Choosing the right domain name for your website

If you’re looking at starting a website from scratch and already have an idea of the community you’re going to be targeting the website at then you’re in a wonderful position of being able to find a domain name that suits before you launch your website.There are a few different schools of thought on what to do when picking the right domain name for your website however here are my suggestions, some will be obvious but it’s worth getting the obvious points lined up in a row to make sure you’re covering all the main questions you should ask yourself;

Is this domain relevant to my community?

Picking the right domain name from scratch is something some people worry about a lot while others just don’t put that much value on the domain itself but are more interested in the content and traffic.Coming somewhere between these two opposites is a solid approach. Try and find something that your community will immediately recognise is something they would be interested in. Having keywords that you’re targeting for SEO in the domain is good but shorter domains are easier to type in for repeat visits so the decision becomes a pay-off between those two factors.If you’re hoping to have people type the domain directly into their browser at some point, try to steer clear of using hyphens “-” and never use abbreviations.Overall, you have to be comfortable with the domain name yourself as it’s going to epitomise your website’s front to the world.

Would a localised domain be better to target my community?

For example in New Zealand it’s a good idea to be using a .co.nz however if you’re targeting Australia the best option is a .com.au. While there are exceptions to the rule in every case, localisation is a good idea.

Is there a domain I could purchase that would be worthwhile?

Generally I would not suggest purchasing a domain to build a website on as there are still plenty available (particularly local .co.nz domains) that will be relevant to your users that will not cost you more than standard registration.One situation where this may be useful is if there is a live website already that has been around for some time building content and links from a community that matches your new venture. If you can find a site for sale such as this (rare but worth looking into) you’d be best to work through a domain brokerage service such as sedo as there are more than a few dodgy domain sellers out there who will promise the world and not deliver.

Have I asked some other people for their opinions and/or ideas on the domain I’m thinking of registering?

Feedback from people who are likely to use the website (or at least other people in the industry) is invaluable. Someone else may see something in the domain that you didn’t see which has happened is some rather embarrasing corporate blunders in the past!

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Guest Article: Learn Affiliate Marketing 101

After discussing affiliate marketing and the difficulties people have with finding basic information on the internet recently with another affiliate marketer he decided to write a piece specifically for AffiliatePrograms.co.nz that might help new affiliates with find answers to the basic questions;

Learn Affiliate Marketing 101
Affiliate marketing is a great way to earn money from your website by providing links driving traffic to other sites (the “merchants”). It is common to work through affiliate networks, who oversee the relationship between affiliate and merchant. There is a huge amount of information available on affiliate marketing for those who want to participate, it is really just a matter of gathering as much information as possible and then going for it. But how do you get started?

Learning on the job
Formal training isn’t necessary to get into affiliate marketing. It is straightforward to start out and you can learn as you go along. The first step is to set up your own website, including purchasing your own domain name and organising hosting. Adding content to your site is next and will affect your affiliate marketing options. Something that can be regularly updated, can acquire high levels of traffic and lends itself to merchandising will obviously be more profitable. However, you should aim to add high quality content regularly, to maintain traffic to the site and optimise the site for search engines, so it is worth choosing a topic close to your heart! The next step is to sign up with an affiliate network. Depending on your content you may choose to go for a regional network or a more international one. You then start adding relevant links to your site. It is helpful at this stage to read up on the numerous affiliate marketing blogs and forums to get initial advice and tips on what works best. It is also a good idea to use a website analytics program to monitor and improve your site.

Courses available
If you want to gain some more in depth training in affiliate marketing there are many options. Online training courses are readily available and for these you don’t even have to leave your house! For something which is accredited and includes face-to-face tuition then marketing or e-marketing organisations in your area usually run day courses specifically focused on affiliate marketing. For those who know the basics and wish to develop their skills further, a good option is an affiliate marketing conference or expo. Here, alongside a program of expert speakers, each offering tips and advice on how to get the most out of affiliate marketing, you can mingle with other affiliates, merchants and networks in the exhibit hall. These events are a great way to learn from other like-minded individuals and make contacts for future work.

Keeping up to date
To learn affiliate marketing and continue to develop your skills it is important to keep up to date with current industry trends. Subscribe to some of the countless affiliate blogs and forums giving tips and ongoing advice on how to improve your site. By reading new content as soon as it is published you can keep up with changes in the industry and take advantage of them.

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Choosing the right affiliate program to work with..

One of the challenges facing affiliates in all markets is picking the affiliate program that best suits your needs.

Many affiliates will look at this question from the attitude of choosing who is will to pay you the most money for promoting their product through their program however there are better and more lucrative ways of choosing the right affiliate program to work with.

The first thing you must look at is where you’re planning on promoting the advertising. Once you’ve decided where the advertisement is going to go, the most important thing is who is going to be looking at the advertisement i.e. who are your viewers?

This may sound like a simple statement but it’s incredible how often something is pitched at users on the internet that are nowhere near the likely purchasing user.

So, who uses your website that you’re planning on putting advertising on?

If it’s a specific audience that you’re already targeting (e.g. male gamers in their 20’s) then it’s an obvious choice on which affiliate programs you’ll be looking at. Online game stores that sell directly from within New Zealand (or wherever you are targeting) is the obvious choice.

If your website is more into a specific demographic of users (e.g. females around the age of 30-50) however your website is not themed around a specific product then you’re going to need to promote something that offers what these users are looking for. Perhaps there is an online nappy affiliate program around that’s looking for your target market. It might not be what you had in mind with your community of users but it may provide the best option for choosing an affiliate program that’s going to convert best for your users.

If you have an older, male audience, perhaps it’s going to be a foreign exchange affiliate program that suits?

Once you’ve looked long and hard at the users you have viewing your site, you’ll be in a much better position to target their needs with the advertising programs you work with.

Generally, you’re going to find a much better return from your advertising by promoting something that hits the spot for your users and gets a higher conversion rate than if you just slap on the highest paying affiliate program out there that doesn’t have as much to do with your communities wants or needs.

Once you’re on the path of choosing the right affiliate program, the next step is to test, test, test and then test some more with different advertisements in different placements across your website. If the program you’re working with at the moment doesn’t show any returns, talk to your affiliate manager first and see if they can help you with some advice. If it your returns continue to stay lower than your expectations, try another program.

There’s no way around the truth that affiliate marketing is all about knowing your audience and testing for the right advertising or affiliate program that connects with that audience.

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