March 3, 2008

Choosing a domain name: 6 tips

Elle Domain Names

Choosing the right domain name is vital for your success on the internet. Get it right – and the world is your oyster. Get it wrong – and your business may struggle to recover. Here are just 6 easy tips to help you on that path.

1. Think small

Although you might fall in love with a longer name, like www.i-really-like-this-domain-name-so-im-going-to-keep-it-goddammit.com , you still want it to be easy for people to remember and type in by hand. The same goes with difficult spellings too. So keep it short and sweet.

2. Avoid Trademarks

“There was once a guy who bought a domain name and made a lot of money out of the film company that should really have owned it”. Yes, most of us have heard that story. However, nowadays companies will not shell out oodles of cash to buy it from you. They’re already the owners of that trademark name – and their lawyers will be knocking at your door.

3. Buy it fast!

There are people and companies around that bulk buy names, just so that they can take some money off you, if you really want that name… don’t let them beat you to it!

4. Buy more than one

Sometimes, it isn’t a bad idea to register several similar domain names. It really does depend on the nature of your business, and particularly if you go for a generic descriptive name. Consider buying the .net, .co.uk etc too. Some people also go as far as buying common misspellings of their name – but that’s up to you.

5. Ask your friends

When you have narrowed down your choices – run them by a few pals too. It may be memorable to you, but if others have difficulty getting used to it – then the odds are that others will too. Be careful also of how it can be misread. here’s a couple of examples to make you smile!

Who Represents is where you can find the name of the agent that represents any celebrity. Their Web site is www.whorepresents.com
There’s the Italian Power Generator company, www.powergenitalia.com
Looking for a pen? Look no further than Pen Island at www.penisland.net

6. Be careful

Be very careful where you search to see if your name is available. Unscrupulous companies will register it if they even see a search has been made. Network Solutions in the US were sued for doing just that very thing.

If you get stuck, we can take the worry away for you. Have a look at our Domain Name Service for details

Random Testimonials

Excellent Service

We asked Gandy-Draper to help us create a website and email service for our new Charity.

Elle was amazingly patient and helpful, particularly as we really didn’t understand anything about web design.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Gandy-Draper to others in our position. Thank you so much Elle!

Ann Williams

Elle absolutely nailed it!

Without exaggeration, the best thing I did this year was come across Elle when searching for a website developer.
This has been a creative journey and learning curve (on my part) as to what really goes into doing what she does. As a financial advisory company, things have to look and feel a certain way. So our new website had to not only reflect who we are as a company and where we are taking the business in the future, but what our clients mean to us in that process. Elle, absolutely nailed it! She’s super talented. She listened, advised and created. I had a vision of what I wanted it to look like, and now that vision is live and online for all the world to see. Elle has incredible patience too. Helpful when dealing with the likes of myself. I honestly cannot recommend her highly enough. Myself, the CEO and COO along with two entire offices of advisers and admin teams sent compliments throughout the entire afternoon on how happy they were and how excited they are to present our new website to their clients. Elle, you have outdone yourself, and we will be more than happy to recommend you far and wide. Thank you from the entire Private Client Consultancy team. THANK YOU!

Tracey Brady

Private Client Consultancy

Elle is a Wizard on the Web!

Around Algorfa is my second website produced by Gandy-Draper, and it’s close to my heart, because it’s all about my home town in Spain. I knew what I wanted, but I didn’t know how it would look. I only knew the look had to be right.

I shouldn’t have worried, because Elle has that uncanny gift of seeing what your vision looks like before you do. She goes over and above the call of duty, making gentle suggestions for improvement but never making you feel you’re making mistakes, even when you do!

There were very few glitches on launch day, mostly down to my mistakes, and although she was stupidly busy with other projects, she fixed them right away. She takes the fear and uncertainty from building your website with her extensive knowledge and patience. She’s a Wizard on the Web!

Sandra Piddock

Fantastic service and excellent communications

From the outset and initial meeting Elle exhibited knowledge and professionalism. She completely rebuilt the Solpellet website from scratch including all the features that I required, and plenty of addons as recommended by Elle, with no extra being charged!

Elle’s communication throughout has been exceptional, constantly checking that I was happy with the progress and not hesitating to tweak and alter things as required. Hit a few stumbling blocks along the way (to be expected with a niche product) and Elle sourced satisfactory solutions in a very timely manner.

I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Elle and the team at Gandy-Draper for any web design or coding work, they certainly know their stuff.

Neil Broadbridge

They weren’t wrong!

Elle was recommended to me as someone who could make my website come to life. They weren’t wrong.

She listened carefully to the non-technical account of what I wanted, asked all sorts of pertinent questions and came back incredibly quickly with a superb design. Putting together the material was easy with Elle too. She made lots of excellent suggestions and was amazingly patient with my witterings and alterations. Her attention to detail is superb, and she would not allow us to complete until we were both totally satisfied.

I love her informal yet professional approach and have absolutely no hesitation in strongly recommending her website design expertise.

Beth Haslam

www.bethhaslam.com

We’ve never met but she is Nº 1

I was recommended to Elle by a mutual friend. We have never met, spoken only twice, but exchanged MANY eMails, always QUICKLY. Her charges (in my experience) are OVER GENEROUS and works as if it were for PIN-MONEY rather than BUSINESS. She has created too many websites for me than I can remember, handles all my HOSTMONSTER and ‘Team Viewer’ to resolve issues on the OLD MAN’s (35 years 100% AppleMac) even though `Elle is a `window and gate user!’. Her annual fee for HAND-HOLDING me is less than a couple of rounds of drink. I NEVER recommend ANYONE ELSE, because I KNOW Elle will not disappoint them. I don’t regard Elle as my WebMaster, but I would prefer to recommend her as my WebMISTRESS!! Alan is fortunate that their marriage was MADE IN HEAVEN (even though she charges MADE IN CHINA prices) based on HARD-EARNED EXPERIENCE. clive@cliveread.com (that I designed using Apple iWEB before Apple discontinued it. It’s the difference between DIY and 100% PROFESSIONALISM.

Most Rev Primate Archbishop Dr Clive Read Ph D

Various

Brilliant after sales service

Cannot praise Elle enough. Apart from the fact that I love the website, whatever query, or problem we experience or any alteration is needed, Elle is there on it straight away.

No ifs or buts, she just cracks straight onto it.

Nothing is too much trouble (and believe me I am a dunce when it comes to websites) Elle just says “yes no problem”.

Would give her 100 out of 10 (yes I know not practical but you know what I mean)

To me it is not just the website, but the after sales service which Elle provides that is outstanding. You could not ask for better.

Glyn Rapley

Flowers by Serenity

Gandy-Draper are absolutely GREAT!!!!!

They have created two websites for me and I think that Gandy-Draper are absolutely GREAT!!!!! They are very efficient, quick and the prices are very affordable.

Ben Simkins

Taxes Online & Asesoria Europa

Professional Service Every Step of the Way

I wanted a website that not only promoted me as an author and creative writing tutor, but one which created a brand. Elle surpassed my expectations and designed a website I’m so thrilled with I can’t stop looking at it!

Lorraine Mace

Lorraine Mace - Author

…knowledgeable and honest approach

Thank you very much to Gandy-Draper for continuing support with my website. Their knowledgeable and honest approach has helped me make decisions quickly and efficiently, getting the best results for my business. I would happily recommend them to anyone looking for a website for their business.

Lisa Carlin

Ask 4 Genie

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