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If you have an online presence, especially if you run a business online, you need to think about your domain name and what it needs to do for you. Your domain name is the address that people type to get to your website, and it is completely unique to you.

Think of it as your own online brand; it is often the first thing that a person sees when they search for you, and frequently, there will be an element of it involved in every aspect of your online identity, from usernames to emails.

There are plenty of things to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a name, but they are all fairly simple.

Ideally, your it should be short, simple and descriptive. If a person can tell what you do from the domain name itself, this is a sign that you are on the right track.

Avoid using dashes as most people forget to put them in; you might even find that having a domain name with strange punctuation can even lead your prospective customers to your competitor!

Similarly, make sure that your DN reads well. Say it out loud and say it slowly.

Listen for any corruptions of the words or any strange sounds. Although it will largely be written rather than spoken, make sure that it has a good sound to it.

Ideally, you'll ask some of your friends and see what they think. This is a great way to make sure that you don't get stuck with a domain name that becomes a joke!

To see if a domain name is available, take a few steps. First, try typing it into your address bar, and if it doesn't show up, chances are that you might be able to get it.

There are a few sites that will perform more rigorous checks, but the webhosts that will sell you the domain name will often perform this check for you as well.

You'll find that you can purchase it for a very small amount of money from the webhost, and, depending on the service, you will also receive a large amount of webspace to work with.

Don't forget to renew your domain name. Most registrations for domain names only last for about a year and if you let this lapse, you might find that your webhost will sell it to the highest bidder.

There are companies that look for expired web domains with high hits that they can then direct to their site, so getting it sold out from under you might be likelier than you think! Keep your registration up to date and current!

People often miss the importance of having their own unique domain name for their web sites. It represents you, your company and your online presence; as does a business card.

If you don't have your own name you won't be able to promote your own online identity and web site on the World Wide Web.

Take some time to really think about your DN and what it can do for you; don't get trapped into an online brand that does you more harm than good!

You are going to have to live with your choice of domain names for a long time. Take your time and choose wisely.