So you've convinced yourself that you require an internet presence but where do you go from here? The following article discusses a few do's and don'ts regarding the first steps towards deciding on and registering your new domain name.

Domain Extensions: There are numerous domain extensions available although there are some rules as to what extension you can use. For business or other such commercial websites it is the .com suffix that most people are familiar with and what you should always register first. If your business attracts mainly a local clientele base you should also consider country specific domain extensions such as .co.uk
To protect your domain name and prevent others using it, you should consider registering it under a number of the most common extensions such as .com, .net and .co.uk. When you come to going live with your website, it is then a simple process to point all of your registered domain names to the one web site.

Your Domain Name: Carefully choose a domain name that identifies well with your business name or activity and one that your customers will be able to recall easily. Keep it short and to the point and try to avoid abbreviations. Where possible avoid hyphenated domain names, it is very easy for people to forget or miss out the hyphen and end up on your competitor's web site. If you do register a hyphenated domain name, try to register the corresponding unhyphenated name and redirect it to your primary domain. Domain names are a limited commodity and are issued on a first come, first served basis. When deciding on a suitable domain name, be prepared for some disappointment as the majority of the 'best' domains are already taken. Once you find your ideal domain name, register it as quickly as possible before someone else does.

Registering Your Domain Name: It is recommended that you register your domain name through a suitable registration agent. These agents can greatly simplify the process of domain name registration and are normally able to offer you a number of additional services such as web site design and hosting packages. Ensure that your registration agent registers the domain name in your name. This means that you are then the legal registrant or owner of this domain. In some instances, registration agents have been known to register themselves as the registrant and only assign you certain rights to use the domain name. A number of issues can arise in these circumstances for example if at some time in the future you decide to change registration agents. You may then find out that you cannot change agents because you are not the actual domain name owner.

For further information relating to the process of registering domain names, visit:
http://www.webstarhosting.co.uk
http://www.getontheinternet.net