It's a proven fact, in trying to improve search engine rankings, that growing your site thru link popularity, by slowly acquiring incoming quality links, adding small amounts of fresh relevant content on a regular basis, using proper keyword density and placement, along with making your site "sticky" so your visitor's stay longer.

But now, there's something else that you have to know about! (and this is a big but!)

Google is starting to weigh in heavy on domain names. Not what your domain is, or how long you've had it. Google wants to know how long you plan on keeping it, as in, how long is it registered for!

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Lots of people will tell you that you either don't need a domain name or all good ones are already taken. I don't agree, I find (and register) good domain names on your regular basis, and I think they're more than worth money (you can register domains for less than $20 per year).

1. LONG URLs

If you don't have a domain name for your web site, you'll have a long URL, something like http://members.yourisp.com/~yourcompany or perhaps http://yourcompany.yourisp.com/

Now that doesn't look good on a business card! What's more, your customers and prospects probably won't be able to remember it.

On other hand, if you get your own domain name, you'll have an easy to remember URL, that looks professional and is easy for folks to remember.

2. MOVING WEB HOST

When you have type of long URLs I referred to in point 1, your URL is tied to your web host or ISP. What happens if you change hosting company? What happens if your hosting company goes out of business (it happens)? Answer: Your URL changes, which means you may have to reprint your stationary and any promotion efforts that you've already done and most likely wasted.