sIf you want a website for your business then you need to know how to choose a domain name.
Your domain name is the gateway to your business online.
It may seem like a simple process but I see many small business owners making mistakes when choosing a domain name.
Let’s be clear about what a domain is…
Domain = starkwebdesign.com
URL = https://starkwebdesign.com
Now that we know exactly what a domain name is there are a few things to consider.
1. Do you already have a brand or a business name?
2. Is your actual business name available?
3. If not, are there variations on the name that would be easy for potential customers to remember?
4. Is your business name extremely long? Is there a way to easily shorten it?
5. is the name an unusual spelling of a more common word? Like Naymz, Sepses or Tackle? This is extremely confusing and will be lost in marketing.
Choose a Name That You Can Brand
Your name cannot be so generic that it isn’t brandable.
However, you want to stay away from hyphens and numbers if possible because they are difficult to brand.
Try to make your domain as simple as you can.
If you own Stark’s Bagel Shop, start with starksbagels.com or starksbagelshop.com.
Don’t be so creative that you make it difficult to brand.
Using a name that isn’t closely ties to your business will be confusing for your potential customers and will decrease your web traffic.
Also be sure you won’t have copyright or trademark issues.
The last thing you want to do is spend the time and money to develop a brand only to find out that it already exists.
There a couple of issues here.
First, if you have a name that be closely associated with an existing brand you could create confusion for your customers and potential customers.
Second, there could be legal issues if you name is too closely associated with an existing brand.
If you are unsure then you should consult an attorney to avoid any legal problems.
Keep it Short
A long name is often difficult to pronounce and remember.
Obviously you need to look at all the other factors we are discussing here but length IS important.
The shorter the name is, the easier it is to type.
Like in the example above, I would take starksbagels.com before starksbagelshop.com.
The fewer letters your customer has to type the less risk of making a mistake.
Stick With .com if Possible
While there are now many top-level domains (TLDs) available now, .com is still the most recognized extension on the internet.
We are starting to see many more clever TLDs like .shop, .store, and .guru.
These can be fun but you are still better off with what people are accustomed to.
If you are not able to get .com then consider a .net, .co or another popular TLD.
It’s Okay to Modify Your Name
Your .com may not be available but that’s okay.
Think about some easy ways to change up your name and still have it fit your business.
Sticking with the Stark’s Bagel Shop, we can modify this a bunch of ways.
Add a “The” to the name, TheStarkBagel.com.
Reverse the words, BagelsByStark.com
Just try to keep the domain name as similar to the actual business name as possible.
No Crazy Spelling
It’s very important however to not get too cute with the name.
One common mistake is to use an unusual spelling of a common word.
Like the examples you see below:
Naymz.com
Speses.com
Takkle.com
These names would be extremely confusing and very difficult to brand.
You don’t want to have your customers having to spell out your name every time they tell friends about it.
Make it easy and intuitive so people can share your business.
Use Keywords
Try to include keywords that people would use to find your product or service.
If you have a bagel shop then you would want to try and get the word bagel into the name.
This will make more sense to your customers and increase your rank in search which will increase your traffic to your site.
Don’t Wait
If you have a business then you need to get your domain name as soon as possible.
Even if you are not sure you are ready for a website, buy your domain name.
Domain names go quickly.
Even with what you think is a unique name, if you wait you are likely to lose it.
I hope you found value with today’s post learning how to choose a domain name.
If you did please remember to like, comment and share.
To Your Success,
Steve Stark
Email me at steve@starkwebdesign.com
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