a year, your website is going to be worth a good deal of money. Like real estate, as you build out your asset it will go up in value.

Choosing a Good Domain Name to Register

You can use a couple of methods of choosing a domain name.  You can create one that is keyword rich or one that is brandable.

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An example of a keyword rich one would, for example, be “BestDietsToLoseWeight.com“.  Sure this is fine and this would be OK within the dieting niche, but you absolutely do not need a keyword within your domain name to rank well. In fact, often times if you focus too much on trying to stuff a keyword within your domain name, you will end up with a brand that comes across as very awkward.

It is your content that is going to rank in Google and other search engines, so having a keyword in your domain name may help for that one keyword, but there are MILLIONS of keywords out there remember that you can include in your content.

So a brandable domain would work just as well and sometimes even better because it is more memorable.

LoseWeightWithShirley.com

This is not targeting a keyword like “diet” per se, but it is brandable and effective.  Many owners use the name of their business in their domain name.

Selecting a top-level domain like .com, .net, or .org is best if at all possible.

Wealthy Affiliate Platform

The Wealthy Affiliate platform provides both a training, a hosting and a registration service.  So you can learn, select your domain name, register that name and host the final website all on the WA platform.

Comments

I love to get comments and answer your questions.  Please leave yours below.  Also, if you have enjoyed reading this article and think others might also, please share with your friends and on your social media.  Thank you for visiting my website – Shirley

NOTE:  This post includes affiliate links, which, if clicked on and a product purchased, I get a small commission (with no increase in cost to you).