Good domain names are the first step in online marketing

Businesses moving onto the internet need to choose their domain name carefully as a good web address is the first step in a successful online marketing campaign, it has been claimed.

According to internet marketing expert Diana Ratliff, a well chosen domain name can instantly boost the search engine ranking of a business.

Writing for the Columbia Tribune, she noted that companies with more than one domain name have a strategic advantage over those who rely on a single web address.

She said: "When someone hears your domain name for the first name, they should be able to instantly and accurately guess at the type of content that might be found there.

"Also, if being found in the major search engines is important to you, you should consider how your target audience might find you."

According to Richard Cholerton, the owner of guitars.co.uk, he has not spent a penny on marketing since he registered the generic domain name.

Written by Debra Hastings-Henry