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Domain Names

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Domain Names 101

Without a domain name, websites are specified by an IP address. What is an IP
address? It is an identifier that is used by computers or humans to determine
the location of a server or website. However, for humans, an IP address, (which
is expressed in a numerical format), can be difficult to remember. This is why
domain names were invented. With a domain name, a human can locate a website
through more user-friendly words or phrases. And although numbers can be a part
of a domain name, they usually do not make up all of it, like what is seen with
an IP address.

In terms of format, domain names have several parts. The first part is known as
the URL, (which stands for Uniform Resource Locator). The URL tells the browser
what the domain name is going to point to. This will usually be 'http', which
means the browser can expect to locate a hypertext document. In layman's terms
this means webpage. In the rare cases the URL is not 'http' it may be 'ftp',
which means file transfer protocol. A webmaster would opt to use ftp if they
would like visitors to download files from their server.

The second part of the domain name will be "www," which stands for "World Wide
Web." This phrase lets computers and humans know the site the domain name is 
pointing to is indeed from the Internet. It is followed by the actual domain 
name, which can be a combination of letters, numbers or phrases. A good domain 
name will be short, memorable and most importantly, search-engine friendly. In 
fact, good webmasters tend to concentrate more on a domain name's effectiveness 
with SEO, (or Search Engine Optimization), than they do its creativity. To do 
this they make sure to choose a domain name that has a widely searched keyword.

The final portion of the domain name has what is known as an extension. This
lets a person know a little bit more about a website's origins. For example,
take .com, the most common domain name extension. It stands for 'commercial',
and was originally intended for organizations in that vein. However, now the
extension is used by virtually anyone looking to create a website. And this is
for good reason, since most web surfers will think about the .com before they
would think about .org, .biz or .net. Yet, don't think the other extensions
can't become memorable either. Consider Wikipedia.org which is a wildly popular
website despite its .org extension.

Domain name extensions can also specify things on a geographical level. An
example are country-based extensions such as .fr, (which stands for France), or
.jp, (which stands for Japan). They can also be state-based, such as .ca, (which
stands for California). Both can serve as excellent tools for localized Internet
marketing.

To get a domain name, a person can either: 1) get one from their web hosting
company, provided they offer that service or 2) get one from a separate domain
name company. Price-wise things will vary with both options, though typically
the cost will range from $6.50 to $35.

Domain Name Tasting

A good domain name not only makes people more likely to visit a website, but it
can also increase search engine rankings. This is because search engine bots
index websites based on keywords found both in its content and domain name.
Yet, how does a webmaster know if their domain name is going to be profitable?
Usually most don't until they put it into practice. Hence, there is the
practice of domain name tasting.

What is domain name tasting? Domain name tasting is the process of registering
a domain name and seeing how much traffic it brings to a website during
whatever grace period the domain name registrar offers, (which is normally five
days). If the domain name brings in a lot of visitors, the webmaster will keep
it. Otherwise, they will cancel their registration and get a refund.

Does this sound interesting to you? Well, before you decide to do domain name
tasting for your site, first consider the ethics of the practice. Domain name
companies lose millions of dollars every year due to domain name tasting. While
some may not feel sympathy for them, if domain name tasting continues without
any legal restrictions, DNS enterprises may strike back by making their prices
higher. Such a consequence would also hurt customers who intended on buying the
domain name outright.

Another ethical dilemma involved with domain name tasting is the issue of good
domain names not being eligible for more serious customers. Some may feel that
in a system of free capitalistic enterprise, domain name testers have every
right to access however many domain names they can. Yet, if they aren't really
going to buy them, why shouldn't these domain names be available to individuals
who may need them more? Many would argue it is better to sell a domain name to a
company that is serious about using it as their brand than selling it to a
person thinking they can use it to get quick traffic.

It is also important to keep in mind that a good domain name is not a sole
indicator of whether or not a site is going to be successful. Domain name
tasters are fooling themselves if they think their practice of domain tasting
is what has brought about their success with website traffic. Granted, an
expired domain name might have a little bit of traffic associated with it, but
to get one that is of value, a person would have to pay hundreds maybe even
thousands of dollars. Many domain name tasters wouldn't have the funds for such
a domain name, so they may instead deal with cheaper ones. And most of these
cheaper ones probably do not have their own traffic stream.

Indeed, the type of website that gets a lot of traffic is one that has: a
decent domain name, keyword-enriched content and lots of inbound links. Even if
one doesn't see anything ethically wrong with domain name tasting, doing it may
not accurately reflect whether or not a domain name is valid. In fact, if a
person does domain name tasting and their website did not have the other
elements that make for proper traffic-building, they could potentially be
throwing away a domain name that could be a gold mine in the future.

Domain Name Servers: The Basics

Technically, domain names aren't necessary to access a website. This is because
with or without them, all websites can be accessed by their corresponding IP
address. What is an IP address? It is a 32-bit numerical identifier that
indicates what machine a website is on. The only problem is that for a human
these numbers, (which come in a series of 4 octets), can be extremely hard to
remember. This is why domain names were created. With a domain name a person
can access a website through a word or phrase, which offers much more
convenience than decimated octets.

In order for domain names to work, they must use domain name servers, (also
known as DNS). These are special computers that store data pertaining to domain
names and the IP addresses they point to. It does this through a process known
as reverse mapping. What happens is after a domain name is entered, the domain
name server will look up its corresponding IP address in a directory service.
It will also correspond with other domain name services to see if they have
'knowledge' of the IP address. This process is known as a distributed database,
since no 'official' entity is responsible for updating information on other
domain name servers.

How can a computer be turned into a domain name server? It has to run DNS
software. The most common DNS software is BIND, (which stands for Berkeley
Internet Name Domain). This, (along with other types of DNS software), works in
a hierarchal fashion. The beginning of the hierarchy contains the character ''.
It is called the system's root. Underneath the root there are the domain
extension such as .com, .org, .net or .biz.

A domain name server must also have client computers to help conduct its
operation. These client computers are called nameservers and resolvers.
Nameservers are responsible for locating a domain name's IP address. The
resolvers, on the other hand, stores a list of all other nameservers on the
Internet. This list is used to help contact these nameservers should a domain
name's IP address not be stored in the initial domain name server.

Should a web hosting company bother in investing in a domain name server? It
depends on how large their operation is. Smaller-scale web hosting companies
probably won't get much from such an investment. However, if a company wants to
attain the type of status that sites like Godaddy.com have attained, it may want
to consider spending the money. Companies can get domain name servers from
enterprises that sell regular servers.

In conclusion, the domain name server can be considered the heart of domain
name functioning. Without them there would be no way a domain name would be
associated with an IP address, which is what is really responsible for
identifying computers on a network. This does not mean it's essential for a web
hosting company to invest in one, especially since there are so many cheap
domain name services they could use instead. Yet, if they do get a domain name
server, they would have the ability to sell web hosting as well as domain names
to their customers.

Domain Name Redirect Services

It's no secret that a short, memorable domain name is what is needed to help
visitors to a website. It also helps if the domain name contains keywords that
are likely to rank high in search engines. So, what does a webmaster do if they
are promoting an affiliate program or a website created from a free web hosting
service such as Geocities? The most affordable answer lies in taking advantage
of a domain name redirect service.

What is a domain name redirect service? It is one in which a long, cumbersome
URL is 'masked' by a more memorable domain name. Instead of having to type in
the longer URL, the website visitor would type in the new domain name. This
domain name would then redirect to the original URL. The visitor would then see
the original URL in their browser. However, most won't pay that much attention.

Domain name redirect services can be free or paid. An example of a free service
is Tiny URL. In order to use this service, all a person has to do is enter in
whatever URL they need to have shortened. Tiny URL would then return a domain
name that is much more convenient for website visitors. This URL would have
'tiny url' as part of the domain name followed by a number. An example is the
following: tinyurl.com/3. Granted, it's not perfect, but it is a lot better
than what one would typically get with an affiliate program or a free web
hosting service.

If a person wants a more customized domain name, they will need to use pay for
a redirect service. One of the best is Namestick. The process for using
Namestick is similar to Tiny URL except webmasters must first choose the domain
name they want to use for their redirect. They can choose any domain name they
wish, just like if they were getting it through their web host or a domain name
company. Namestick even provides suggestions if a person's desired domain name
is taken. Once that is done, a person will have to enter in their URL they want
redirected. After about 72 hours, the new domain name will be ready for use.

Can a person get away with not using a domain name redirect service? It depends
on how they do their marketing. For instance, if a person does a lot of offline
marketing, a short, meaningful domain name is essential. However, if a person
uses a lot of hyperlinks, a domain name redirect service may not be as
important. What are hyperlinks? They are simply words or phrases that are
linked to a particular URL. When the visitor clicks on them, they are taken to
the website that is hyperlinked within. Hyperlinks can easily be created in
HTML editors or by use of the anchor tag.

In conclusion, a person's life can be made easier if they decide to hide their
long URL with a more normal-looking domain name available through a domain name
redirect service. This is if they aren't marketing through hyperlinks, which do
not require an official domain name.

Bulk Domain Name Registration

Most Internet marketing gurus know the importance of using a domain name.
However, only the experts use bulk domain names when marketing their website.
How do things work if one is using bulk domain names? Basically, with the bulk
domain name tactic, dozens maybe even hundreds of domain names point to one
site. The practice is completely legal, (since ICANN places no limitations on
how many domain names a person can register), and could even boost search
engine listings. This is because search engine bots have more URLs they can
find that relate to a particular website.

So, how can a person get started with bulk domain name registration? Well, if
they have money, it's best if they go to a bulk domain name company. These are
better than traditional domain name companies, because they are specially
designed to help webmaster better manage their bulk domain name campaigns. With
a bulk domain name company, webmasters can manage up to 10,000 domain names in
just one account. This includes placing them in related groups, alphabetizing
them or viewing which ones are going to expire first. An example of an
excellent service offering these features is DomainNext.com.

If a person doesn't have money, they will need to consider other means of bulk
domain name registration. For example, they could try to get maybe 100 or so
domain names from domain name registrars charging just a dollar. This would
mean the initial fees would be $100, which is an affordable amount for most
people. They could also consider getting a series of free domain names.
However, they must be aware that many free domain name providers will places
ads on a site as well as contain an extension that is not traditional.

There may also be a limit to how many free domain names a person can register.
Either way, webmasters may want to consider pointing free domain names to a
second site that relates to whatever they are promoting. They can advertise the
domain name to their main site. With this method they can take advantage of free
bulk domain names without having to worry about bombarding their original site
with advertisements.

It should be noted that if a person does not get free bulk domain names, they
will have to pay renewal fees once their domain names expire. If a person got a
number of bulk domain names they can handle, this may not be an issue. However,
if it is, they can consider selling their domain names on domain name auction
sites. They will lose the marketing advantage, but at least they will get an
opportunity to save money.

In conclusion, bulk domain name registration can be a way for webmasters to
help corner the Internet market. They can go about registering several paid
domains and/or free domains. Regardless, they should also make sure that their
site contains other elements that make for good Internet marketing. This
includes being keyword-optimized and containing several inbound links. Without
doing these things, bulk domain name registration in and of itself will only
bring limited results.

Avoiding Trademark Infringement When Choosing a Domain Name

Many webmasters erroneously believe that just because their domain name
registrar says a particular domain name is 'available' that it truly is. This
is not necessarily so. Even if a domain name is physically available, it may
not legally be open for use. Why? It's because there might already be a company
that has the rights to the keywords used within the domain name.

If this happens yet the webmaster claims the domain name anyway, they are at
risk of losing it through a domain name arbitration proceeding. They could even
be charged with trademark/copyright infringement if things get really ugly. For
this reason it's best to make sure the keywords used in a domain name aren't
protected for someone else. This article will explain how webmasters can make
such a determination.

First, webmasters need to check and see if their chosen domain name resembles
any existing trademark that is on the books. They will want to do this before
actually investing any money in the domain name. To search existing trademarks,
webmasters can visit the website of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office which
is USPTO.gov. From here they can search a database that contains current
trademarks as well as those that are pending.

If a domain name is similar to a registered or pending trademark, webmasters
need to evaluate whether the domain name is still worth taking. Usually, if a
site is not selling the same types of merchandise or services that the other
business is selling and the trademark is not popular, a webmaster probably
won't get into legal trouble if they decide to go on and register the domain
name. To be completely sure, webmasters can run the domain name by a trademark
attorney. It shouldn't cost too much for an hour consultation.

Of course, if a webmaster would prefer zero percent risk, they can simply try
to think of another domain name. When they go about doing this, they need to be
more generic and less creative in what they come up with. Using search engine
keywords for a domain name is one such strategy. Webmasters can also look into
using dictionary terms. If all else fails they can take a generic term and
combine it with a term that is less likely to be taken, such as their first and
last name.

Either way, once a suitable domain name has been chosen, webmasters should
consider getting it trademarked themselves, especially if they are using it to
help brand their business. With an official trademark, a webmaster has more
legal power should another company try to take them to court. And since there's
no shortage of domain name bullies, (companies that try to steal profitable
domain names from smaller enterprises), a webmaster should use all legal
avenues available to protect the rights of their business.

In conclusion, by checking whether or not a domain name has keywords that are
part of a trademark, webmasters lessen the risk that they will have legal
problems in the future. If there are problems, and a domain name arbitration
proceeding does not rule in a webmaster's favor, they can turn to The Domain
Name Rights Coalition.

Domain Name Hacks

Traditional domain names consist of a word or phrase that describes a website
followed by an extension. Extensions can be .com, .net or country-based such as
.fr or .jp. So, if this is the case, how can domain names like blo.gs or
del.icio.us exist? It's because a domain name doesn't have to follow a
traditional format. When it is created in the manner demonstrated above, it is
called a domain name hack. With a domain name hack, a domain name spells out a
'word' by using a combination of periods and less popular country-based or
state-based extensions.

Now, if you think a domain name hack is a simply a trick created by spammers
and/or webmasters with no life, think again. Yahoo obtained the rights to both
blo.gs and del.icio.us, despite their unusual-looking format. There are also
popular organizations that are actually known by domain name hacks. Examples
include who.is, (a site that lets a webmaster know the specifics behind a
domain name and their associated website), and whocalled.us, (a site that
allows consumers to list the numbers of telemarketers). Even other countries
use domain name hacks in their own languages. Consider Germany's popular
Schokola.de, (which means chocolate in English).

So, does this mean webmasters should consider using domain name hacks? The
answer is it depends. It is important to remember that while domain name hacks
are witty, many of them can be inconvenient for web surfers. Some may even
wonder if the site is legitimate, since the most common extensions are .com,
.net, .org and .biz. However, since there are domain name hacks that still
receive a healthy amount of traffic, it is possible that website visitors might
overlook how a domain name hack is titled if the site it is pointing to proves
to be worthwhile. There is also the option of having a second more
normal-looking domain name point to a domain name hack. This gives website
visitors two ways of being able to access one's website.

How can a person think of a good domain name hack? First, they need to get a
list of all the extensions that are possible with a domain name. They then need
to find a domain name company that sells that sells the extension they are
looking for. Then they will need to think of any word or phrase that includes
the letters used in the extension. But they will need to make sure these
letters are at the end of the word, since extensions conclude a domain name. An
exception could be made if a person considers using third-level domains. In this
situation the letters of the extension could be used in the middle of the domain
name hack.

If a webmaster finds they are having trouble thinking of a word or phrase that
contains their selected extension, they could use a keyword analyzer to help
them. Overture and Google offer keyword analyzers for free, though webmasters
might find more use from paid keyword analyzers. This is because paid keyword
analyzers offer more information about a keyword than free ones.

Domain Name Generators

The process of registering a domain name can be quite annoying. Why? It's
because many times the domain name a webmaster hopes to register has already
been taken. So, they have to ponder again what their domain name should be. But
what do they do if that domain name has been taken as well? The best solution
involves getting it right the first time with a domain name generator. This is
a program or service that suggests domain names that are not likely to have
been used by other webmasters. They can work in three ways including: giving
random listings, giving listings based on input or using human suggestions.

The first type of domain name generator gives random domain name suggestions.
Examples of sites that offer these types of domain name generators include
Makewords.com and Domain-Generator.net. The only thing a visitor has to do to
see a suggested domain name is click a button or, (in the case of Makewords.com), 
just visit the site. Depending on the complexity of the domain name generator, 
visitors will be able to see if the domain name has previously been registered 
and/or how valuable they would be if they decided to buy them.

The second type of domain name generator offers suggestions based on user
input. 123Finder.com is an example. What happens is a user enters a keyword
that describes the purpose of their website. The domain name generator will
then return domain names that contain this keyword. A variant of this service
could require a user to enter in more than one keyword. From this input the
domain name generator would return a domain name that contains a mixture of
these keywords.

The final type of domain name generator offers suggestions from human
creativity. An example of such a service is Pickydomains.com. With this
service, (along with others like it), customers have to pay a fee. Part of the
fee goes to the person responsible for coming up with the domain name. After
the fee is sent, customers must provide information related to their website.

Employees will use this info to choose a domain name. When the process is
complete, the customer will receive a list of several domain names, each of
which came from a human mind rather than a computer program, (which is used by
the other types of domain name generators featured in this article).

Are there any downsides to using a domain name generator? Well, human-based
domain name generators usually require a fee, while automated ones might not
seem as creative. Other than that domain name generators are an excellent way
for webmasters to determine what their domain name should be. Even if they
don't use the suggested domain name in its entirety, they can still use these
types of services to generate ideas.

From there they can use their own mind to come up with an appropriate domain
name. So, at the very least, domain name generators can serve as a tool for
domain name brainstorming. They definitely should not be overlooked by any
webmaster.

Domain Name Arbitration

After several minutes of pondering and looking at keyword analyzers, you find
the perfect domain name for your new website. You see if it is available
through your desired domain name company. When you find that it is, you get
excited because it seems that it is going to be quite profitable for your site.
So, you sign up for it, thinking that it is up for grabs, since your domain name
company has said it is available.

Then after a few months you get correspondence from an attorney saying that
your new domain name has violated another company's trademark. You are now
stuck with a potential legal battle that could cause you to lose your domain
name, your reputation and maybe even worse. Fortunately, with domain name
arbitration, there's a chance you can get out of such a situation and avoid any
possible legal consequences.

What is domain name arbitration? It is a process in which the complainant and
the original holder of the domain name try to work out a reasonable agreement
as to who actually has the rights to the domain name in question. The
arbitration in itself is done through the Uniform Domain Name Dispute
Resolution Policy, (also known as UDRP). This is a special arbitration method
set forth by the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers)
organization. It is used for most domain name disputes, because it is cheaper
and less time-consuming than 'traditional' litigation.

In order to initiate a domain name arbitration proceeding, a webmaster must go
through a provider that has been approved by ICANN to handle such disputes.
Once the arbitration begins, the provider will first determine if the
complainant has merit in their claim. They will do this by evaluating whether
the domain name in question is similar to a trademark or domain name set forth
by the claimant.

They will then determine what rights the claimant has to the title along with
whether or not the domain was chosen accidentally or with the intention of
taking advantage of the claimant's brand popularity. If it is found the domain
name was chosen in bad faith, rights to it will be granted to the claimant.
Otherwise, the original owner will retain possession of the disputed domain
name.

If either party is not satisfied with a domain name arbitration proceeding,
they can challenge the findings in a regular courtroom. An example of this
happened with Robert De Niro, when he tried to claim the rights to any domain
name containing the phrase 'Tribeca.' He is still in court trying to retain the
rights to Tribeca.net, which has been claimed by another person.

In conclusion, domain name arbitration is a great alternative to avoiding
taking a domain name dispute into a courtroom, at least initially. There is the
option to go to court if either side feels an arbitration isn't fair. Yet, for
most webmasters, the decisions made by the UDRP panel are good enough for them,
since getting their consul is a lot cheaper than going to a judge.

Cybersquatting and Your Domain Name

When it comes to domain names, don't think that you only need to worry about
the ones that you registered. This is because with the phenomenon of
cybersquatting, domain names that are similar to your company's trademark could
be registered to unscrupulous webmasters, intending to use them in bad faith.
What happens is once the cybersquatter has gotten sales or Adsense clicks from
their domain name, they will try to sell it to the original entity holding the
trademark. When things get to this point, the price is significantly higher,
sometimes even thousands of dollars. This is despite the fact that the
individual or organization buying the domain name originally had the rights to
it in the first place.

So, how does a company protect themselves from cybersquatting? Well, first they
need to be aware of whether or not domain names related to their trademark are
being registered and used in bad faith. The best way to do this is to sign up
for Google Alerts. This is a service that allows individuals or organizations
to track any websites, comments, articles, etc. that are being made about their
website or brand.

If they receive an alert that shows a domain name that is similar to their
trademark, they could be dealing with a potential cybersquatter. The keyword of
course is 'potential.' The person may not have any intention on selling the
domain name back, though they are still using it in an illegal manner.

Either way, website owners can exercise their right to an arbitration
proceeding if they found their trademark has been used in bad faith. The type
of arbitration proceeding that is the most common for domain name disputes is
called Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy. This process can allow
disputes to be settled out of court through an ICANN-approved UDRP provider.
The decisions made through the UDRP panel are legally binding, though they can
be challenged in a traditional courtroom if either party thinks things are
unfair.

Another way companies can avoid cybersquatting is by trying as best they can to
register any domain names relating to their trademark. This would include
obvious derivatives where their whole trademark is included, as well as more
creative derivatives where only a part of the trademark is used. If a company
finds they are having difficulties coming up with different domain name
combinations on their own, they can use a domain name generator. They should
use both automated domain name generators as well as those in which a human
comes up with the different combinations. In either case they need to think of
combinations for all types of extensions, even free ones such as .tk or .co.nr.

In conclusion, no one should have to succumb to a cybersquatter. Too much money
and work goes into building a brand to have to spend thousands to a shady
webmaster. Instead, website owners should be aware of how their trademark is
being used.

If there is a problem they can consider a UDRP proceeding. In the meantime they
need to try to get as many domain names containing their trademark as possible,
so cybersquatters won't have an opportunity to do their dirty work.

Choosing the Right Domain Name

Domain names are to websites as book covers are to novels. If they are not
interesting enough, or don't properly convey what a website is about, visitor
will have no desire to enter them in their browsers. Yet, excessive creativity
doesn't make for a good domain name either. Why is this so? It's because if a
domain name is creative but not keyword-rich, search engine bots won't be able
to index it in search engine listings. So, ultimately, your domain name must be
both catchy yet search engine optimized. This article will explain how you can
achieve both objectives.

First and foremost you will need to find a popular search engine keyword that
can be incorporated into your domain name. A keyword analyzer can help you in
this task. These can be found pretty easily with a basic search engine query.
When you find one, enter in a keyword that best summarizes the purpose of your
website. The keyword analyzer will return different versions of this keyword.
If the more specific instances can also fit within the nature of your website,
choose one.

This is because when it comes to search engine optimization, more specific
keywords are better since they are less likely to be used by other webmasters.

Now you can start selecting your actual domain name. Most domain name companies
will allow you to see whether or not your domain name is available. If it is not
available, it will return a list of recommended domain names. Take advantage of
this tool by first entering your selected keyword. If your keyword as a domain
name is not available, consider the suggestions the domain name company gives.
If the main keyword is still included in these suggestions and it ends with
.com, consider it. Otherwise, you will have to be more creative.

For example, you can use 'filler' words, numbers or phrases within your domain
name to still include your selected keyword. Fillers could be 'a,' 'an' or
'the.' Search engines tend to not look at these words, so you still have a good
shot at getting indexed while having a domain name that is memorable and catchy.
You can also consider fillers at the end of a phrase, such as '101'.

What if you do these things and you still can't get .com? Well, there are some
situations where it is better to stick with a lesser-used extension because the
keyword is just that popular. Extensions that still get noticed include .net,
.biz and .org. Additionally, you can also consider using country or state-based
extensions if you don't mind international or local-based marketing. It's better
to be number 1 in France's version of Google than to be number 200 or worse in
America's version of Google.

In conclusion, choosing a domain name that will get the right buzz from both
humans and search engines doesn't have to be hard. The keyword analyzer will
help you with 90% of your domain name, while your wit with fillers can help you
the other 10%. And, if after an immense amount of pondering, you still can't get
the .com, you can opt for other extensions.

Cheap Domain Names

In order for people to access a website, they must first enter in its
associated domain name. This is a word or phrase that denotes the name of the
site and/or summarizes what it is about. Even free web hosting companies offer
domain names, but there's an essential difference. With free web hosting
companies, the domain names offered are in the form of third level domain names.

This means their domain name must be included when a person is trying to access
the third level domain. The only problem with this is that it makes a domain
name long and hard to remember. For this reason it's best if a person considers
just buying their own domain name. And with the availability of cheap domain
names, it is possible to get one that is very affordable.

Cheap domain names can range from being completely free to around $6.95.
Usually free domain names that are worth anything are included with a web
hosting package. So, a customer is technically still paying a fee. The other
types of domain names that require a fee can be purchased separately without a
web hosting package. The prices for these start at $1.00 and go up from there.

When a person purchases a cheap domain name, the overall registration process
is the same as it would be for regularly-priced domains. This means that first
they would have to see if their domain name is available. To do this they must
enter in their desired domain name in a special text box, then select the
extension they want. If the domain name is available, they are free to purchase
it. If it is not available, they will have to choose another domain name. Cheap
domain name companies will offer suggestions on alternative domain names when
this scenario occurs.

Are there any downsides to using cheap domain names? Unfortunately, yes. If a
cheap domain name company is unscrupulous, a person may never receive a domain
name at all. What happens is the company tells the customer to wait a few days
for the domain name to become active. However, at the end of the timeframe, the
domain name still doesn't work. And since the company is unscrupulous anyway,
emailing customer service won't do anything.

How can a person ensure they don't encounter a fraudulent cheap domain name
company? First and foremost they need to check to see if it is registered with
the Better Business Bureau. This is an organization that ensures businesses are
operating in a legitimate manner. Secondly, they need to see if the company has
normal contact information, such as an address and a telephone number. Thirdly,
they should see if the company has a bad reputation on message board dedicated
to webmasters. Of course, one may not always get an opinion on a particular
company but if they do they will know to stay clear of it.

Yet, if a cheap domain name company is legitimate, there is no other
disadvantage to getting a discounted domain name. They work just like regularly
priced domain names, so if a person has one available to them they definitely
need to take advantage of it.

All About Mobile Domain Names

When the Internet first came out it was restricted to a wired connection to a
computer. Eventually technology improved, creating wireless Internet. At that
point the Internet could be accessible through desktops, laptops and mobile
devices without wiring. This means that the Internet was now portable. And as
more mobile devices are getting created, consumers are exploring how to
increase this portability. In fact, wireless Internet has gotten so popular
with mobile devices, domain name companies have created a new extension. It's
called .mobi.

.Mobi is the extension of choice for websites that are being formatted for cell
phones, pdas and other mobile devices. It can be bought from most major domain
name companies such as Godaddy or Network Solutions. As far as registering a
.mobi domain name, one would go through the same type of procedure that is
associated with traditional domain names. This involves first choosing a .mobi
domain name and seeing if it is available.

If it is not available, the domain name company will offer suggestions on what
a person can use. Either way, the customer will be given another chance to
select another .mobi domain name. Once they get one that is not taken, they can
proceed to purchase it. The contract will last one to two years, depending on
what they agreed upon with the domain name company. When the contract is up, a
person will have to renew their .mobi domain name if they want to continue to
keep it.

So, why would a webmaster decide to invest in a domain name that is restricted
to mobile devices? Well, it's mainly because they get an opportunity to center
in on a market that is relatively new. Since most webmasters or companies are
trying to take advantage of the .coms or the .nets, the .mobi has become
somewhat forgotten. This means that it is prime for search engine keywords that
would normally not be available for traditional domain names. It can also allow
a webmaster a branding opportunity for their company.

However, since a .mobi domain name means a webmaster is creating a website
specially designed for a mobile phone, it cannot have the types of frills that
it could have if it was being promoted on a computer. Good mobile websites need
to be mostly textual with very limited number of pics, (if any). Granted, plain
text is not fancy, but it doesn't require much loading time. Mobile phone sites
should also not be very large nor should they be created with frames or other
more complicated layouts.

A webmaster may also want to consider trying to divert the mobile website
visitor to a regular website. One way this can be done is by advertising the
domain name that is associated with a traditional website. But it must be made
clear that the site will only display appropriately on regular computers.
Another option is trying to capture the person's email address by offering them
something free, such as an e-book or low-cost merchandise.

When they sign up to the email subscription, their first newsletter could
advertise the traditional website a webmaster wants promoted. By doing either
of these options, webmasters can still take advantage of pay-per-clicks or
affiliate programs, revenue generators which may not be promoted on .mobi
websites due to viewing limitations with banner or text ads.




Yahoo Domain Names

Businesses are fooling themselves if they think they can continue to conduct
business without a website. This is because in today's age, having a website
makes many think a company is 'official.' But a website by itself doesn't mean
anything without a decent domain name. Granted, a company can try to cut costs
by using a free domain name or a third level domain name offered by free web
hosting companies, but visitors won't view their site as being genuine.

Long, complicated domain names are associated with affiliate marketing or even
scammers, so businesses need to try and stay away from them as much as
possible. The best solution involves getting a normal domain name from a
reputable domain name company. One of the best domain name companies around is
Yahoo Domain Names.

Yahoo Domain Names is a great alternative for individuals who do not know much
about domain names or website hosting. In fact, with Yahoo Domain Names, a
person can get a domain name free should they decide to buy one of their
hosting packages. The cheapest hosting package available is $11.95 a month plus
a startup fee of $25. With this along with any other Yahoo Domain Name hosting
package, webmasters get an online website builder. Basically, all they have to
do is enter in their information and the site is created for them instantly.

Another reason one should choose Yahoo Domain Names is because of their domain
name locking system. This helps prevent hijackers from stealing the domain
name. With Yahoo Domain Names, the process of domain name locking is as simple
as clicking a button. Webmasters can check to make sure their domain name has
been locked by looking up their Whois information. If it says Status:
Registrar-Lock, (which it will since Yahoo Domain Names was used), then they
can feel assured that their domain name is safe from unauthorized individuals.

Thirdly, Yahoo Domain Names offers private domain name registration. Without
private domain name registration anyone can find a webmaster's basic contact
information. This is because ICANN has designated that webmasters have their
contact info posted in a database that is accessible online. With Yahoo Domain
Names, a person can use Melbourne IT's contact information as their own. Any
inquires made to the ICANN for a webmaster's personal information will simply
point to Melbourne IT. This feature is essential in making sure a webmaster is
protected from spam email and even worse, identity theft.

Lastly, Yahoo Domain Names offers 24/7 technical support. Many webmasters
overlook the importance of tech support when managing their domain names, but
it is still important, especially if one is a newbie. This is because domain
names sometimes point to 404 error pages if something goes wrong. With 24/7
tech support, Yahoo Domain Name users can pinpoint what is exactly causing the
problem and get it fixed immediately.

In conclusion, if a company is having trouble deciding both where they should
get their web hosting and their domain name, they should consider Yahoo Domain
Names. Yahoo Domain Names is affordable, offers great features and most
importantly is trustworthy. Many other domain name companies may not even
deliver a domain name, but Yahoo Domain Names has too much of a reputation to
even think about doing such things.

Transferring Domain Names

In the olden days of the Internet, domain name registration was handled by
Network Solutions. However, after a while, the government decided that it
wasn't fair for one company to have sole control over the domain name market.
Therefore, it opened up the business to other companies. Since then hundreds of
domain name companies, ranging from sole proprietorships to corporate
enterprises have capitalized on a market that generates millions in revenue
each year. So, for webmasters, this means there's no shortage of companies to
choose from when they register their domain names.

Yet, what happens if they register with one domain name company, but decide
later they want it to be operated by another company? Fortunately, they can get
their wish through the process of domain name transferring. This is when a
webmaster gets another registrar to handle their domain name. All payments are
forwarded to the new registrar, as the old registrar is no longer in the
picture, (at least when it comes to the domain name). If the registrar is
handling a webmaster's hosting, they still need to make the necessary payments
to make sure their website stays in tact.

The actual process involved with a domain name transfer will depend on the
registrar a webmaster is working with. For instance, if they charge a payment
for domain name transfers, this fee must be received before anything can be
done officially. Otherwise, the process begins as soon as a webmaster makes a
request to do so. Some domain name registrars will require a webmaster to send
a notarized letter informing their intent to transfer. Others may allow the
request to be done online. Once the registrar authorizes the domain name
transfer, it will take 1 to 7 business days for the process to be completed.

Sometimes a domain name may not be transferable. This could be for a variety of
reasons such as legal issues with the domain name itself or the original domain
name registrar. An example of the former could be trademark problems. For the
latter such legal scenarios that could cause problems include bankruptcy and/or
issues with scamming. There is also a possibility that a domain name registrar
simply refuses to transfer the domain name.

How can a person prevent these types of problems? The best solution involves
reading any fine print the original domain name registrar offers. A person
should also check with the Better Business Bureau to make sure the domain name
registrar doesn't have any outstanding legal issues associated with it.

In conclusion, if a person wants to switch domain name companies, there is the
option of doing a domain name transfer. If it is successful, the domain name
will work as it originally did, with the only difference being who is managing
it. However, if a domain name cannot be transferred, a webmaster must stick
with the original registrar or consider a URL redirect service.

With a URL redirect service, the original domain name becomes masked by a new
domain name. It is not as good as an official domain name transfer, but it is
still better than nothing if transferring is not an option.

Third Level Domain Name

A domain name consists of three levels. The first level is the word or phrase
that makes up the initial domain name. The second part of the domain name is
the extension. Examples of common extensions include .com, .net or .org. The
third portion of the domain name, called a third level domain name is an
optional part. Like the first level domain name, it consists of a word or
phrase to describe whatever webpage it is pointing to. However, unlike the
first level domain name, a third level domain name cannot access a webpage by
itself; it must contain the first level domain as well as the extension in its
syntax.

Third level domain names are often used by free web hosting companies to help
create distinction among the websites of their customers. If third level domain
names weren't used, customers would have not be able to access their website in
a user-friendly way. Some third level domains may have the first level domain
word or phrase first. An example is Geocities, where a person would have to
include 'Geocities.com' before the third level domain name. Other third level
domain names may have the first level domain name last. This is the case with
Netfirms, where 'Netfirms.com' comes after the third level domain word or
phrase.

For customers third level domains come at no extra cost. This is in contrast to
getting a regular domain name which can range from $6.50 to $35 per year.
Additionally, it may take time before the domain name is active. This can be up
to 7 days, especially if one is transferring a domain name. Conversely, third
level domain names can be setup instantaneously.

However, third level domains are far from perfect. Since they require the first
level domain name as part of their syntax, they can be quite cumbersome for a
website visitor to remember. A person can pretty much forget about getting
traffic if they promote a third level domain name in various forms of offline
media, such as in circulars or on business cards. In these situations it
definitely behooves a webmaster to go on invest in a first level domain name of
their own.

So, does this mean third level domain names aren't worth anything to
webmasters? Well, if a webmaster uses hyperlink marketing, they can still find
value in a third level domain name. What is hyperlink marketing? It is simply
when a word or phrase is linked to a URL rather than the URL itself. It is
commonly used in emails, viral e-books and on websites themselves. A potential
visitor never even sees the third level domain name, since it is masked by a
hyperlinked word or phrase. And hopefully, they will like the site so much they
will bookmark it, rather than trying to remember the full URL.

In conclusion, third level domain names offer affordability to both web hosting
companies and their customers. They also offer convenience since there's no
waiting time associated with their setup. However, if they are used it's best
that they are hidden in hyperlinks, since most website visitors would prefer to
type in first level domain names.

Scam Domain Names

Do you think buying something as simple as a domain name means that industry is
free from scams? If you do think again, since everyday hundreds of people get
milked out of their money thinking they are going to get a perfect domain name.
Granted, fraudulent domain name companies haven't received as much press as
'work-at-home' companies or other businesses of that nature, but they are still
just as deviant. The two main ways a domain name company goes about scamming its
customers involves either selling the domain name at a ridiculously high price
and/or not delivering the domain name as promised.

The typical price of a domain name ranges from being 0 dollars to around $35.
However, if a domain name company is shady they could charge a price that is
much higher. This fee could range from $300 to over $2,000. And, unlike
legitimate web hosting companies that might charge such a fee, domain name
companies of a shady vein do not offer other services such as web hosting or
marketing assistance. Their sole sale is of the domain name.

The second way fraudulent domain name companies scam people is by not providing
a domain name at all. This happens a lot with so-called 'free' domain names, but
can also happen with paid ones of any price. The normal turnaround time for
domain name forwarding ranges from 1 to 7 days. If this timeframe has passed
and a customer has not received a domain name, they probably won't receive one.

What does a person do if they discovered they've been scammed? Well, if they
fall for the first scam where they pay hundreds for a domain name, they may not
be able to do much, if the company does indeed deliver the domain name. At most
they could try to get a refund, but this is a long shot since companies that
shady probably won't allow for such things.

On the other hand, if a domain name hasn't been delivered at all, a person can
first file a complaint with the Internet Crime Center, (also known as IC3).
This organization has a partnership with the FBI and the National White Collar
Crime Center. So, if they think a domain name company has acted in a fraudulent
manner, they could use these entities to help conduct criminal investigations
against them.

Next, the jilted party needs to consider filing a complaint with the Better
Business Bureau. Although this organization doesn't have as many
legal/governmental ties as the Internet Crime Center, it still has a lot of
power. This is because many people turn to the BBB before they decide to do
business with a company. By filing a complaint with them, a person that has
been scammed could protect others from undergoing these same difficulties.

Finally, there's the option of reporting the fraud to the credit card company
or payment processor. If a credit card company determines fraud has occurred,
webmasters will at least get their money back. If payment processors such as
Paypal think fraud has occurred, they will proceed with freezing the account of
the domain name company. When this happens they cannot do further business until
they clear up the discrepancy.

Misspelled Domain Names

When it comes to search engine keywords, there are some that are potential gold
mines that are being ignored. These are ones in which a word or phrase is
accidentally misspelled. Usually, the search engine will link to results that
contain the correct spelling, but it will still show any websites associated
with the misspelled keyword. If one of these websites catches the eye of a
surfer, they may visit it. This is why many webmasters will not only create
websites around misspelled keywords but also pay money to bid on them in
pay-per-click search engine advertisements.

But misspelled keywords can help in another venue of Internet marketing...
one's domain name. When a popular misspelled keyword is included in a domain
name, the search engine bots will be more likely to notice the website.
Granted, it won't get listed with the properly spelled keyword, but even
traffic from a misspelled keyword is better than nothing. A person will just
have to decide whether they want their website to be branded with a domain name
that has an improper spelling.

So, how exactly can a webmaster make such a determination when they are
deciding on their domain name? Well, first they need to look at what their
website is for. If they are just doing affiliate marketing or Adsense
promotion, it doesn't matter as much if their domain name is branded properly.
This is because they are not promoting their own business. However, if they are
using a website to promote a company, they will want to try to keep their domain
name as professional as possible.

Secondly, a webmaster needs to see if there is profitability in a misspelled
keyword. Even though a misspelled domain isn't as harmful to a webmaster
promoting affiliate sites, they don't necessarily want to make it a first
option, especially if the misspelled keyword in the domain name doesn't get
much traffic. To determine a misspelled keyword's profitability, a person can
look it up in a keyword analyzer. In fact, some paid keyword analyzers, (such
as Word Tracker), even have features where a person can see which specific
types of misspelled keywords are worth taking advantage of.

If a misspelled keyword fits both of these criteria, a webmaster may want to
consider putting it in their domain name. From there they will need to decide
if they want that keyword to be included in the content. If it is then there's
an even greater likelihood search engine bots will index the website according
to the misspelled keyword. However, if it's not there's still a chance that the
website could be indexed according to the correct keyword, though if this
ranking is low, it may not be a preferable option.

The webmaster will ultimately have to decide whether their content still looks
'professional' with the misspelled keyword. Some words, (such as mesothelioma),
are so hard to spell, that a person may not even notice improper versions of it.
If this happens they won't have any issues seeing it so many times in the
content, since they didn't really know how to spell it right themselves.

In conclusion, including a misspelled keyword in one's domain name could be an
excellent way to covertly get website traffic, at least if a webmaster knows
what he or she is doing. If they don't a misspelled domain name could cause a
person to think negatively about a website.

For this reason webmasters must take caution in which misspelled keywords they
choose for their domain names along with whether or not they continue to use it
in their content.

Making Money Selling Domain Names

Selling domain names can be quite profitable for webmasters. This is
particularly the case if the webmaster sells a domain name that has an existing
line of traffic. In these situations domain names can generate thousands of
dollars for their webmasters. There have even been domain name names that
allowed webmasters to collect millions in profit. With a little bit of basic
knowledge, you can emulate such success for yourself. This article will provide
that information through an easy to follow step-by-step guide.

First, you will need to find a search engine keyword that is highly searched
yet not used much by other websites. You can do this by using a keyword
analyzer. The best keyword analyzers are those that you pay for, such as Word
Tracker or Keyword Analyzer. The reason why these are preferable over free ones
is because they let you know how much competition you are facing with a
potential keyword. Free ones only tell you how much the keyword has been
searched. If money is a problem, try to get a paid keyword analyzer that is
offering a free sample, such as Word Tracker. You can upgrade to the paid
version once you return profit from the sale of your domain name.

With your keyword chosen, you will need to get a domain name and web hosting.
Why do you need web hosting if you're going to sell just the domain name? It's
because you're going to need a website to drive traffic to that domain name.
Without a website visitors won't want to return to whatever domain name you
selected. This lessens the main element that gives a domain name profitability:
traffic.

Anyway, try to get a package that will include both web hosting and a domain
name at the same time, since you won't have to worry about transferring
anything later. When you choose your domain name, make sure you include your
selected keyword in its phrasing. If you find that your selected keyword is
taken as a domain name, try making alterations like saying "a1", "123" or
"101." For example, say the keyword "Careers" is taken as a domain name. You
could say "A1 Careers," "Careers 123" or "Careers 101." Alternatively, you
could try searching for a related keyword that isn't taken as a domain name.
Either way, keep trying until you get a memorable yet keyword-rich domain name
that still has a .com extension.

Now, you will need to create a website for your domain name. It doesn't have to
be big... even a one-pager could do the trick, if you don't mind a website so
simple. Write an article related to the keyword you chose and create a simple
site using Microsoft Word, (make sure you save the document as an .HTML file).
Sign up for Adsense and/or an affiliate program, so you can offer additional
resources for your visitors. You will also earn a commission if a sale is made
or a clickthrough generated, (depending on the program you joined).

Once your website is uploaded, you need to focus on traffic-building. You can
get an initial boost by buying traffic, though make sure the company you buy
your traffic from uses expired domain names rather than bots or even incentive
traffic, (such as paid emails). But even after this you will need to try to
build up inbound links. These are websites that link to you. Post your site on
any free site, such as directories, message boards or online classified ads.
Also, make sure you submit articles to free article directories. Additionally,
try to initiate link exchanges. You can do this by emailing the webmaster or
finding link exchange networks such as Link Market.

Keep building up your links until you get a steady stream of traffic. If you
get enough traffic, you will get an Alexa rating. If the rating is pleasing,
find a domain name appraiser and see how much your domain name can go for. This
will give you some idea of how much you can realistically get, but don't get
discouraged if the number seems low. Why? It's because some people will care
more about the traffic your domain name is receiving over the supposed SEO
elements of it.

Either way, when you feel you are ready put your domain name up for auction.
You may even want to include your original website, though this is optional.
When the domain name sells, you will need to transfer it over to the new
webmaster's account... your web hosting company can help you with this.

With your profit you may want to consider doing the venture again with an
expired domain name. This will get you a traffic boost without having to go
through the actual process of traffic-building, (if you decide you don't want
to do that).

Local Marketing with Geodomains

A webmaster increases their chances of getting a high search engine listing by
including a popular keyword in their domain name. However, if a keyword is too
popular, including it in a domain name means nothing, even if the website it's
pointing to is also optimized. This is why most Internet marketing gurus
suggest that domain names as well as their corresponding websites use more
specific keywords that aren't as competitive. One of the best ways to do this
is to include keywords based on geography. When such a keyword is used in a
domain name, it is known as a geodomain.

Geodomains are highly used in the tourism industry. For example, if a person
visits Maryland.com, they will see a site that offers information on what a
tourist can do if they are planning a trip to Maryland. However, this should
not dissuade other markets from centering in on a geodomain. As long as a
product or service can be distributed outside of the webmaster's location, they
should not be afraid to use geodomains that target national or even
international audiences.

This is not to say that geodomain marketing isn't better for some industries
than it is for others. Why? It's because the areas that people live in have
their own cultural and sociological needs. Even if one markets in their own
country, people living in one state or province may not have as much of a
demand for a particular product or service. For example, consider a website
that is marketing private boats. If they use a geodomain that encompasses an
area that is lower-income, naturally, their efforts won't result in many sales.
This is why it's very important that webmasters investigate the general
characteristics associated with the location they would like to create a
geodomain for.

So, how can a person find a geodomain name? Well, chances are state-based or
country-based geodomains are taken at least for the most common domain name
extensions. If they can't get these types of geodomains with lesser known
extensions, they can consider combining a geographical term with something else
or look for a more specific geodomain. When looking for something more specific,
webmasters will need to consider making geodomains based off of cities, counties
and even popular neighborhoods. They need to do this both for their own country
and for other countries, provided that their website can meet the needs of an
international audience.

In conclusion, a geodomain can be a good method for marketing, if a webmaster
doesn't mind trying to appeal to a local audience. Research will still be
required to make sure a geodomain properly fits what is being promoted, but
overall a webmaster will find that with the right geodomain, they will be able
to generate more sales with less advertising expenses.

This is because the keywords used in geodomains are not highly focused on in
the Internet marketing world, especially those that are very specific. And when
this scenario happens, a website has a greater chance of ranking higher in
search engine listings.

Is the .Com Overrated?

When it comes to domain name extensions, most people are familiar with .com.
Because of this the average webmaster is scrambling to get the perfect .com
domain name. Some may even forego registering a potential goldmine of a domain
name in favor of getting a less popular .com. Yet, there are dozens of other
domain names available, some of which have gained popularity despite not being
a .com. How can a webmaster determine if their site is going to be in such a
league without the traditional .com? This article will explain how.

First, a webmaster needs to evaluate the purpose of their website. If their
website is designed to simply direct people to an affiliate page, then it won't
really matter what extension it has, since they are only going to visit it once
anyway.
However, if a website is designed for repeat visits, people may not care about
the site not having a .com. Sites that contain updated information, games and
message boards tend to be the type of sites that get repeat visitors.

Secondly, webmasters need to consider the memorable nature of their domain
name. If a webmaster is able to create a witty domain name hack, such as
del.icio.us, and their content is good, it may not matter that they don't have
a .com. A good site that can allow a webmaster to register unconventional
domain name extensions is New.net. This site offers extensions such as .love
and .free. By looking at these extensions, webmasters can start pondering ideas
for their own domain name hacks. If they need help, they can always type the
word or letters used in the extension in a keyword analyzer or search engine.

Thirdly, webmasters need to determine whether or not a domain name with an
unconventional extension will rank higher in search engines than a domain name
with a traditional one. In fact, consider the above-mentioned example of
del.icio.us. Honestly, how many people are typing such a domain name in their
browser? While it is certainly memorable, all of the periods associated with it
are annoying. Yet, the site still has a high search engine ranking, which is
probably how it's getting its traffic.

Surfers visit it from the search engine, bookmark it and never again have to be
associated with its unique URL. This is the type of success a webmaster wants to
emulate. Indeed, if a domain name is keyword-rich and memorable, webmasters need
to definitely go for whatever extension is available for it.

Of course, this is not to say that a person must be limited to just domain
name. If they want to still use .coms after using other extensions they can. In
fact, the more domain names that point to a site, the more likely a search
engine bot will index it higher. So, ultimately, with this strategy, webmasters
will have two domain names they can work with. They can use the one with the
unconventional domain name in search engine marketing in hopes of getting
indexed high, while the other one can be used in printed media, where people
are more likely to be concerned with the type of URL they are entering in their
browser.

Internationalized Domain Names and Homograph Attacks

With normal spoofing a scammer tries to get personal information by sending
fraudulent emails masquerading as an official website an individual might be
working with. While some fall for the deception, many know better since the
domain name in the email doesn't resemble the domain name they usually use to
access whatever site. However, what happens if a domain name looks exactly like
an official website?

This, in combination with a more 'professional' email, could trick someone into
giving away all of their personal data. And when this happens they will
eventually become victims of identity theft. But, how can a scammer acquire a
domain name that looks official? It's through the unfortunate practice of the
homograph attack.

What is a homograph attack? A homograph attack is when a person makes an
internationalized domain name, (also known as an IDN), look like a traditional
domain name associated with a popular website. They are able to do this because
of the way internationalized domain names work. Basically, internationalized
domain systems use a different type of coding system than the ASCII-based
domain names Americans are used to.

However, even with a different coding system, some languages have characters
that look similar to characters used in American English. Scammers exploit this
by taking these letters and creating domain names that look 'new' to browsers
and servers, at least in terms of coding. To the human eye, these fraudulent
domain names appear to already be taken, which is exactly what a scammer wants.
They cause further confusion by creating sites that look pretty much like the
sites associated with the original domain name that the scammers are spoofing.

Before and even after internationalized domain names became popular, homograph
attacks were expressed through spoofing just English characters. Scammers
exploited the visual similarities between 'O' and '0' or 'I' and 'l'. Examples
include 'G00Gle.com or 'PayPaI.com.' If a person is not paying attention, they
could still become victims, but at least these types of domain names still look
unusual. With internationalized domain name homograph attacks, the
above-mentioned websites could look just as they are supposed to, fooling even
the most vigilant Internet user.

So, how can a person prevent becoming a victim of an internationalized domain
name homograph attack? First, they should never click on any domain name that
is given through an email. Instead, they should enter the domain name manually
into their browser. In situations where one is working with a third-level
domain that could be harder to remember, Internet users need to copy and paste
the domain name into Notepad. This program will help them determine what
character set and coding is being used for the domain name. If it's not English
and ASCII, a person should be weary.

In conclusion, internationalized domain name homograph attacks can cause a lot
of havoc for Internet users. However, Internet users should find comfort in the
fact that while they do need to be aware of the presence of the homograph
attack, the traditional method of spoofing which is much easier to spot tends
to be more common. This is because a person must be both clever and lucky to
land an internationalized domain name that looks that much like a domain name
that is already in use. It's much easier for scammers to try and fool people
through email hyperlinks.

Hyphenated Domain Names

You think of a perfect domain name. It contains a keyword that is found in
search engines, has no trademark issues and is memorable for website visitors.
You try to register your domain name with a domain name company. It appears to
be taken. So, you put a hyphen in it. That version of your domain name is not
taken, but should you go on and invest in it? This article will explore what
webmasters need to consider if they are deciding to use hyphenated domain names.

First, they need to think about their website visitors. Most people are not
accustomed to using hyphenated domain names. Even if they like a website, it
may be simply a matter of forgetting to include the hyphen. If this happens
then the unhyphenated version of the domain name will be what receives traffic,
which is definitely not what a webmaster wants. Of course, if a domain name is
not hyphenated in the first place, then such an issue would never arise.

However, a hyphenated domain name that is keyword-rich has a higher chance of
getting a good ranking from a search engine than a non-hyphenated domain that
is not SEO optimized. A higher search engine ranking might outweigh the initial
disadvantage of how inconvenient a hyphenated domain name is. This is because if
a website has a high search engine ranking, people won't need to type in the
domain name in order to access it. They can simply click on the listing given
in search engine results. And if they like the site, they will bookmark it, an
action that is preferable, since it shows they are really interested in what
the site has to offer.

Webmasters should also consider whether or not their domain name is more
understandable if they use a hyphen. Consider the unusual domain name
molestationnursery.com. This is actually in reference to a website that talks
about mole nurseries, not molestation. Yet, what will most website visitors
think if they saw the domain name in that manner? Including hyphens can make
such a website much clearer.

It would also be better for SEO, since search engines would index
mole-station-nursery.com with keywords related to moles.

So, basically, there are advantages and disadvantages to using hyphenated
domain names. If a webmaster thinks their domain name is going to bring them a
lot of search engine traffic, they should go for it. And in some cases, a
hyphenated domain name is necessary to make its meaning easier to understand.

Otherwise, webmasters should try their best to create non-hyphenated domain
names, since these are the types of domain names that rule the Internet world.
If they are having trouble coming up with a better domain name, they can
consider using a domain name generator. Many domain name companies provide
rudimentary domain name generators if a selected domain name gets turned down.
Webmasters don't have to settle for these type though, since there are more
sophisticated domain name generators that can offer even more suggestions.

Get Traffic with Expired Domain Names

One of the greatest difficulties in being a new webmaster is trying to acquire
traffic. This is because trying to build legitimate traffic requires both time
and money. How is this so? Well, if a webmaster is trying to obtain traffic
through search engines, they will need to spend a great deal of time with
link-building and content creation. If they are trying to get traffic through a
pay-per-click program, they will have to invest hundreds to thousands of dollars
if they want to take advantage of a high-performance keyword. However, there is
another alternative that can allow a webmaster to get tons of traffic without
having to invest too much in time or money. It involves purchasing expired
domain names.

What is an expired domain name? An expired domain name is a domain name that
never got renewed by its owner. This could be for a variety of reasons such as
disinterest in the original website, lack of funds or something more serious,
such as an owner's death. Whatever the reason when the renewal fees aren't
paid, the expired domain name sits out in cyberspace still functioning as any
other domain name. There is just one difference... an expired domain name
doesn't have a website attached to it, so it instead points to a 404 error page.

Indeed, it is a waste of traffic when an expired domain name points to a 404
web page. Many domain name companies have realized this, which is why quite a
few sell expired domain names either through a regular, upfront sale or through
an expired domain name auction. The prices for these domain names can range from
less than $100 to over $1 million. Some of these sales may even include a
website.

So, how does a webmaster know if an expired domain name is worth buying? First,
they need to check to see the Google page rank of an expired domain name. To do
this they need to download Google's toolbar and then type in the URL of the
expired domain name. The toolbar will then let them know what the page rank is.
If the page rank indicator is gray, the expired domain name must be avoided
since this means the site has been banned by Google. Otherwise, it should be
okay, though webmasters should also take into consideration the actual number
associated with the page rank. If the number is between 6 and 10, they should
strongly consider buying the expired domain name. Secondly, webmasters need to
find out the Alexa rating of an expired domain name. The Alexa rating
determines how much traffic has actually gone to a domain name. If a website
has not received a significant amount of traffic, it will not have an Alexa
rating. To determine the Alexa rating for an expired domain name, webmasters
need to visit Alexa.com.

Finally, webmasters need to see how many websites are linking to the expired
domain name. To do this they need to put the command link: followed by the URL
of the expired domain name into a search engine. If a lot of links are
returned, this is a sign that the traffic coming to the expired domain name
originated from legitimate sources.

Free Domain Names

Without a domain name, a person does not have a suitable way to find a website.
The only problem is domain names cost money. Granted, if a person is operating
one or two sites, the cost of a domain name, (which ranges from $1.00 to $35),
probably isn't too steep. However, what if one is an avid marketer, making
profit from hundreds of sites? Even the minimum in domain name fees can add up.
This is why Internet marketing gurus might want to consider signing up for free
domain names. Three types of free domain name exist: third level domain names,
first level domain names with lesser used extensions and first level domain
names with traditional extensions.

The first type of free domain name is known as a third level domain name. This
is a domain name that is commonly distributed by free web hosting companies or
affiliate programs. Yet, there is a downside to this type of domain name. This
downside involves the first level domain name, (usually the company's name),
having to be a part of the third level domain name. For example, consider a
website created with Geocities.

If a webmaster chooses 'web hosting' as their third level domain name, the
following would be the syntax: Geocities.com/webhosting. Such a domain name is
not very convenient for potential visitors, so webmasters may want to consider
redirecting these types of URLs to other versions of free domain names.

The second type of free domain name is a first level domain name that contains
an extension that is not as popular in the Internet world. Examples are the
types of free domain names offered by Dot.tk or Free Domain.co. The extensions
offered from these companies are .tk and .co.nr, respectively. These are far
from a .com or a .net, but they are not as cumbersome to use as a third level
domain name. The main key is going to be making sure the initial domain name is
short and easy to remember, so potential visitors won't be as offset by the
unusual extension.

Finally, there are free domain names with extensions that are more commonly
used such as .com or .org. To find these a person has to do some sleuthing.
Sometimes individuals will offer them for free, since they were about to expire
anyway. A person can try to find these situations through message boards
dedicated to webmasters. Other times companies will offer these types of free
domain names because they are getting free ad space. What happens is every time
the free domain name is used, a pop-up ad will show up on the person's website.
This is how the free domain name company gets their revenue.

In conclusion, free domain names can be an excellent alternative for someone
needing domains for several websites. The best ones are those in which a person
can get a first level domain, though a third level domain name is better than
nothing.

To sign up for a free domain name, one can search for free domain name
companies on the Internet.


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