WHAT IS A DOMAIN?

A domain is simply your business address on the Internet. It allows people to find you easily by simply typing in an address like www.yourcompany.com.

Why Should You Get Your Own Domain?

Getting your own domain name is one of the best things you can do for your Internet home business.

People know the difference between www.mycompany.com and www.afreedomain.com/directory/subdirectory/~yourname/yourpage.html. By getting your own domain, you instantly get many benefits:

• Credibility.

You look like a serious business, instead of somebody playing around on the web hoping to make a few bucks.

• An advantage with the search engines.

Some search engines are starting to ignore sites hosted by free providers. One popular search engine requires the URLs of free sites to be specially emailed to them before they decide if they'll index them. Another has a safeguard in place so that only a certain number of sites hosted by a free provider may be submitted for indexing in any one day. That means you might never be indexed if you're not fast enough!

• Name branding/name recognition.

It's much easier to remember a simple www.mycompany.com than one of those long URLs from a free domain.

• Email and autoresponders with your domain name in the address.

Instead of an address like workfromhome3848@somefreedomain.com, you will get one from VermiCo that says webmaster@mycompany.com. This makes it easier for the recipient of your email to connect you with your website.

HOW TO GET YOUR OWN DOMAIN

You own a domain when you register it and pay the fee. Come up with a few easy-to-remember and descriptive domain names (up to 63 characters long) and write them down.

Try to select shorter domain names. Recently, we were told that we can now register domain names up to 63 characters long (it used to be 22 characters). That gives us more flexibility -- but don't go overboard.  Try to pick a name that will be easy to remember.

It's also best to pick a .com (dot com) extension. You can also register .net and .org domains, but people always seem to remember the .com ones best.

The next step is to check to see if your selected domain names are available. Part of your QuickStart package includes VermiCo registering your domain name.  You will receive the paperwork to indicate which names you have chosen and VermiCo will check availability.

If your domain name is available, then you're in luck! Once you go through the registration process, VermiCo will pay your fee.  It is currently US $70 for the first two years, payable in advance and non-refundable. Every year after that will cost you US $35. Your domain will remain yours forever, so long as you remember to pay the fee on time!

Once you have a domain name set up VermiCo can begin to customize your business.