What should I consider in selecting a domain?

A domain name (web address) is your doorway to the Internet. A good domain name brings more traffic to your site and reduces the cost of advertising. A domain name should be easy to remember and related to your business or organization. Here are some general guidelines in selecting one (whether you're considering a dot LI, dot COM, dot NET or any other extension).

1. Typically, the shorter a Domain Name is the better. Apart from being easier to spell and type, a short Domain Name has more impact and is more memorable. One-word Domain Names are usually the best; two-word Domain Names can also be effective. Domain Names with more than 15 or 20 characters are usually less desirable. Remember, for people to visit your Website, they have to successfully recall and type your Domain Name.
2. Typically, Domain Names without hyphens are more desirable than hyphenated Names since the hyphen can distract from the continuity of the Name. For example, it is much simpler to say and recall, "Oyster Bay dot LI" than "Oyster hyphen Bay dot LI".
3. Domain Names that are based on a well-known word (or words) that represent your industry are most desirable. For example, say the name of a Long Island alarm installation firm is "Smith and Jones Alarm Company". A Website address of Alarm.LI would be more memorable than other addresses such as SmithAndJonesAlarm.com.

Should I use a dot LI domain?

It depends on where your business (or organization) is located and what audience you are trying to reach. If your customers are nation-wide or world-wide, then a dot COM extension may work best for you. If your business is located on Long Island and that’s where a majority (or all) your customers are, then a dot LI extension may be your best choice. With dot LI, you are far more likely to get an easy and memorable domain, and Long Islanders will know you’re local even before they visit your website.

Will using a dot LI domain help my SEO?

It will not help or hurt your Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO is dependent on numerous factors including content quality, back links, page titles, website structure, etc. The use of dot LI does not guarantee good placement on search engines in the same manner that dot COM does not guarantee good placement.

What is dot LI?

Dot LI is a Top Level domain (TLD), just like dot COM or dot NET. Your Web address works the same with a .LI extension as with any other TLD, but the .LI extension can add much more to your site. Dot LI is distinctive and memorable, and is uniquely suited for any site that needs a strong association with Long Island. A .LI domain name is also much more likely to be available than a dot COM name, enabling you to better control your presence on the Web.

The use of dot LI to represent Long Island is considered an alternate use of a TLD, since LI was originally intended for the principality of Liechtenstein. With memorable domains being difficult to come by, alternate TLD use has grown in popularity, such as .me and .TV.

For Long Island businesses, organizations and municipalities, a dot LI domain is ideal because chances are your perfect domain is available, and visitors will know you're right here on Long Island even before they get to your website.