Question
I'm setting up a Web site for my hearing care practice. Any advice about domain names?
Answer
Great question. Whether you are just setting up your Web site, or even if you don't have a Web site yet, you need to register your domain name. The first person to register a domain name gets to keep it (kind of like that old saying, "finders keepers, losers weepers"). As you may know, some people have been rapidly buying up domain names. Choose a domain name that is not too long, so you'd want to avoid something like "www.Dybalaaudiologyandhearingaidcompanyservingyousince1959.com"
Try and make it short, concise and easy to remember. The registrar that is the most popular and the largest is godaddy.com;that's the one I use. It's inexpensive, approximately $20 per year, and you don't even need to have a Web site to register a domain name. You go in, do a search for your preferred domain name on their site, and see if it's available. If it is available, you can simply enter your credit card information on the site and purchase it. What's key is that now you own the domain name, and your domain name always points to your Web site. So, for example, if you currently use a Web service, and decide to switch to a new Web service, you can simply point your domain name to the new location. It's kind of like owning your phone number - you can generally keep the same number if you move to a new location.
Good luck with your Web site - I hope this helps!
This Ask the Expert question is from the recorded course, Convert and Connect: Making the Web Work for Your Practice, which can be found in the AudiologyOnline course library: www.audiologyonline.com/ceus/recordedcoursedetails.asp?class_id=13556
Dr. Paul Dybala, Ph.D. is the President and Editor of Audiology Online (www.audiologyonline.com), the world leader in online hearing health education and information.
