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Finding your niche domain name is a major hurdle for many people, as many of the most popular domain names have already been taken. If you’re new to the Internet game, your domain is a unique identifier for a particular URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The URL is your web address and becomes the center of your identity or personal brand.
There are many things to consider when determining your domain name as it becomes your brand and establishes a roadmap for your site. The best advice is to be actively creative and don’t get discouraged when looking for a name. Always keep in mind that your domain name represents both you and your company. It is extremely important that you choose your domain name carefully.
Nailing your domain name
Start by thinking of your ideal domain name, and then cut out as many words and word combinations related to that ideal name as possible. The key is to start thinking of a long list of possibilities and come up with something that is uniquely yours. Share some ideas with your friends, family and anyone who wants to listen. If you’re having a hard time determining a name, use your dictionary and thesaurus on your computer and play around with the words. Sooner or later something will come to mind and you will find a potential domain name that can work for you.
Based on my research, the following are eight key things to consider when choosing your domain name:
Get a “.com” extension: The first question you’ll face when considering registering a domain is what ending or extension you want. The “.com” extension, in my opinion, is better if it is for your main website. I have used the “.org” extension for a society website I developed several years ago. Again, it all depends on what you’re trying to accomplish.
As you research, you’ll notice other domain extensions like: “.net”, “.biz”, and “.info”, just to name a few. There are some new country-specific extensions that can be an advantage if you are marketing a niche within a specific country.
From what I’ve learned, you should register a domain name with the extension “.com” for personal or business branding and “.org” for an organization, as most people are used to having the address of that site website ends. I used the “.net” extension for one of my websites. I found that the name using “.com” was not available and “.net” ranked just as well as “.com”. At this stage, it’s your choice what you want to do, based on what works best for your website or desired application.
Easy to remember – The key is to choose a name that when someone reads or hears your website name for the first time, they can easily remember the name. Of course, there’s often a trade-off between trying to find a name that’s easily understood and one that’s “brandable.”
The easier it is to type your domain into a browser, the better chance people have of remembering it. Think of the “elevator talk.” Can you get your message across in a few seconds or at a glance?
Andrew Carnegie put it very well when he said, “Quality is the most important factor in business.” A friend of mine says: “An image in the head is worth more than a word in the ear.”
Try to make your domain relevant to your chosen keywords: If you’re trying to reach a particular niche, consider including at least one or two of your important selected “keywords” in your name.
One way to investigate is to determine which of the keywords or combinations of keywords are most frequently searched for. Several free and paid programs will allow you to perform this search. Knowing where your chosen keywords rank should make your selection decision a little easier.
Keep the name short, if possible: Try to keep your name as short as possible and still convey the message of your website. (Not including the “http://www” suffix.)
Consider avoiding words like “best”, “top”, and “number 1” and don’t use intentional misspellings. These can confuse and lower the rankings.
If all desired domain names are taken, add a short word to make it unique. You can do this by trying different combinations of your chosen name. For example, add the word “my” in front of the domain name if applicable. You can verify domain names at the registrar of your choice.
Try to avoid hyphens and/or numbers – Some experts suggest that if you use hyphens and/or numbers, there is a much greater chance that people will make mistakes when trying to enter the name in their browser. The person may forget to add the hyphens and/or numbers and will see the wrong site. Again, it’s your choice to decide what works for you.
What is your budget? You can usually register a new domain name for less than $10 – $15 per year.
One may not be enough: It may not be a bad idea to register several similar domain names, depending on your budget. If you have your “.com”, you may want to register the “.net” or “.org” version so no one else can grab it. The best advice is to buy only the domains you need, unless you intend to become a domain broker!
Avoid Trademarked Names: A trademark is “a name or symbol officially registered in the name of a third party and, unless otherwise specified, the owner of the trademark is the only party that can legally make use of a trademark.” registered trademark name. This mistake is not made very often, but it can create potential legal problems.
To ensure that you are not infringing any copyrights with your domain name, visit the websites of the International Trademark Association or the US Government Copyright Office. It is good practice to search for the selected name before buying.
Don’t forget the new mobile names – you might consider registering a domain name of type “.mobi”. Once again, it all comes back to the budget.
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