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This is the final installment in a 4-part series about the difficulties beginners face while in search of a good niche for their first site. Part 1 was about whether you should go for passion or profit, Part 2 discussed the amount of competition, and Part 3 considered the dilemma of how to promote something you don't own yourself. This article will address an issue that beginners often feel is directly related to niche choice: domain names.
All the domain names I can think of are taken!
First: Don't panic. This is not news. Yes, all the best names have been registered by others. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to secure the name you really want.
There. Now that we have that expectation out of the way, you can free your mind to consider other possibilities. And there are an infinite number of possible domain names, so you will definitely be able to find one that works for your purposes. Trust me.
Often, this can be accomplished simply by adding a word to the beginning or end of the name you wanted. For instance, you had hoped to purchase dvdsforchildren.com*? Try topdvdsforchildren.com. No, it's not as short, but it's not bad. Can't get bridesmaiddresses.com? Go for beautifulbridesmaiddresses.com. That one is getting to be on the long side, but for a niche affiliate site, that's not a super-huge deal.
If that extra word is also a keyword, even better. Instead of toysfortoddlers.com or even besttoysfortoddlers.com, try learningtoysfortoddlers.com or outdoortoysfortoddlers.com. If you're forced to have a longish domain name due to inavailability of shorter ones, you might as well get as much keyword benefit as you can.
Granted, if you're trying to create the next hot social media site, then no, you don't want a monstrosity like connectwithallyourbffsonline.com, but that's not your goal. Oh...it is? Sorry, you must have the wrong blog. But thanks for stopping in. 
Just remember, a domain name may not be as short or catchy as you'd like, but as long as it's professional, it will do quite nicely.
More ideas to help you find the perfect name
You can also mess with keyword order for your domain. Yes, there's a chance that if outdoortoysfortoddlers.com is taken, toddlersoutdoortoys.com is too, but you never know; it may not be. Almost every time I search domains, I am surprised to find good available ones that I thought for sure would be gone.
You can also combine keyword domains with an effort at branding. Here's what I mean: You want kitchendesign.com but can't get it. Add an interesting descriptive word that livens up the overall domain name, such as inspiredkitchendesign.com. In fact, what if you started a group of sites under the umbrella term "inspired"? For instance, inspiredbathroomdesign.com, inspireddeckdesign.com, inspiredbedroomdesign.com? You'd be building your brand in addition to using your primary keyword.
Lastly, don't forget, there is often the option to purchase the name from whoever's holding it, especially if they're not doing anything with the name. Millions of domains are purchased for the very purpose of selling them, so it doesn't hurt to check sites like these for a used domain:
http://www.tdnam.com
http://www.afternic.com
http://www.snapnames.com
http://www.ebay.com
Some people want exorbitant amounts of money for domains that are essentially useless, but if you can find a reasonable seller and shoot them a reasonable offer, you might just be able to procure that name you really wanted in the first place.
Names expire all the time as well. You can always back-order a domain. The way it works is you "register" the name as a back order at your favorite registrar. If the name is dropped by its current owner, the registrar will automatically register it for you (assuming you're the first person to back-order it), and you won't be charged unless that happens. This doesn't work for a name you need RIGHT NOW, but for a site you may want to build in the future, you can have this happening in the background while you work on other things.
As you can see, there's no need to toss out your great niche idea just because you can't get the ideal domain name. A dash of creativity and persistence will go a long way.
See also Domainstorming: How to find a good domain name.
*I have not checked the domain names in this article for availability; they are merely examples.
I LOVE my “job.” Affiliate marketing takes work, but it doesn’t feel like work.
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