The right domain name can have a major influence on how successful your business is. Your name is your brand, so you want to make sure you’re using the right name. Choosing the best domain name for your business is not something to take lightly.
The right domain name can have an impact on how well you do online. Many times, your name is one of the first things people will notice about your company before they decide to check out what you offer. The following list of tips may help you decide what kind of domain name will be best for your business.
1. Use the right domain name extensions
The .com, .org and .net extensions are among the most popular on the market. Choosing one of these extensions will help enhance your website’s online presence, making it easier to find online. The .com extension is the most popular for businesses, blogs and regular websites. .org is usually used by not-for-profit organizations. .net is generally used by businesses that sell products or services online.
2. Choose a name that is easy for people to remember
This is extremely important because you want to make it as easy as possible for your customers to remember your company and its name. If you name yourself something complicated, people will have a difficult time trying to remember who you are and what you sell. The right domain name should also be easy to spell and pronounce so that it will be easier for people to find you.
3. Include niche keywords that relate to your business
If you have a particular service or product that you sell, it’s a good idea to include related keywords in your domain name. This will help people find you online when they’re looking for those services or products that you offer. You don’t have to stuff your domain name with keywords, but if there is a special keyword related to your business that people will frequently search for online, by all means, include it in your website’s name.
4. Stay away from abbreviations and acronyms
Most people won’t know what these abbreviations and acronyms mean and they may think your business is something else entirely if it has an odd name. Some businesses try to use abbreviations to create a memorable name for their firm. It’s okay if the abbreviation relates to your business, but you don’t want the domain name to be made up entirely of abbreviations.
5. Avoid generic domain names, choose something unique
Using a generic domain name will make your business less memorable. People may struggle to differentiate your business from others in your industry. Try to pick a domain name that is unique to your brand. However, in trying to choose a unique name, remember to keep it simple enough to spell, pronounce and remember.
6. Don’t use hyphens or numbers in your domain name
Hyphens or numbers can make your domain name more difficult to spell, because people may struggle to remember the exact placement of the hyphens. It will also be difficult for you to use the same name across all social media platforms and email, because some don’t let you use hyphens. You don’t want to give people a different spelling of your business name for each different platform.
7. Try not to use double letters in your domain name
Avoid double letters especially in the beginning of your domain name. Double letters can be difficult to read and may be confusing for people as they try to remember how to spell your company’s name.
8. Avoid “typosquatting” or alternative business names
Don’t try to take away customers from your big competitors by giving your business a similar domain name. It’s a better idea to pick a different one that doesn’t sound so similar, and build up your own brand.
9. Use domain name generators to get more ideas
With Domain Name Generators you can combine words to get an idea about possible names for your domain. These tools generate new combinations of words and phrases and give you suggestions on different domain names that you may have not thought of.
The key to choosing the right domain name is to do lots of brainstorming. When you’re brainstorming, don’t judge your ideas—just keep writing them down. Try to come up with as many ideas as possible about the kind of name that would be best for your company. Once you look at all the ideas that you have come up with, it will be easier for you to decide on what is the best one for your brand.