Choosing a domain name could be similar to choosing a company name due to the fact that it requires a lot of consideration and thought. Actually, the domain name represents your identity on the web, so you have to be sure that your domain name not only fits your business, but is also easy to find and promote.
The following steps can help you pick the perfect domain name.
1. Make the domain name easy to type
Finding a domain name that is easy to type represents a critical aspect to online success. If you use slang (e.g. “u” instead of “you”) or words with multiple spellings (e.g. “express” vs. “xpress”), it might be harder for the potential customers or existing clients to find your site.
2. Keep it short
If your domain name is long or complex, you risk customers mistyping or misspelling it. Short and simple is the best way to go.
3. Use keywords
Try to use keywords that describe very well your business and the services you offer. For example, if you have a church organization, you may want to register churchNAME.com, where “NAME” is your church organization name. Also, It helps improve your rank on search engines, and just makes more sense to your customers.
4. Avoid numbers and hyphens
Numbers and hyphens are often misunderstood — people who hear your website address do not know if you are using a numeral (7) or it’s spelled out (seven) or they misplace or forget the dash. If you need these in your domain, register the different variations to be safe.
5. Research
Make sure the domain name you have selected is not trademarked, copyrighted or being used by another organization. It could result in a huge legal mess that could cost you a fortune, as well as your domain.
6. Use an appropriate domain name extension
Extensions represent suffixes, such as .com or .net, at the end of web addresses. These can have specific uses, so make sure to choose one that works for your business. The .com domain extension is the most popular, but it can be tough to get a short and memorable .com domain name because it’s been around for so long.
Here are some other top extensions and how they’re often used:
• .co : an abbreviation for company, commerce, and community;
• .net : technical, Internet infrastructure sites;
• .org : non-commercial organizations and nonprofits;
• .info : informational sites;
• .biz : business or commercial use, like e-commerce sites;
• .me : blogs, resumes or personal sites.
7. Be memorable
There are millions of registered domain names, so having a domain that is catchy and memorable is the most essential aspect. Once you have come up with a name, share it with close friends to make sure it sounds appealing and makes sense to others.