There are many web articles on how to buy a good domain name. However, often you have to read though paragraphs of lengthy “facts” and “arguments” to find the information you are looking for. But here is a quick reference guide on what you should look for when buying a good domain name.

Choose good words…

Domain name is your identity. Therefore choose a good set of words(or a word). If you are planning to sell your domain once it increase in value DO NOT use your own name(such as sanuja.com). Use a generic name like geekgrip.com. The value of a generic domains always increase at a faster rate. Also, be careful if you are picking a name that is close to a registered cooperation or an organization. For example, if you register newscnn.com, you may get into legal issues with CNN news company.

Keep it short and clean….

Try to avoid long names such as ihaveadreamaboutbloggingscience.com. Often people may misspell your domain name. What I mean by keep it clean, two things; the first is that if you can avoid special characters(dash -) and numbers, this will keep the domain professional. Second thing is unless you are crazy, do not pick a name that has double meaning or association to something dirty. For example, doublepenetration.com probably a bad idea.

Use a Top Level Domain…

The most valuable Top Level Domain(TLD) is .COM and often you will find the disagreeable names are already taken by someone. If you are building a website for monitory gain(earn money), you can looking to domain resellers for popular domains that goes for sale. In my opinion, nothing can beat a .COM domain. At all cost I recommend avoiding country specific domains (.ca, .uk) and domain with secondary levels (co.uk).

Cost of owning a domain…

For a brand new .COM domain registration, the cost will be around $10 to $20 per year depend on the registrar. If you really want a country specific domain, the price will be higher than that. Some companies may charge you more, but in my opinion, I would go for a reasonable one. Unlike other industries, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers(ICANN) regulates domains. While there are companies that hijack domains, it is highly unlikely to happen if you go with a reputed company.

You are good to go. Hope you find a good domain for your needs.