The Single Most Powerful Way to Build an Internet Identity

It's getting harder and harder to find a good name for your new web site. The obvious domains for your business are likely long gone.

New sites are reaching for a name that is still available to them. It's not unusual to see URLs that go on forever (like buythisgreatproduct.com ) or are broken up with lots of hard-to-remember hyphens (best-money-idea.com).

People may be missing the single most powerful strategy on the Internet. In fact, its beauty is its sheer simplicity.

Name your web site after yourself! Make your web address YourName.com. If your name is Twila Jones, let your site be TwilaJones.com. Nothing works harder to build your Internet identity. And as customers tell us over and over, the business that has a strong identity will be the business that succeeds in the new Internet economy.

BobSmith.com is easy to remember (especially if you know Bob) and advertises his Bay Area conference center. Mark Gebbie advertises his popular media guide at Gebbie.com. Dell.com is one of the most successful sites on the Internet, named after its founder and the computer company he started.

What if your name is already taken? Some guy in Maryland named Barry White already reserved my name (and, no, it's not the singer with the low voice). Try using a nickname. Nicknames are often easier to remember and more popular with customers.

This strategy also works if your name is Monstroneughpahus and you're rightly worried that people may not be able to spell it. Often a very simple made-up name will work fine. For instance, Amazon.com and eBay.com stand out from the crowd once they are established in your mind.

Finally, don't put off getting your own domain. The $70 domain registration charge will be the best investment you ever make. Your own individual domain name is a vital part of building a strong, identifiable reputation online.