So you've read the introduction to domain names, or are familiar enough with the subject to know you'd like to buy one... now what?

There are many different ways to research domain names and to find inspiration for new domain names to register. The way you research domain names will be colored to a large extent by the intended use for the domain name i.e. is it being registered for a new or existing site, for investment purposes or to "protect" an established brand or trademark.

	It's time to inject a long-overdue dose of realism here: if you're researching domain names with the intent of making a quick profit (the "get rich quick" motive) then you are frankly coming very, very late to the domain name party. While there are hundreds of thousands of domain names listed for sale at exciting prices, from thousands to millions of dollars, exceedingly few sales are taking place - and those names that are selling are almost always doing so for a fraction of the asking price. So don't let the asking prices for domain names color your judgment on the true value of domain names -- for investment purposes, 99% of domain names registered to date are worthless. This theme is covered in more depth in a recent feature story on this site. To succeed in making decent money from domain names, you are generally going to have to be very quick, very imaginative or both. Many top domain name players have set up automatic programs (called "scripts") to grab expiring names off hold as soon as they become available. You can't hope to compete with a computer program that doesn't need to eat or sleep, and that works in a fraction of a second! You can read more about buying names for resale in the Domain Investor's Guide

1. You're looking for a domain name for a new website...

You'll need: a few blank sheets of paper, a thesaurus (or browser opened to Thesaurus.com) and some patience...

Start by noting down what the site will be about, in a paragraph or two. Then boil down this description into a maximum of 2 sentences. Don't worry about covering all the details - just make sure you're addressing the essentials of what the site will be about.

Now take your short description, and underline all the "key" words that describe your site. Let's take a specific (fictional) example:-

"Our website will be the leading source of information on weaving and knitting, providing knitting patterns and design ideas, an introduction to weaving, a guide to selecting and caring for looms, and a store for people to buy wool, yarn and books."

Now try to come up with a domain name that either addresses the one fundamental concept of the site, or that marries two or more key concepts in a single name.

In our example: weavingandknitting.com, knittingandweaving.com, knittingpatterns.com, knittingworld.com, weavingworld.com etc.

Once you've drawn up a short-list of domain names to "test" for availability, it's time to fire up your favorite domain name search engine (you can also use the one at the foot of this page!)

In the above example, "weavingandknitting.com" and "knittingandweaving.com" were both available as of December 2000. But we can do better than that! "knitandweave.com" and "weaveandknit.com" are both available, and while neither has the instant impact of an "amazon.com" or "internet.com", both will be acceptable to our target audience - in fact, at the low prices today's domain registrars are charging, it would be worthwhile picking up both names!

If you're having difficulty coming up with useful domain name combinations from your keywords, try a single keyword and add prefixes or suffixes. Not all prefixes and suffixes are appropriate in all situations - use your judgment when deciding which to add.

If you still can't find any names you like, try brainstorming using some of the domain name research tools listed in the Resources section of this site!

If you have a budget for your new domain name, then you need not be restricted to available, unregistered domain names. You may be able to buy the perfect domain name off its current owner. Most sales take place for a few hundred to ten thousand dollars or more, although some have been known to reach $7 figures for extremely desirable domains. If this is an option for you, you should check out the guide to buying a domain name.

2. You're looking for a domain name for an existing website...

In the case that you're looking to buy a domain name for a website that is already up and running, your options will be more limited than if you're starting from scratch.

First, have you already been operating the site under a clearly-recognizable "name" or "title"? Even if your site is hosted on cheap space at an ISP, or on a free host, you may have given it a short title in large letters (or in a logo). This is the obvious place to start when looking for a domain name.

For instance, if your site is called "The Knitting Expert" then your search is over, as both "knittingexpert.com" and "theknittingexpert.com" are available (as of the time this article was written.)

If your site's name (as given in its title) is very generic, you may well find one (or many) other sites already using it - and the corresponding domain name(s) long since gone. In that case, you have to decide whether you will make a bid to buy the domain name you want from its current owner, look for an alternative extension or use the brainstorming tricks outlined earlier in this article to find a suitable alternative. You can also consult the guide to choosing the right domain name for more help.

3. You're buying domain names as an investment...

This whole area is such a can of worms right now (see the big warning in the green box at the top of this page) that it has its own section in this site. Click here to read all about buying domain names for profit.

Read on for some more pointers on Choosing the right Domain Name...

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