How do I pick the best domain name for my website?

I asked my friends over at Webgem to respond to this inquiry as they know best!

Ask the expert question:

How do I pick the best domain name for my website? How much does it matter? I am a jewelry designer, btw, and want to have a website to sell my jewelry.

– Susie in Kansas City

Hi Susie;

Your domain name is one of the most important decisions you will make in launching any new business.

You need a domain name that expresses who you are, but at the same time, it needs to be easily searched, so that you can rise up in the search engine rankings.  By this I mean, try to find a unique way to name your business; avoid using common phrases or combinations of words that can be found in millions of online documents. For example, if you are called The Jewelry Store – just Google the words “jewelry store” – there are over 2 million responses to that search term. If you can use your own name, that helps – any press or exposure you get yourself means that when people search your name, they will find YOU and your jewelry site (unless your name is too common, like Susie Smith). If you can find a word that somehow uniquely expresses you and what you do, that’s great. Search that term and see how many responses there are to it – the fewer the better.
Another really important thing, if you are serious about starting a successful online business, is to make sure to get a “.com” domain. This is critical – most people who use the internet automatically assume that the business they are trying to find is a “.com” and without one, people will have a much harder time finding you. If the name you want isn’t available as a “.com”, try adding the words “shop”, “online” or “store” to your name, i.e. www.susiesjewelryonline.com
www.shopsusiesjewelry.com

Good luck!

Dennis Jaconi
WebGem Network
www.webgemnet.com