Questions you should answer before choosing the domain name for your business website

As a business owner, how important do you think your website's domain name is?

Do you consider it to be irrelevant compared to high-quality service?

If so, you couldn't be more wrong.

A domain name plays a pretty important role in your brand's image (who would have guessed?)

Choosing a domain name isn’t like choosing your snack for the day. It should be done carefully and thoughtfully.

So, why is it so crucial?

Why is your choice of domain name so important?

If you're still wondering if you should be spending your time and money on this, here are some reasons that might change your mind:

• It is the first thing users see;
• It helps with brand recognition; and
• It can increase your SEO ranking.

Choosing your domain name is something you should put some serious effort into.

In case you need some help, the following questions will help you choose a domain name that's just right for your business website.

So, let’s get to it!

1. Is it authentic and brandable?

As already mentioned, your domain name gives you a branding opportunity. Don’t miss out on it.

In other words: stay away from generic domain names.

Get creative and think of a domain name that describes your business in a unique way.

Use my domain name suggestion tool

Come up with new words

Use a thesaurus to find interesting words that describe your brand.

2. Is it relevant?

A relevant domain name is related to your business, whether it is connected to what you provide or to your brand name.

For example, if you choose the domain name “petsfood” your primary business should be making and selling pet food, or at least putting an emphasis on those particularly pet treats. If your business offers a variety of pet food, but in fact mostly pet food, then perhaps you should rethink your domain name.

3. Is it easy to type?

No one should struggle with typing or remembering your domain name.

Just take Google, Bing, or Yahoo as a prime example.

Choosing a complicated name may mean your users misspell it and end up on a completely different website. You definitely don't want that!

4. Is it short and concise?

Keywords can be very useful in your domain name but know your boundaries.

What would you think if you come across a domain name such as 'cookeryfoodrecipespiceswomen.net'?

The first thing that springs to mind is who's going to remember all of that.

Or simply, what the heck?!

If you have an idea but you're not sure how to make it more concise, you could try my name suggestion tool or contact me directly.

5. Are there similar names on social networks or trademarks?

You may think that there are no similar domain names, but have you checked social media?

Avoid similar names of brands, groups, or pages on social media sites or trademarks.

You should also check whether there are similarities that connect your domain name to other brands.

6. Which extension should I use?

While there are many options when it comes to extensions, a ruling one is still '.com' for worldwide visitors, 'co.uk' for the UK and Europe. 46% of all domains have the '.com' extension.

If your users want to type in your domain name but aren’t sure about the extension, their first choice would probably be .com”. 

Always go for an extension that is commonly used and simple to understand.

Some final thoughts

Your domain name is the very first thing your users will see.

This is your chance to get them interested in what you've got, so make sure you pick a good one. Now you've got all the tools you need, get creative!