Looking for Advice on registering a domain name

[blankall]

I am looking to register a domain name for the business I work for. Basically it consists of two words, lets call them "A" and "B".

AB.com is already taken

So should I go for BA.com or AB.net or AB.ca

The purpose is largely marketing so when people do a goolge search our name comes up.

Any advice?

I was also planning on using GoDaddy to register the name. What are your thoughts on this?

[Rathji]

AB.ca

Who you register with isn't normally a big deal. I have had good experiences with GoDaddy and Network Solutions in the past, but with a .ca name you need to do some other CIRA stuff on top of it (like that it has something to do with Canada, or that you are Canadian or the corporation is based out of Canada)

[User Name]

I tend to stay away from them, read this article. I use sibername.ca for my registration info.
http://www.nowpublic.com/tech-biz/la...tration-abuses

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Rathji

AB.ca

Who you register with isn't normally a big deal. I have had good experiences with GoDaddy and Network Solutions in the past, but with a .ca name you need to do some other CIRA stuff on top of it (like that it has something to do with Canada, or that you are Canadian or the corporation is based out of Canada)

Is there any reason why AB.ca would be better than BA.com?

[Madman]

Originally Posted by blankall

Is there any reason why AB.ca would be better than BA.com?

That would depend on the words and the name of your company or the message you are trying to convey.

BA.com could possibly work, or it could make no sense at all.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

All else being equal, if one of the combinations allows you to get both the .com and .ca of the same name I would do that. If you managed to build any brand equity in the name it would suck to have someone else use the alternate.

If your business doesn't go beyond our borders I would use the .ca as primary. Most Canadians allegedly prefer it (though not sure anyone really cares).

Also, claim or create your place page on Google if it's a local biz. That way you'll come up regardless of the website.

[gottabekd]

My thought: If you want people to remember AB.ca, half the time they will try AB.com and get to the wrong site.

I would go for BA.com and BA.ca. Less likely that they mix it up with AB.com. And if they forget, and google "A B", your result will still show up.

[Rifleman]

I'll vouch for godaddy as a good domain registry. The hosting, and email, however, leave much to be desired.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by Bend it like Bourgeois

All else being equal, if one of the combinations allows you to get both the .com and .ca of the same name I would do that. If you managed to build any brand equity in the name it would suck to have someone else use the alternate.

Originally Posted by gottabekd

My thought: If you want people to remember AB.ca, half the time they will try AB.com and get to the wrong site.

I would go for BA.com and BA.ca. Less likely that they mix it up with AB.com. And if they forget, and google "A B", your result will still show up.

Both very good points.

If this is something you would like to get big and a noticeable brand, then having both is pretty important.

[Antithesis]

Is ab.com 'taken' to such a point where your company couldn't offer to buy it from the current holder? I mean, if the company holding it is some massive multinational that's one thing but it may be possible. In that case, I may advocate registering 3 domains:

ab.ca
ba.com
ba.ca

Then check to see if ab.com is available.

Or, what about A-B.com? Might that work?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Is ab.com 'taken' to such a point where your company couldn't offer to buy it from the current holder? I mean, if the company holding it is some massive multinational that's one thing but it may be possible. In that case, I may advocate registering 3 domains:

ab.ca
ba.com
ba.ca

Then check to see if ab.com is available.

Or, what about A-B.com? Might that work?

AB.com is a competing firm. It's nothing anywhere near copyrightable though. A and B are both just keywords in our industry. The idea is to get as many google hits as possible with them.

It turns out that AB.ca is already reserved, just not in use.

Ultimately I decided to go for BA.ca and BA.com. It wasn't too much extra to reserve both.