If you haven't seen the SNL skit "clownpenis.fart," check it out on youtube. As anyone who's done a domain name search knows, it's funny because it's true. Trying to find a name that hasn't been taken can be very frustrating.

You can spend hours, days, weeks or more coming up with the perfect name for your business. And when you do, your search has only begun. You can then spend hours, days or weeks trying to find a similar name that's available online. That's where a lot of folks get into trouble.

If your domain name is hard to spell, contains lots of words, or requires underscores to make it work - keep looking.
Like it or not, when most people try to find someone's website, they''ll usually give it a few tries before giving up. Unless you've got a million dollar ad budget to remind people, they may not remember you spelled the word "blue" with two o's. Or that your domain name is cookiesfreak, when your store name is cookiefreak without an "s".

Some people look at companies like google, yahoo or amazon, and think it's a good idea to choose a wacky name. But before you register, consider how appropriate it is for your business. If it's a construction firm, ickystuff.com probably isn't the way to go.

Not everyone can get their first choice, or even their fortieth. In the end, creativity usually finds a way. Just keep a few things in mind before you commit:

Simpler is better.
Memorable is great, as long as it fits with your culture. Consider your audience. Ask potential customers what they think.
If the shoe fits, go ahead.
Don't use a variation of your company name. It's too confusing.
Finally, don't use a name that's too similar to your competition. It will only end up backfiring by sending more traffic their
way if your website's not up to scratch.

Learn more about this author, Sophie London.
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