So, you’re ready to create a website for an already existing company or to start a brand new online business, but you don’t know where to start. This time, I’ll focus on finding the right domain name for your website; it’s one of the first decisions you’ll have to make but one of those that will stick with you for quite a while (hopefully). Is there something you should keep in mind before sitting down and registering the domain name? Keep on reading to find out!
The domain name shouldn’t sound generic; it should sound like a brand. For that reason, avoid numbers and hyphens, because they usually sound either generic or strange. Nevertheless, “time2relax” or “go4it” tell something different. However, try to think of something that sounds unique, memorable and brandable; something that will stand out.
Don’t go for too long domain names. Length is important, because shorter names are easier to type, say, share etc. Here, you have to find the perfect balance between uniqueness and shortness; it’s challenging but it’ll be worth it.
Go for “.com” whenever you can. Even though there are so many extensions available nowadays, “.com” is the most recognized and most used among common people. If you’re creating a website which will be interesting for tech savvy individuals and you don’t want to attract “regular Joe”, you can go with whatever extension works best for you. Otherwise, “.com” is a better choice. If most of your online visitors are from your own country, you might try with “national” extensions; .it for Italy, .de for Germany etc.
Avoid names that could be confused with another company. Here, I’m not thinking about business consequences, but perhaps a judge in the jurisdiction could be judgmental about it. If you have some concerns, make sure you talk to a legal professional or attorney before registering any domain name that might be confused with an already existing (well-known) company.
Managing domains might be challenging, but finding the right one for your new website can be fun and entertaining too. Just follow our tips and you won’t go wrong!
