How important is choosing a domain name?
If it is for a personal or fun project…not too important. Perhaps just look for something lighthearted, something you don’t mind sharing with others and something that reflects your personality. Our example allotment blog site is called peasandquiet.co.uk – see what we did there.
However for a business choosing the right domain name can certainly make using your website as a viable marketing tool a lot easier. Here are some top tips to bear in mind;
- Start with the end in mind. While making your domain very specific, for example by including your current location or a very specific service like tiling, this could limit you in the long run if you want to serve a wider geography or offer other services. So choose a domain you think will still work in 3 or 5 years time if your business grows.
- If you haven’t already registered your company at companies house, make sure your domain can be aligned with an available company name.
- Consider which top-level domains (TLD) eg .com, .co.uk, .net etc you want to register your domain for. You might want to check your preferred domain is not already registered for a different TLD. And you might also want to register your domain for the main TLDs all at one time to prevent someone else from registering your domain for a different TLD.
- Try and keep it simple. This is easier said than done. Millions of domains have already been registered and almost every single word or short acronym will already be registered. So you may have to be creative to find combinations of words that make for an effective domain.
- Think about the branding and marketing of your domain name. How easy will it be visually represent your domain name? How would you feel about telling your potential clients what your domain is? How will it work as part of your email address?
Finding a simple and available domain for all the right top-level domains is not an easy task. But definitely worth spending the time to do your research and testing some ideas out with friends, family and colleagues.
If you need any help or suggestions please contact us at info@bemoreonline.co.uk