When you think of domain name registration, things that come to mind are simply picking out a fancy, recognizable name for your online business, and then registering it somewhere and going from there. While that may all be well and good, and yes, picking out a good name for your business is key, registering it is not all you have to think about. For example, do you plan on growing your business into a large, online company in the future? If so, then the right name is not all you are going to need. No, you’ll also need a hosting service to go along with it that can provide you with the right tools and space to grow.

First, let’s take a look at what domain registration entails. Not only does it include picking out the right name and registering it somewhere online, but you also have to pick the right extension. Most folks go with a .com, since they are the most popular and easy to recognize. There’s also .net, .biz, and .org, as well as many others. What’s right for you? Only you know that for sure. While your company name may benefit from a .com address, a .biz can tell people just what you are all about, no questions asked. When someone visits a .biz domain name, they know exactly what they are getting. A business service or solution. Is that how you want to be known? Think about. Once you’ve determined what name and extension you are going to use, from there it’s off to find a place to register it. Go Daddy, Host Gator, Registry Rocket, these are all place you can register your domain name, and really, they should all be around the same cost. Never pay more than $50 (some might say even that is too much) to register a domain name, unless you’re a government organization and need a .gov extension. Then that will cost you. In the case of buying a domain name from someone else, there can also be huge costs involved. Sometimes thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars, could change hands, just because of how popular a name is and the traffic it gets. Websites are worth money, you know.

Before you even buy a domain name though, think about hosting and what you’ll need. Some companies let you choose a bundle package, which includes the hosting, and a free domain name. That might be the way to go for you, if you decide that you’re going to need a lot of space to grow your business. A place like Web Hosting Geeks can give you some information on services that offer these packages, and it also rates them from best to worst.

One thing that should be mentioned when it comes to domain name registration is what is called “cybersquatting.” This is where someone registers a domain name, knowing that it can become very popular, and tries to make money selling it for big dollars later on. In that case, if you find the domain name you want to register is being occupied by someone who is cybersquatting, you can contact ICANN. Most disputes over domain names are resolved in a court of law between the two parties involved, though. In the case of cybersquatting, the uniform policy provides an expedited administrative procedure to allow the dispute to be resolved without the cost and delays often encountered in court litigation, so you can take comfort in knowing that you won’t have to spend a year or more in court fighting it out for your domain name.

Oh, I almost forgot, when choosing you domain name, don’t make it too long. This will cause people to forget it, and you could get lost in the billions of websites that are online right now. Keep it short and sweet if possible. Names like “bobsemporiumofsweetsandsugarforthecandylover.com” will not go over well, okay? You want your business to be easily recognizable, not only so people can remember it, but also for advertising purposes. Having a short, catchy name will not only get people to reference it later on, but it will make it easy for people to spread it through word of mouth. No one likes a tongue twister for a domain. Got it?

As you can see, there’s a lot more to domain name registration than just picking a name and running with it. The right extension, the hosting services, perhaps even legal action, can all factor into this before your business even gets off the ground. From there, though, once you have it all sorted out, the actual process or registering the domain name is easy, and you’ll be up and running in no time once you have the right hosting for your business needs. Before too long, you might just see millions of people visiting your website, making you a ton of cash.