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Domain Name Lookup Tips
Reverse It with Reverse Domain Name Lookup
When a visitor comes to your website, their visit is logged with information that allows you to perform a reverse domain name lookup (your PC should be equipped with a small program called "ping" that is accessible from the dos prompt).
If you type in "ping www.excellentoffer.com", you'll find that it will return information including the IP. In the case of web logs, you will have the IP, and, by typing in "ping -a " (where IP ADDRESS is the actual numeric IP), you can reverse lookup the domain name of the provider that person came from.
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Free Lookups…Step Right Up!
You can always get you what you want (or at least close to what you want). Almost every domain registration service offers a domain name search. Using a search, you can check for the availability of any given domain name with an assortment of extensions (such as .info, .net, .org and, of course, .com).
*If your selected name is taken, you will usually receive a list of available domain name alternatives, so getting a targeted name is a snap.
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What's in a Name?
The long or short of it is that your domain name doesn't have to be short. A common misconception when deciding on an available domain name is that brevity is key. Guess what, that's not always the case. Did you know that your domain name can be up to 67 characters long?
The best domain name is one that people can easily commit to memory. So, if your company name is Dynamite Wacky Widgets and Goofy Gadgets, instead of opting to name the domain something obscure like DWWGG.com why not go all out and name it DynamiteWackyWidgetsAndGoofyGadgets.com? The actual name is probably going to be a lot more memorable.
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Get Your Domain Name, But Find It First
Going to any domain registration agency will allow you to search for an available domain name. The real trick, however, is coming up with an option that both suits your business and is available.
If a domain name is taken under .com, that does not necessarily mean that it is also taken under .net or .org. Think synonyms (thesaurus lookups will help). For example, if your business is cable equipment, you may be able to find a name with cable, cable-TV, cable-television or other similar names. Don't panic if your names appear taken...finding the right domain name takes time.
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WhoIs That Looking Me Up Online?
Whois provides a domain name lookup directory listing of who owns a domain and whom to contact if necessary. If you use Whois domain lookup, you will find the date the domain was purchased, the expiration of the registration, the owner contact information both on and offline, and a phone number.
Don't be in the dark about who you're dealing with when information is so readily available.
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Just Like Everything Else, Use A Search Engine.
A cool trick to find available domain name choices is to use a domain name search engine.
*Places such as namedroppers.com have daily updates of available domains that have been abandoned, available domain name ideas you may wish to purchase, and suggestions generated by their database (this is definitely a handy tool to help narrow the domain field).
