So you are starting a new business. You don’t need a chalk speech about the importance of having a functional, professional-looking website.
But before your website goes live on the web, it needs a domain name to sit on. The domain name is the digital home address of your business. It’s the part between the “https” and the extension (“.com”), like “business2community”.
Your domain name is central to your brand identity on the web, so you want to make sure you pick a name that not only fits your business, but is also easy to find, remember, and promote. And if you choose a not-so-good domain name, it can be difficult to upgrade to a new one later on without affecting your branding and search rankings.
But choosing a domain name can be just as tricky as choosing a business name – it requires a lot of thought. And with nearly 2 billion websites, the competition for the perfect domain name is greater than ever.
To make the process easier, let’s see some quick but crucial tips on…
How to choose a good domain name
To help you out, here are five key tips for choosing a great domain name that continues to drive long-term business.
1. Use the right extension
In general, .com domains do better in terms of search engine optimization (SEO) and are the most familiar to users. It is still the most established and credible domain name extension. So, all things considered, go for the .com extension if it’s available.
Other common top-level domain extensions include .net, .co, .org, .net, .io, etc., which you can consider if the .com domain extension is not available.
If you’re a SaaS startup, for example, you might consider .io, which is a popular country code top-level domain (ccTLD) with modern software startups and browser games/apps.
2. Be brief, memorable and on-brand
Bigger is not always better, especially when it comes to domain names. Shorter names are easier for your visitors to remember and type.
Plus, it’s easier to stand out when there’s less to read. So try to keep a maximum of two to three words, fluctuating around 6 to 14 characters.
Unfortunately, the short, catchy domain name you want was taken a while ago and sold for thousands of dollars. Try these domain hacks if your domain name is not available while focusing on syncing the name with your brand.
3. Avoid hyphens, numbers and doubled letters
Hyphens, numbers, and doubled letters are all obstacles for people trying to access your website directly. It’s not exactly instinctive to keep these characters in mind, is it? It is also not suitable for mobile input.
Having these elements means inviting typos and user frustration. Especially if you’re hoping to rely on word-of-mouth, it can be harder to get the domain name across when it’s made up of hyphens, numbers, or doubled letters for no good reason.
4. Include keywords if possible
Having keywords that describe your business or its products/services (such as “coffee” or “repairs”) in your domain name helps improve search engine rankings and helps customers understand what you offer. a glance.
But keep in mind that keywords are nothing more than just a bonus. Keywords should not be included at the expense of the length, originality, or perceived integrity of your website’s brand.
In other words, prioritize a unique, impactful, and memorable brand domain name.
For example, have you heard of HubSpot? It’s unique, catchy, short, easy to type, spell and remember. The company certainly wouldn’t have succeeded with a keyword-driven name like marketinghub.com. Still, if you’re looking for the super-competitive keyword “marketing,” HubSpot is one of the top results.
5. Target your geographic area
If you are a strictly local business, this applies to you. Consider including your city or state in your domain name for easy recall for local customers.
For example, something like thenycgarage.com helps you build a predominantly New York-based customer base.
Domain name generation tools
Finding and finalizing a domain name takes time, but can be a little easier with some free tools.
So while you might not get your final answer with these, the following tools will definitely give you ideas to build on:
Wix Domain Name Generator
DomainWheel
crafty robot
Abstract
Your domain name not only forms the first impression of your brand, but also contributes to revisits and rankings.
While you may find it difficult to acquire the perfect domain, that doesn’t mean you can’t find a great domain name that drives results. Here is a short summary of best practices:
- Make it short and memorable.
- Keep it friendly for mobile input.
- Include keywords if possible.
- Consider a branded domain name, as these are easier to obtain than generic terms.
- Choose the right extension cord. Although .com is still preferred, newer and cheaper extensions are becoming increasingly popular and worth considering.
- Use a domain name generator tool to start the ideation process.
So, have you come across any brands that have a creative domain name? Do you have any personal advice? Drop a comment below!