Domain Names need to be well considered. They can play an effective part in your marketing plan if you choose the name wisely. Try to have a domain name with a keyword in it ie:

www.itpays-webdesign.com.au. : The word "Webdesign" is a keyword of my site and therefore makes my site immediately more "Search Engine Friendly"! rather than just having the obvious www.itpays.com.au.

Although most of the obvious .com names are available, there are also .net, .info and .org names to consider. If your company is Australian, having a .com.au can be considered a bonus as Australians like to know that they are buying from an Australian company. To be able to buy a .com.au though, you need to be have a Registered Australian Business Name and the domain name you choose needs to reflect your business name.

However, there are many reasons as to why it is preferable to register both the .com and the .com.au version of your name.

PROTECTION Anybody across the world can at any time register yourname.com. This means you could lose the name at any stage to any organisation or individual around the world who wants the name. This includes 'cybersquatters' who profit by registering and then selling names. Cybersquatters may recognise that you will want yourname.com, so register it before they can!

EMAIL People constantly leave off .au when sending email. If someone else (such as your competitors or anybody else) has the .com name registered, they receive your email and not you! Save yourself the hassle and breach of confidentiality by registering your .com name today!

PREVENTING CONFUSION There is a huge amount of confusion between .com and .com.au websites. Dot com is the first thing people think about when they think Internet. Don't confuse or upset your clients - have both names registered and save you and your clients anguish.

GLOBAL IMAGE .com.au was designed solely for Australia, whereas .com is the global Internet namespace. A .com Internet address gives you a more international and professional image and is necessary for any company serious about protecting their intellectual property rights. Registering a .com name is also essential for any business even considering doing business overseas.

SEARCH ENGINE VISIBILITY The more domains you have registered, the more opportunities you can create for your website to be listed by search engines.

Please read How to choose your domain name for tips on what to consider when choosing a domain name.