Your domain name is the online version of you, and whether you’re looking to establish an online version of you, your magazine, your non-profit, or your brand, it’s important that you consider a few things when contemplating domain name registrations. Whether you plan to buy a domain at NetworkSolutions.com today, or you’re still in the planning process, the following tips will help you in choosing a domain name and getting it registered and set up on your hosting space:

Go for the top three TLDs.

TLD, which is short for top level domain, is in reference to the extension of a domain name – the bit that comes after the domain name and the period. .com, .net, and .org are the top three TLDs, with .com being the most popular, but followed closely by .net and .org. If you’re serious about setting up your brand online, then you’ll want the .com first and foremost, but you’ll also want to register the .net and .org variations, too. By having all three, you’ll not only make certain that visitors will find you, but you’ll rank better in search engine listings, too.

Go for short & catchy.

Use as few characters as possible, and whenever possible, avoid articles like “a”, “of”, and “the”. These can be confused for one another or incorrectly swapped for the plural versions, which can lead your visitors nowhere. Try to be concise with your domain name wording. This is especially important if you want to be consistent with names and identities across domains and social networks. jennsellsjugs.com will work nicely as “jennsellsjugs” on Facebook and Twitter, whereas “jennsellshomemadejugs.com” is a little on the lengthy side, and thus might have to be shortened for social media usage.

Optimize & Advertise.

Use SEO tools or the skills of an online marketer to make sure your site is up to the standards of Google, Bing, Yahoo, and other search engines. Optimization includes using clean, validated code, implementing relevant keywords and relevant, uniquely written content, and using your content consistently throughout your domain. Advertising can be done in a multitude of ways that include promoting your site on your social media profiles (and vice versa), and spreading the word about it via business cards and even word-of-mouth advertising.