How to Choose a Domain Name (8 Tips to Do It Right)

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How to Choose a Domain Name


 

Choose a Domain Name

When it comes to starting a new website, the first thing you need to do is choose a domain name. However, choosing the perfect domain for your site can often be complicated and daunting. After all, a domain name is the name of your website and a reflection on the brand you’re building. Fortunately, there are a number of reliable methods you can use to ensure you pick the perfect domain name. In this blog, we’ll cover some of those methods.

Choosing a domain name for your website: how to do it right

It pays to put a lot of time into thinking of the perfect domain name. Just like your home, which you probably painted a nice color, and have nice decorations to spruce up it’s appearance, your domain name is just the same, so you want it to be just right.

To make the process easier, follow the tips below for choosing a domain for your website.

Choose keywords that represent your site

One of the best ways to start generating ideas for your domain name is to do keyword research based on the product or intent of your website. You can use tools like Google’s Keyword Planner and KWFinder to research the top search results that come with certain keywords, then use that in your domain name search.

Use a Domain Name Generator

A domain name generator may seem like a super random way to come up with a domain name, but it’s a great way to brainstorm different ideas and routes of creativity, especially if you have a team coming up with ideas. One popular domain name generator, Domain Wheel, helps simplify that process by ensuring the domains it suggests are actually available for purchase. That way if you come up with the perfect idea, you won’t be disappointed to find the domain not available for purchase. Domain Wheel also has a keyword based search engine so you can enter ideas into the search tool and it will come back with other relevant suggestions for your idea.

Make it easy to pronounce and spell

You should be able to easily share your domain when speaking as well as writing. As a general rule, it should be easy to understand and spell for any potential customers or visitors. Avoid using numbers and special characters because while an in-joke may be great for your team, the rest of the world may not get it and it could flop.

Make it short

Choosing a domain name in a short form must be one of your top priorities. If your domain name is long or complicated, you risk visitors mistyping or misspelling it. That’s why it’s better to have a domain name that’s short, memorable, and catchy. Longer domains are harder for your users to remember.

Avoid numbers, hyphens, and doubled letters

Numbers and hyphens can be confusing. For example, when you mention your website address, the listeners won’t know for sure if you’re using a number (6) or it’s spelled out (six). If you need these in the name of your domain, make sure to register the different variations to be sure you won’t miss any visitors.

It’s also a good idea to avoid domains with doubled letters because it increases your chances of losing traffic to typos. Take as an example a domain like shoesstore.com.

Leave room to expand

It’s good choosing a domain name that’s related to your area of expertise because it gives visitors a precise idea of what your site is about. But don’t limit your opportunities. For example, a jazz events organizer might choose a domain name like jazzevents.com, but later on, want to start to organize other events besides jazz. In that case, the domain might prevent you from attracting people interested in other events such as pop-rock.

Avoid super generic domain names

Imagine your company sells clothing. I would imagine you sell clothing for men, women, children, and those articles of clothing come in different fashions, such as a top, bottom, underwear, and so on, and they also come in different sizes. Buying the domain, clothes.com may seem like a great idea, but for customers looking for swimwear, or other specific types of clothing, your domain name might not be the first that comes to their mind.

Avoid names that infringe on another company

Do some research for the name you want to register. Make sure the desired domain name isn’t trademarked, copyrighted, or being used already by another entity. It could end in a domain name dispute resolution that could cost you your domain. Not to mention that this can also create brand confusion.

Use an appropriate domain name extension

There are plenty of new domain name extensions available today. The .com domain extension is far and away from the most popular. .com domains are also the most memorable.

There are other top extensions that you could use for your domain name:

.net Technical sites
.org Non-commercial organizations and non-profits
.biz Business or commercial use
.info Informational sites
.blog Personal blogs


 

These days there are hundreds of Top Level Domain (commonly called TLD) names to choose from.

Protect your brand

Protect your brand by registering various domain extensions and any possible misspelled versions. This will prevent competitors from registering other extensions, and at the same time, any potential customers will be sent to your main website. You can easily add any other registered domain as a parked domain (alias) under the main one.

If your domain name is not available, it is alright to add a suffix or a prefix or using an alternate TLD extension.

We hope the steps above helped you understand how to choose the right domain name for your personal site or business.

Think long-term domain ownership, not short-term

Before you register that domain, you should be ready to be married to it. If you decide to change your domain in the future, it could cost you money, branding, and SEO rankings. It’s a huge pain and something you don’t really want to have to do a year or more into your domain ownership and the start-up of your brand. Therefore, keep the long-term vision for your brand in mind when you are selecting a domain name.

Register your domain today!

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Last updated on November 30, 2021