Choosing the right domain name for your website is an important decision. Your domain name will be with you for a long time, listed on all of your marketing materials, and used for email.
A great domain can:
- Help people understand what your business does
- Be easy to remember for repeat visits and referrals
- Help search engines direct people to your website
You may even benefit from domain research before you name your business, if you’re at that stage. For all of these reasons, I recommend not taking this decision lightly and reaching out for help if you need it.
How do you pick the perfect domain?
Working with clients to build their websites over the years, I’ve seen a lot of domains that work and some that don’t work as well. Ultimately, search engine optimization is the most important thing you can do to help people find your website, and it can often help overcome a bad domain name if you have one you’re stuck with. But, why not choose the best domain you can?
Here are my tips for choosing a domain name that’s memorable and perfect for your business:
Keep it short and simple
The best domain names are easy to remember, type, and spell. Aim for something concise—ideally, less than 15 characters. I recommend NOT using abbreviations, hyphens, or acronyms (unless it’s a very well known acronym). Full words are easier to remember and are more important than domain name length, in my opinion. If you’re adding hyphens in order to use a domain name that’s been taken, your potential customers might get confused and go to the website without hyphens instead!
Use keywords
Incorporating relevant keywords into your domain name can improve your visibility in search engines. It also makes it easier for your audience to understand what your business does. A keyword-rich domain name may help your SEO, but don’t force it. Keep it relevant and natural, so you don’t come off as spammy. Focus on balancing brandability with searchability.
Pick a name that won’t limit your growth. While it’s tempting to choose something hyper-specific, you want to ensure your domain name still works if you plan to expand or diversify your business.
Research your ideas
Use your favorite search engine to test your ideas. Is your selected domain similar to a business you don’t want any association with? Are there too many similar domains? Make sure your domain name doesn’t infringe on any existing trademarks.
Choose .com when possible
Though there are many cool and niche domain extensions, .com is still the most recognizable and trusted by most users. You may not want to have a .net domain that’s exactly the same as another business’ .com. That company might get all of your business!
The exception is that nonprofit organizations should use .org. I find people have a habit of entering .com when typing in a domain, so nonprofits can overcome this by buying both the .org and .com version.
Consider buying multiple domains
If you can, consider buying related domain names (like common misspellings or alternative extensions). Domains are inexpensive.
Your domain name search strategy
The first thing I do when helping clients choose a domain name is make a list of ideas. Using the above tips, I narrow down (or add more) ideas. Then I open up a domain registrar website like GoDaddy or Domain.com and start checking domain availability.
Choosing the right domain name takes a little research, but it’s well worth the effort if you plan to be in business for the long term. I’ve seen businesses get stuck with a domain name they don’t love and changing it in the future can affect your search engine optimization for a little while. It can also confuse your customers.
I recommend running your domain name ideas by your marketing expert and your friends to understand how different minds see them. A strong domain can set you up for online success, help people find you, remember you, and engage with your brand.
Please reach out to us if you need any help choosing your domain or setting up your website at https://harmonywebsitedesign.com/contact/.
