Checklist for Finding and Creating a Domain Name
While not all businesses need a website, a lot of them can definitely benefit from having one as it provides a great way to interact with existing customers. So, if you are going to create a website for your business, then you need to have a good domain name for it. You must choose a domain name that is catchy enough for your visitors to remember while still sounding professional. Here is how you can do that:
Start during the beginning of the business development process
The best way to know what your domain name should be is when you are developing the name of your business. If your business is going to have a strong online presence, then the name of your business can be influenced by the domain names that are available. Think about your domain name as soon as possible as that is what is going to help protect your brand.
The rules of creating a domain name
When it comes to creating the domain name of your business’ website, there are a few universal rules that you have to follow. Your domain name should be:
- Short enough to remember
- Easy for everyone to spell
- Unique and memorable
- SEO-friendly
- Relevant to the content that is contained in the website
While you may not find a domain name that will fit all of the criteria above, you can use them to help you in creating your business’ domain name.
Use the right domain name tools
You can search for available domain names through individual domain name registrars (this would be companies that are in charge of managing and registering all domain names), or you can make use of separate online tools that will help you search for the possible keywords, domains, and variations, all while checking to see what is available. So, use these website tools to help you save time in finding the right domain name for your business.
Start with the obvious
No matter how common you think the name may be, you should still give it a shot as there may be a chance that is available. Even if it is not available, this should give you a starting point for finding the right domain name.
This part of the process can take a long time, so you should consider asking for help from everybody involved in the development of the business to help find the best alternatives available.
Understand top-level domains
These are the things that follow after your domain name. Examples would be .com, .net, .org, and more. If you are searching for a domain name that is for a profit business, then you should start your search with .com. If you are having trouble finding a .com domain that works for your business, then you can move over to the other alternatives until you can find the one that best suits your business.
Just keep in mind that straying away from using .com as your top-level domain will make it much harder for people to remember your business site. You have to make sure to visit the site of the preferred website (the one that you initially wanted but was not available) before registering yours. Do not promote confusion and increase competition by getting a domain name that is similar to another. Make sure that yours is as unique as it can be so it will stand out and stick in the minds of customers.
Register your domain name
Once you find a domain name that works and is unique, then you should not hesitate to register your domain name as soon as possible. Even if you think that it is not the best one for your business, you should secure it while you are looking for other and better options. It is best to register domain names that you think might work rather than having nothing at all.
If you would like to learn more about how to make your website’s domain name or anything related to the topic (such as how to make use of business website templates), then all you have to do is check out our other articles.