The process for choosing a good domain name is very similar to figuring out how to choose a company name – it requires a lot of thought and consideration. Your domain name is going to be your identity on the web; you want to make sure you choose a domain that not only fits your business, but is also easy to find and promote. Listed below are 10 helpful tips for choosing the right domain name.
How To Choose The Right Domain Name
1. Choose A Domain That Is Easy To Type – Choosing a domain that’s easy to type is critical to online success. If you use slang words (such as “u” instead of “you”) or words with multiple spellings (such as “express” vs. “xpress”), then it might be harder for customers to find your site. Not choosing a domain name that is easy to type could end up sending some of your visitors to a website which isn’t yours.
2. Try To Keep It Short – This shouldn’t need much explaining. If your domain name is long and complex, you risk customers mistyping or misspelling it. Not having visitors reach your actual website is the worst thing that can happen. So, short and simple is the best way to go.
3. Utilize Keywords – Try using keywords that describe your business and the services you offer. For example, if you’re a glass replacement business, you may want to register something like GlassRepair.com or GlassReplacement.com. Include the keywords that people enter when searching for your products or services. This will help improve your rank on search engines (which increases traffic) and just makes more sense to your customers.
4. Target Your Niche – If your business is local, consider including your city or state in your domain name to make it easier for local customers to find and remember you. A great example of this would be PhoenixGlassRepair.com.
5. Avoid Numbers And Hyphens – Numbers and hyphens are often misunderstood – people who hear your website address won’t know if you’re using a numeral (5) or it’s spelled out (five) or they misplace or forget the dash. If you need these in your domain, be sure to register the different variations for safety.
6. Be Memorable – There are millions of registered domain names across the web, so choosing a domain that’s catchy and memorable is essential. Once you’ve come up with a name, share it with close friends to make sure it sounds appealing and makes sense to others.
7. Do Your Research – Once you’ve chosen a domain, make sure the name you’ve selected isn’t trademarked, copyrighted or being used by another company. That will prevent a legal mess that could cost you a fortune, as well as your domain. Don’t forget to research the value of your possible domain as well!
8. Choose A Domain Extension That Fits – Extensions are suffixes, such as .com or .net, which appear at the end of your web address. These can have specific uses, so make sure to choose one that works for your business. The .com extension is far and away the most popular, but it can be tough to get a short and memorable .com domain because the extension has been around for so long. A bevy of new generic top-level domains — like .app, .photography, .nyc and .guru — offer a great opportunity to register short and highly relevant names.
9. Protect And Build Your Brand – To protect your brand, consider purchasing various domain extensions, as well as misspelled versions of your domain name. This prevents competitors from registering other versions and ensures your customers are directed to your website, even if they mistype it.
10. Act Fast – Domain names sell quickly. Thankfully, many domains are also relatively inexpensive, so register your favorite domain names as soon as possible. If you’re having trouble finding an available name, many registrars will automatically suggest alternate names during your search to help you find the perfect name that’s available!
