subject: Buying Domain Names - The Case Against Free Domains [print this page] Buying Domain Names - The Case Against Free Domains
Who doesn't like free? When it comes to online business, wouldn't you like to own the domain of your choice for free? Do you know that there are certain extensions such as .tk that offer free domains? Yes, for no cost, you can register any name in the .tk extension. But before you jump out of your seat and head over to the .tk (Turkey) registry, take a moment to consider the cost of free.
Your business requires a domain name to have a presence online. I think this much should be clear to you if you are reading this article. However, not all domains are created alike. There is a certain hierarchy. The .com extension is easily more marketable and desireable than the .org version, while a top keyword such as "Used Cars" would be a million times better than "Best Used Cars Online". But these top keywords are usually already taken and cost a fortune. Same for the .com version of most popular keywords.
So you have three choices it seems: pay through your teeth for a top domain in a top extension, or settle for a secondary keyword in a secondary extension (and pay a nominal registration fee), or go free with a domain in an obscure extension such as .tk. Which option should you pick?
The answer is: none of the above. Spending 50,000 on a domain is a waste of resources in most cases. So is settling for a low quality name in a low quality extension. Free names sound great but the fact of the matter is that most free extensions have been so abused by hackers and spammers that nobody - neither your customers, nor the search engines will take you seriously. If you are serious about your online potential, you will have to shell out some money, even if it is the nominal $10 registration cost of a free to register name.
What you should ideally do is settle on a list of keywords, then go about finding alternatives of the same. If your keyword is "Atlanta Plumber", why not add an additional keyword such as 'best', 'top', or even add the state (Georgia) to the domain? You'll find that these alternatives are usually available. You can go further and come up with something completely unrelated to the keyword which nonetheless gets your brand image across (ex: PipesAndPlumbers.com, etc.).
You don't have to settle for a secondary domain in a secondary extension. Nor should you ever use a free name in an extension routinely associated with spammers. You shouldn't have to shell out half your marketing budget on a name either. Just be creative and resourceful, and you will come up with plenty of names that are cheap, yet effective.
