How to Choose a Domain Name for Your Business?

What Is a Domain Name?

A domain name refers to a website’s address and is a textual representation of the website’s numeric IP address. For instance, the domain name of this website is topnotchdezigns.com, which is the text a user needs to type into a web browser to get here. Websites have numeric IP addresses that are typically complex and difficult to remember. The Domain Name System (DNS) has made it possible for users to enter textual names and get to their desired websites.

 

According to the Domain Name Industry Brief Quarterly Report for the fourth quarter of 2023, the year ended with close to 360 million domain name registrations across all top-level domains (TLDs). It also points out that year-on-year, domain name registrations increased by around 9 million, or 2.5%. Given the staggering number of domain names out there, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd. That is why understanding how to choose a good domain name is crucial if you want your business to make inroads in the online world.

 

The Importance of Getting Your Domain Name Right

Your domain name gives you an easy means to work on your business’s online branding. Not only can your domain name simplify how your existing and prospective customers find your website, but it can also help establish your brand’s identity and increase brand recognition. Other benefits include, but do not limit to:

• It gives your target audience the means to find your website.
• It can help you create the right first impression.
• It can have a positive effect on search engine optimization (SEO).
• A registered domain name gives your business an air of authenticity and authority.
• It can communicate the purpose of your business.
• You get control over your brand’s digital presence.

 

Does Your Domain Name Have to Match Your Business Name?

If you can manage to get a domain name that matches the name of your business, using it is generally a good way to go. However, this is not necessary as long it reflects the nature of your business in the best possible manner. For instance, if you run Tom’s Jewelry Store in Long Island, opting to go with tomslongislandjewelry.com might work well for you.

Keeping your branding consistent across all online platforms is crucial, which is the case when selecting a domain name as well. Even if your business and domain names are not the same, the latter still needs to resonate with your target audience when it’s looking for your business online.

 

How Do I Choose a Good Domain Name?

If you look at good domain name examples, you will notice they tend to follow similar traits. For example, while big names like Apple, Nike, and Rolex bank heavily on their brands, smaller businesses tend to highlight their area of expertise in their domain names along with the brand names.

 

In both cases, the answer to “What is the best name for a domain?” is that various factors need your consideration in making the right decision. Choosing a domain name for a personal website requires paying attention to the same aspects.

 

1. Be Brand-Specific

Your target audience will use your domain name to remember your website, so using a generic name might not have the desired effect. On the other hand, a domain name that relates specifically to your brand will stand out from the domain names of its competitors. While your domain name does not have to come with a specific meaning, it should ideally be easy to pronounce and remember.

 

Your main aim when coming up with a domain name for your business website should be to build your brand’s value and recognition with time. You may think of completely new and catchy words or short phrases, and you may also consider using interesting words that complement your business.

 

2. Keep it Simple

In addition to being easy to pronounce, your domain name should be easy to spell. This becomes even more important if you plan to use the same domain name to create business email addresses. The length of a domain name should ideally limit to 15 characters.

 

Refrain from using numbers and special characters as they might confuse your audience or make your domain name harder to remember. While shorter domain names are easier to recall, data collated by Backlinko suggests that they also tend to fare slightly better than longer domain names in search engine rankings. Therefore, the best domain name for digital marketing is typically short and to the point.

 

3. Pay Attention to Extensions

Domain names include two sections – one that’s unique to your brand and the other that functions as the extension or the suffix. You may refer to these extensions as top-level domains (TLDs). The options you get when choosing these extensions depend on your domain name registrar.

 

When you use an extension other than .com, you get the ability to give your target audience a better insight into your brand, whether about its scope of operations or its physical location. In some cases, businesses might need to get more than one extension. In any such scenario, you don’t necessarily have to create a website for each. You may simply redirect users from all extensions to your primary website.

 

The Most Common

Several businesses opt for the .com extension, making it the most commonly used. Data shared by Statista indicates that 46% of all domains globally used this extension as of December 2023. This is mainly because it is easy to remember. Other popular non-region-specific TLDs include .net, .org, .info, and .xyz.

 

Region-Specific

You may reconsider using the .com TLD if your business is region-specific. For example, you may use the .us extension for a U.S.-based business, .uk if your business limits its operations within the UK, and .au if your business caters to the Australian market.

 

New TLDs on the Block

Non-traditional TLDs that have appeared in recent times are gaining credence quickly. If your business relates to global sustainability, you may opt to go with a .green domain name. Tech-oriented businesses that are primarily into web development and coding might consider using the .dev extension. Similarly, several pizzerias now select .pizza domain names.

 

If you plan to launch an eCommerce platform, you may benefit by looking at the .store vs. .com comparison. The former could be a better choice when it comes to branding, availability, building trust, and SEO.

 

Some other examples of relatively new TLDs include .club, .agency, .shop, .diy, .food, .lifestyle, and .meme.

 

4. Use Keywords in Your Domain Name

Keywords can help improve how searchable your domain name is in online searches, and they can improve your website’s ranking as well. Using keywords also gives your audience an indication of the nature of your business.

 

If your business caters to a local audience, you might consider including the region it serves in the domain name. For example, if you own a business called Almighty Pizzas that’s located in Queens, NY, you may consider using almightyinqueens.pizza as your domain name. This example goes beyond using the location, by including the .pizza TLD as well.

 

Unfortunately, narrowing down on a domain name that includes your target keywords and is still up for grabs might not be easy. Remember that creativity in this aspect gives your business the ability to stand apart from its competitors. However, simply stuffing keywords in your domain name will not only make it long, but also generic and boring.

 

To find niche-specific keywords that can help improve your website’s ranking, you may use keyword research tools such as:

• Ahrefs
• SEMrush
• Wordtracker

 

Then, you need to find available domain names with the keywords you select.

5. Turn to Domain Name Generators

If you’re wondering what the best way to get a domain name is and you or your marketing team fail to come up with suitable ideas, you may look for suggestions by turning to domain name generators. These online platforms are easy to work with, wherein they provide domain name suggestions based on the keywords you provide. These tools also give you an indication of which domain names are available.

 

Some of the popular domain name generators as of now include:

• Domain Hole
• DomainWheel
• LeanDomainSearch
• Nameboy
• NameMesh
• Wordoid

 

6. Think Long-Term

You need to view your relationship with your domain name as one that will last for years to come. This is because it will become the central element in defining your brand’s online presence. Should you choose to change your domain name down the line, it might have an adverse effect on your branding and SEO, not to mention the significant cost you would have to bear.

 

Consider this example – you select katescakes.com as the domain name for your online cake shop. If, in a few years, you wish to expand and offer other types of baked products, just the cakes in the domain name would no longer seem appropriate. In such a scenario, going with katesbakes.com at the very onset might be more appropriate.

 

7. Check for Availability

Before registering a domain name, you need to determine if there’s a registered business that already uses the same name. Carrying out an online trademark search gives you the means to find out if a business has already trademarked the exact or a similar name.

 

While a similar name might lead to confusion, using a name already trademarked by someone else can result in severe legal implications. Once you’ve narrowed down on a domain name you wish to use, you might want to get it trademarked and copyrighted as soon as possible.

 

Conducting an online search on Google, Bing, or Yahoo lets you find out if your desired name is available across social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. This is important as it might have a bearing on your overall digital marketing efforts.

 

8. Register in Haste

It is common for domain names to sell quickly. While some are relatively inexpensive, others can come with significant price tags. If you find a domain name that suits your business and falls within your budget, you should register it under your name quickly. If the domain name you’ve narrowed down on is unavailable, your domain name provider should be able to provide relevant alternatives.

 

Registering Your Domain Name

Once you’ve decided on a suitable domain name and extension, and found out that it’s available, you need to buy it and register it under your name through a domain name registrar. All domain names are part of a centralized global database referred to as a registry. Your domain name needs to make it to this registry for it to be recognized.

 

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) gives domain name registrars permission to make changes to domain name-related information on behalf of their customers. Domain name registrars give their customers the means to make required changes to their domain names by using their own web browsers.

 

Not all domain name registrars have licenses to sell all TLDs. For example, some registrars might limit their options to popular extensions such as .com, .org, and .net. Some others might provide just region-specific extensions.

How to Select a Domain Name Registrar?

Factors that need your attention when selecting a domain name registrar include:

• Pricing. Some registrars offer promotional prices for the first year, after which the cost of renewal can increase significantly. You also need to account for the cost you might incur during your domain name’s transfer.
• Registration period. Most registrars require that you register your domain name for at least one year. Some might require that you register for a minimum of two years. Depending on the registrar you select, you may register for up to 10 years at a time. Most registrars let you sign up for automatic renewals, so you don’t have to worry about your domain name expiring.
• Domain transfers. According to the ICANN, you cannot transfer your domain name within the first 60 days of its registration. While most registrars try to make this process simple and don’t charge any fees, this is not always the case. As a result, go through a registrar’s domain transfer policy before signing up.
• Additional services. Some domain name registrars provide web hosting services, giving you the ability to minimize the number of service providers linked to your website. In such a scenario, you may also expect email hosting services. Other add-ons may come in the form of website builders and email marketing services.

 

Conclusion

No matter whether you’re launching a new business or a brand, or have an existing business that you wish to bring online, you will need a domain name for your website. Given the impact that a domain name can have on aspects such as building your brand, attracting organic traffic, click-through rates, and even offline marketing, you need to select one after giving the process considerable thought.

 

While thinking of unique website name ideas is the ideal way to go, you might need to be extra creative if the one you select is unavailable. Remember that your domain name should have recall value and be easy to type across devices. Using region- or industry-specific extensions makes way for increased clarity.

 

If you’re still unsure about how to choose a domain name for your business or how to go about registering one you’ve already selected, consider getting in touch with a professional digital marketing and web design agency.