What I do when I want to start a new site and I am trying to find a domain name is I sit down and write down what keyword in that particular niche I like. Once I know what keyword I want in my domain name, I write down whatever I can that relates to that keyword. So, if I wanted to make a mafia site, I would write down: mafia.com, italianmafia.com, gangstermafia.com, etc. Basically, I want to think up every last thing I can so I can increase my chances of getting a domain name.

But, what do you do if your domain name that you absolutely love is taken or you just can’t think up something? If the former is your problem, you can always contact the person who owns the domain name and say, “Hey, I am interested in buying the domain name.” You may just find that you are able to get a good deal because people don’t even remember owning the domain name or they just want to get rid of it because it might not be making the money they had intentionally expected to make from it while it was parked.

If the altter is your problem, I suggest checking out a domain name suggestion tool. If you plug in a keyword, they will tell you what domain names they suggest and then there is the many different endings. I suggest .com, but if you have to get something else, stick to .net. I don’t like anything else and for some reason, I lose repsect with .info sites. But, get whatever fits your budget.

There are a ton of other tricks out there to getting other good domain names, but for now, just stick to finding that keyword you like. In the future, I am going to write about how to create a brand around your domain name and give you a bit of a secret about our own domain name. Stay tuned!

It cuts marketing costs.

A memorable, highly targeted and keyword rich domain name from the secondary market gets more free, organic search engine traffic. As a result, you spend less money to build traffic than by purchasing often-costly keyword search buys or print advertising.

It builds your brand.

Owning domains related to the products and services you offer sends a strong and consistent message to your customers that you are the leader in your space. A photographer, for example, could own domains related to cameras, weddings and portraits.

It cuts your competition.

Owning several domains prevents lost traffic and allows you to cut short the reach of your competition.

It gives you global reach.

Although the “dot com” is the most common (and valuable) extension, opportunities still exist to purchase variations, such as country-specific domains like .co.uk, .it, .de, .hk and so on. These have extensive recognition in their region and dramatically increase your global reach.

It builds a valuable portfolio of assets.

Like fine wines, domain names appreciate in value over time, thanks to the navigation traffic they acquire from prominent search engine positioning. By acquiring and using multiple premium domain names, you create a number of well-known and recognized secondary brand triggers associated with your business.