Business mentor: What's in a name? Well, the fate of your company for a start

Q:How do I find the right web address for my business?

A: Consultant Philip Zohrab* replies:

The first thing anyone notices about a website is the domain name, address or URL.

The domain name you choose is the most important first step to building an internet identity.

Even before a website is contemplated, it is wise to reserve a domain name.

An email address such as me@mycompany.co.nz is easier for customers to remember than mycompany@xtra.co.nz

Most New Zealand companies have a domain name that ends in .nz

The .nz indicates that the website is New Zealand-based or New Zealand-focused.

More than 21 million website addresses end in .com (hence the dot-com boom and bust), making it the most popular generic top level domain. It started as a US-specific code, but has become the de facto code for global websites.

New top level domains such as .biz and .info have recently come into play. Only 640,000 .biz addresses have been registered and there are millions of good names still available.

For New Zealand companies, the question of whether to choose a country specific name (ending in .nz) or a global domain (such as .com or .biz) comes down to the nature of their business.

If marketing to an exclusively New Zealand audience, or specifically New Zealand products, services or information, it makes sense to use a .nz address.

Some New Zealand search engines will show results only of websites with a .nz address: if you want to ensure your website is found locally, choose a .nz address.

Some people can identify country-specific addresses at a glance. But you should assume that not all Americans, for example, know that .nz is New Zealand and that we are an English-speaking country with much to offer them.

Companies with an eye on the international market tend to choose .com or .biz. It is possible to have multiple domain names for a single website, for example www.delegats.co.nz and www.delegatwines.com

Marketing is also a factor. If print or television is used, a memorable name is needed.

Some companies use their name, some their product name, and others a description of what they do.

Scientific Technology & Ecology uses www.beevenom.co.nz rather than its company name to market its identity online.

Search engine marketing is another factor. On some search engines, keywords in the domain name can help improve the overall ranking.

This is why you come across domain names such as www.queenstown-holiday-accommodation.com.

International domain names cost as little as $15 to register for a year. New Zealand domain names start at $40. You can search for and register available names online at websites like www.freeparking.co.nz or www.interspeed.co.nz.

Your ISP, web designer, or web host can also register a domain name on your behalf.

* Philip Zohrab is a consultant with the Web Medic website redesign and marketing agency

Email: phil@webmedic.co.nz

* Send Mentor questions to: ellen_read@nzherald.co.nz. Answers will be provided by Business in the Community's Business Mentor Programme.