One thing you will have to learn about as you look for a web hosting provider is domain names. A domain name generally refers to what we all think of as an “internet address.” For example, www.google.com is a domain name. If you plan to have an online business or other high traffic site, you’ll find a domain name for it, go through the domain registration process, and that domain name will be connected to your site until you either let the domain registration lapse or change it.

You’ve no doubt noticed that there are “good” domain names and there are “bad” domain names. In general, the good domain names are the ones that are short, easy to spell, and easy to remember. The bad domain names are too long, hard to spell, or difficult to remember. One-word domain names are preferred, but it is getting harder to find one-word domain names that haven’t already been used. Two-word domain names can work well, as long as they’re two easy to spell and remember words that don’t form any unfortunate within them when combined. For example, is therapist.com about “therapists” or about “the rapists”?

Your web hosting provider will often be the ones who take care of your domain registration, and they may be able to advise you on the desirability of your preferred domain names. In addition to having names that are considered desirable, your website should also have a domain extension that’s considered desirable. The domain suffix that springs to mind for most people is “.com” because it has been associated with commercial sites for so long. Other so-called “top level” domains include .co.uk, .org, .edu, and to some extent, .net.

You may find during the domain registration process that the name you want is available, but not with the extension you want. In other words, yourbestdomainname.com might not be available, but yourbestdomainname.org might be. It can be a tough decision to make: change the first part of the domain name in order to capture the coveted “.com” extension, or keep the first part of the name but use a different suffix.

There are also second level domains that are considered as less desirable than the top level names. These are extensions like .biz that haven’t been used all that much yet. Supposed you discover that the domain you want is available, but only with the .biz suffix. Should you go ahead and pounce and tell your web hosting provider to grab it for you?

Maybe not.

The problem is, if the “.com” version of the name is taken, there is a very good chance that whoever has it has trademarked it. That not only means that you can’t use the .com version, it may mean that you aren’t allowed to use the .biz version either. If your domain with the .biz suffix could be considered deceptive, as if you’re trying to use their name to siphon off their traffic to your site, then they can take legal action against you. It may be a simple cease and desist letter, or it could be a lawsuit, but in any case, it will mean wasted time and money for you.

Your best bet is, possibly even before hiring a web hosting provider, you should do some domain name research. List some of the possibilities, then go to the U.S. Trade and Patent Office website and conduct a search for trademarked sites. If you cannot find a trademark registered to a name you want, the next step is to see if it is available. Be careful. There are unscrupulous sites that will pretend to help you research a domain name, and if you find one unregistered that you like, and don’t immediately register it, they will register it themselves and hold it hostage for several hundred dollars to find out how badly you want it if you change your mind later.

So be ready to pounce if the name you want isn’t already trademarked and isn’t already registered. Domain registration isn’t that expensive, so sometimes it’s worth taking a chance on both if you have two that you can’t decide between, for instance.

The domain registration process simply registers the available name that you want. It doesn’t do a trademark search on it. So when you’re ready to pick out a web hosting provider for your new website, do some research on trademarks, top level domains, and second level domains before you proceed. It could save you some big trouble down the road.

I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can!: Zen and the Art of Staying Sane in Hollywood

He's one of the most ubiquitous men on television. Certainly the most calm, cool, and collected—the king of "off the cuff." And no one throws to a commercial better. Yes, Tom Bergeron is a Hollywood staple, and the role for which he is best known is . . . well . . . himself. But while he's a comforting presence to millions of people, cultivating this seemingly unshakeable positive outlook and cool persona took as much motivation, inspiration, perseverance, and experience as it would take one to prepare a classic part for the stage. I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can! is the trying, often laugh-out-loud journey it took to get to himself.

Tom got into the world of entertainment by way of local radio at age seventeen, hosting what his first boss told him was and should be a "no-personality station." He said, "Tommy, just play the records and read the commercials." But the sit-down-and-shut-up attitude belied Tom's natural inclination to inject personality and a little pluck into his broadcasts. So, Tom sought other performance opportunities on radio, in improvisational theater, and even as a mime (yes, a mime), which would help him hone the expressiveness that seems to come so naturally to his presentation. His determination would result in a high-profile hosting gig on the iconic game show Hollywood Squares and guest-hosting appearances on ABC's Good Morning America and CBS's Early Show. But as is sometimes the case with enthusiastic dynamos like Tom, he had an explosive temper that he admits had the potential to derail his dreams of being not only a successful broadcaster but also a successful husband, father, and friend. How to cope? "I meditated my temper into submission," says Tom with his trademark sense of humor. In I'm Hosting as Fast as I Can!, Tom elaborates on the process by which he is able to sit calmly and patiently, without being distracted, at any time, no matter how hectic, as well as respond quickly (and hilariously) when Marie Osmond faints at his feet on live TV. Haven't seen it? Check it out on YouTube. The man is always in control.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 19th, 2010 at 2:46 am and is filed under Domain Names. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.