Lesson 3: What domain name should I choose?
You’re ready to get a domain with privacy, but what domain name should you choose? In this lesson, we’ll uncover key tips to choosing an outstanding domain name. Plus, we’ll help you brainstorm a branded domain name that’s perfect for your business. Let’s start with five critical tips to help you select a domain name.
Tip 1: Choose a domain name that is short and easy to type
If you use slang (like the letter ‘u’ instead of the word ‘you’) or a funky spelling, it might be harder for customers to find your site. Avoid numbers and hyphens, which are often misunderstood. For example, if you use a number, people don’t know if you’re using the actual number or if they should spell the number out. And, more often than not, hyphens in domains get misplaced or forgotten, so it’s better to avoid them. Make your name easy to understand and as short as possible.
PRO-TIP
Want to know if your domain name is short and sweet? Say the domain name to your friends and ask them to type it out. If they get it right on the first try, you probably have a good thing going on. If they can’t figure out the correct name or if you have to explain it to them, you might need to do some more brainstorming.
Tip 2: Use keywords in your domain
Your domain name should reflect key aspects of your business. Think about keywords that customers might search to find a business like you–like words that describe your product or the services you offer. For example, if you’re a dog walking business, put ‘dog walker’ or ‘dog walking’ in the domain. If your business is local, target your area. Consider including your city or state in your domain name to make it easy for local customers to find and remember.
Tip 3: Research it
Make sure the domain name you’ve selected isn’t trademarked, copyrighted or being used by another company. This way you can avoid potential legal issues that may cost you money as well as your domain. As a first research step, you can Google your domain name and see what you find. You can also look up your domain name on social media like Instagram or Facebook to see if it is already in use. If you find that your domain name is trademarked, copyrighted or being used by another company, then it’s time to find another domain name.
Tip 4: Choose a domain extension that fits
Not only do you want to choose the perfect name, but you also want to choose a fitting domain extension (like .com, .org, .co, etc.). Some extensions are associated with specific types of businesses. For example, .org is associated with non-profits, so that would be a good fit if your business is a non-profit. Check out the link card below to discover the most common domain extensions and learn which one might work best for you.
What are the most common domain extensions and which one should I use? | GoDaddy
Learn about common domain extensions and which is best to use for your business.
Tip 5: Protect your brand
Once you’ve found that perfect domain name, consider purchasing various extensions (.net, .us, etc.) or misspellings of that name. This prevents competitors from registering other versions of your domain. It also allows you to redirect customers to your website even if they mistyped it (which, let’s be honest, isn’t that hard to do with tiny phone screens).
PRO-TIP
Your domain name does not have to match your registered business name. You can be creative when choosing your domain! In particular, if you have a business name that is hard to spell or the spelling is difficult to guess when you hear the name spoken aloud, then that’s a great opportunity to choose a unique domain name.
It’s time to figure out your brand’s domain.
Here’s where that brand evaluation you did in Course 1 will come into play. (We told you it would come in handy!). Review your answers to the questions on this worksheet, so the key things which make your brand unique are fresh in your mind. (You can download the ‘Evaluate your brand’ worksheet here, if you haven’t already).
Then, complete the activity below on pages 4-5 of the “Evaluate your brand” worksheet. Your domain name is how people will find your business and it also helps communicate your brand, so take your time filling out this part of the worksheet. Don’t be afraid to bounce your ideas off of trusted friends and family. Have some fun with this exercise!
Check out these additional domain resources
As you research your domain name, you may run into questions like: “Wait, how are my brand and domain name connected? Oh no, what do I do if someone already has my domain name? Oooh, what’s a premium domain name—and, ack, why is it so expensive?!” We’ve got you covered with answers to these questions and more in the resources below.
Additional domain name resources
Using your domain name for your business
Learn how your brand and domain name are connected.
What if my domain name is already taken?
Explore your options if your domain name has been taken.
What is a premium domain name?
What you need to know about premium domains.
Registering a domain at GoDaddy
How to register your domain with GoDaddy.
Connecting your domain to an email account
Find out how to connect your domain to your business email.
You’ve discovered what you need to know to choose your first website essential: the domain. Let’s move on to the second. Click on to the next lesson to learn which type of hosting account is best for you.