How do you choose the right domain name? That’s precisely what we’re going to share with you today. Your domain name is the key element of your website. It can make or break you, so it’s crucial to choose a domain name that works for your business.
How to Choose the Perfect Domain Name
Use The Right Domain Name Extensions (.com, .org, .net)
When you choose your domain name extension, you can be sure of one thing: “.com” is still the best.
According to research from Domain Name Stat, 43% of all domains have the “.com” extension.
Why? Well, “.com” is the most familiar and easiest to remember.
While there are many successful websites with a “.net” and “.org”, your website will probably do better if it has a “.com” extension.
Our advice: Go with .com. If that’s taken, try .net or .org. If these are taken too, you’d be better off brainstorming a new domain name.
Brandable Over Generic
Creative and brandable are always better than generic.
Remember: Your domain name is how visitors will find, remember, and share your company on the web. It is the foundation of your brand.
Here’s the main difference between a brandable and generic domain name:
A brandable domain name is unique and stands out from the competition, while a generic domain name is usually stuffed with keywords and unmemorable.
For example, do you know the difference between Healthinsurance.net, Newhealthinsurance.com, or Healthinsurancesort.com? Probably not, right?
These are horribly generic. They don’t have any meaning. You won’t hear anyone talking about how awesome “Insurance.com” is. Variations of the word “insurance” will increase the competition and make it blend in even more.
Sites like UnitedHealthCareOnline.com and Anthem.com stand out because they stand for something. When people hear those domain names, there is a trust factor there.
Short Is Better Than Long
In general, when it comes to the length of your domain, shorter is better.
According to research from DataGenetics.com, the most common name length is approximately 12 characters.
Make Sure It’s Easy to Type
Think of some of the most popular websites in the world. What comes to mind?
Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yahoo, CNN…
One big thing they have in common is that they’re all easy to spell.
Your visitors should be able to type your domain name without a problem. If you have to explain the spelling more than once for it to be understood, it’s too complicated!
Make Sure it’s Easy to Pronounce
As easily as your domain name rolls off the tips of your fingers, it should roll off the tip of your tongue.
This makes it easier for visitors to share your domain by word-of-mouth and makes it easier for you to share your site with friends and potential customers.
You can test this the same way as with the “spelling”.
Consider Using “Niche” Keywords That Reflect Your Website
Our website is mainly about Domain Hosting. Hence we chose to add a name that reflects all of it – “hosting”. Obviously hosting.com (or .org, .net) was no longer available, we simply chose “NRHosting”.
Keywords can help to improve your SEO – you need to tread carefully here! If you try to awkwardly stuff keywords into your domain, it comes across as generic (like we talked about before).
If you choose to use keywords, put the keywords at the beginning of your domain. That’s where they’ll be the most powerful for your ranking.
Think Long-Term Over Short-Term
Are you ready to marry your domain? You should be because it will be one of the biggest elements that define your business and brand for years.
If you decide to change the domain in the future, it will cost you money, branding, and SEO rankings. In short – it’s a huge pain!
When you’re choosing your domain, think long-term.
Check if it’s Not Trademarked or Already Used
Before you move forward with a specific domain, check to see if the name is available on social media sites, as well as if there are any trademarks already registered to the name.
To build your brand, it’s ideal to have the same name across your domain and social networks. This builds familiarity and makes it easy for your visitors, fans, and customers to find you around the web.
Avoid legal issues; you should stay away from names that already have trademarks.
Use Domain Name Generators When Stuck
At this point, you should have at least a general idea of some possible words to put in your domain. Some of those words may already be taken, trademarked, or just don’t have the “sound” you’re looking for.
That’s where domain name generators come into play. These generators can turn your ideas into fresh, available domains.
Here are some of our favorite domain name generators to try out:
Wordoid – This tool allows you to plug in a word; it will come up with ideas that either contain that word, begin with that word or end with that word.
Lean Domain Search – This tool matches your keyword with other keywords and generates a list of available domains.
DomainHole – This tool allows you to search keywords, find expired domains, generate new names, and more.
Your domain will have a significant impact on the success and potential of your website. Make sure to put some careful thought into choosing your Domain.
Website Planet: Find the best domain name for your business or brand.
