Your web address can be a real key to your online success. While the number of available domain names is certainly down from a decade ago, there are still plenty to choose from. By using your imagination and a little thoughtful planning, you can pick a name that will not only represent your services, but promotes your business at the same time.

When choosing among the available domain names, many suggest that the shorter the name, the better. Of course, shorter names are easier to type into your computer, but shorter names are also more apt to be remembered by people visiting your site. Since most of the shorter available domain names are already taken, it’s important to come up with a clever name that will help you stand out from the competition. Names that are generally associated with the type of site that you have are the most desirable. Say, for instance, you have a website about show dogs. A name like BlueRibbonPups.com would be an easy to remember address, due its self-explanatory title.

Prices tend to vary for domain names, with better bargains for longer term commitments. If you purchase a name for 5 years, expect a significant price-per-year discount, over what you would be paying for a one year term. Also, buying a domain name for several years reduces the possibility of forgetting to renew the name and finding out that your site is dead one morning.

Browsing through all the available domain names can take a while, so try zeroing in on a couple of key words that are suitable to your needs. By narrowing down your focus to a few words that you would like to be part of your web name, you should have better luck finding just the right name to suit your needs.