The domain name is the pathway to your business; it’s key when it comes to your audience’s first impression of your brand.

What is the purpose and mission of your business? How do you want your audience to feel when they come to your website?

These are questions that are important to ask yourself when you are considering a domain name to represent your brand.

Your brand represents you, your vision, and your mission. Your domain and business name should reflect that.

When choosing a domain name, there are several things that must be taken into consideration prior to committing to a name. After all, this domain name will represent you, your vision, and your mission! I’ve listed 7 inspirational tips for choosing a domain name below to help you choose the right domain name for your business!

7 Inspirational Tips for Choosing a Domain Name

(1) Stand Out From the Crowd

Your business and domain names should assist you in standing out from the crowd. You want to be visible and seen. You want to attract your community and those who will resonate with you. After all, these are the people you are here to assist. But to find them, you need to make yourself noticeable.

I highly recommend that you match your domain name with your business name. This will allow your community to easily remember your website, and for potential clients to find you online. If your domain name is different than your business name, it may potentially be more difficult for them to find you.

It took me a while to come up with my previous business name. I took out a notepad and began writing down any words that popped into my mind. I kept jotting down words, until they came together into something that I felt represented me and what I wanted to share with the world. And from that Awakened Soul Perspective was born. I have since then transitioned to my name, which is also a great option when choosing a domain!

Allow yourself to stand out and shine, my sweet friend!

(2) Be Unique

Make sure your chosen domain name isn’t too similar to an existing website domain. I realize this can be difficult today with a big portion of the domain names scooped up, but it is possible to do so, and I strongly encourage it. To really stand out from the crowd, you do not want your website to be confused with someone else’s. You want it to be memorable for your audience.

Also, double check to make sure your chosen domain name isn’t trademarked.

(3) Think Short and Simple

You want your domain name to be clear to your audience; and shorter domain names are easiest to remember. Make sure your domain is easy to spell. Slang, and hard to pronounce words, can drive potential clients away if it takes too long for them to figure out your domain name. Also, avoid hyphens and numbers.

You want your domain to be memorable, make it simple and easy for your community to find you. 

(4) Use a Common Domain Extension

Today there are endless extensions a person can use for their domain name. In fact, according to Iwantmyname in 2009 there were 280 internet domain extensions in total at the time. Even more, did you know that .COM and .NET account for 50% of all domains registered worldwide?

It’s true, people are more likely to use the .com extension before another extension when typing up your website. If the .com version of your domain name is available, I would recommend you take it.

However, a lot of domain names have been taken off the market when it comes to a .COM (commercial) extension. Good alternatives to .COM is .NET (network), .US (United States), .CA (Canada) or even .CO (though it is technically the country code for “Columbia”, it is commonly used to mean “company”).

Choosing a more common extension for your domain name can make your website URL more memorable for your online community.

(5) Think Longterm

When choosing your domain name, it’s important to think about the longterm. The more you establish yourself online, the more difficult it may be to change your domain name in the future. Redirecting your old website to a new website can be overwhelming, though it is doable. And to inform all of your website traffic of a domain name change can sometimes be confusing to the audience.

Now that you have a domain name in mind, it’s time to check to see if your domain name is available for purchase! I use iWantMyName for my domain registration. It’s easy to use and allows you to easily redirect your domains at any time, no matter the website host.

(6) Check the availability of your business/domain name on social media sites

So you’ve come up with a name that resonates with you, and the name is available to register. Before you move any farther, it’s importing to check out the availability of your domain name on the social media platforms that you intend to use.

Yes, the domain name may be available, but someone might already be using that name as a Facebook business page, for example. Not everyone has a website for their businesses. So it’s important to check it out beforehand.

Additionally, check the availability of your name with your email provider as well. I like to use gmail for mine, and then I convert them into website email addresses using Google Workspace. Example: contact@domainname.com.

(7) Consider Purchasing Multiple Domains

Purchasing multiple domains will give you more control over your brand online. If you do not want someone purchasing a domain name that is too close to yours, then this may be beneficial for you. For example, you could purchase the plural version of your website.

You could also consider purchasing more than one domain extension for your domain name. For example, the .com, .net, and .ca version. However, this is more costly. I’d suggest sticking with the most popular domain extension available to you.

I hope these inspirational tips for choosing a domain name assisted you on your way.

Learn about my favourite business resources that have assisted me the most in my business here >>

With Love,

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Featured Photo Credit: Francesco Gallarotti

What inspirational tips for choosing a domain name assisted you the most? Let us know in the conversation below!

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