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Domain names, also known as URLs, play a crucial role in your site’s branding and credibility, and can even affect its ranking on search results. Choosing a domain name for your website or business is an important step in establishing your online presence. A domain name is the address users type into their web browsers to reach a website, so it should reflect the nature of your business and be easy to remember.
Of course, there are a myriad of factors to take into consideration as you pick a domain name for your business, so we’ve consulted several industry experts from a range of industries to weigh in on how they’ve selected theirs.
Your domain is more than just a web address; it’s the first impression of your online brand. With Wix, finding the perfect domain name is easy. Wix helps you secure the name for your business, blog, portfolio or any online presence, so you can focus on bringing your project to life. Ready to claim yours?
How to choose a domain name: 12 tips
01. Use a domain name generator
In order to make the brainstorming process much easier and productive, start your journey towards picking a domain name for your site with a list of options, rather than a blank page. By using one of the best domain name generators, you’ll be able to get a broad range of ideas based on keywords or phrases related to your brand.
Try Wix's domain name generator today.
02. Keep it short and memorable
Technically speaking, domain names can stretch over an astounding 63 characters. Yet, a domain this long would be ill-advised, making for a tedious name that’s hard to type and remember. Instead, be sure to keep your domain short. A shorter name is additionally less likely to be misspelled.
A domain name should ideally be anywhere between three and 12 characters long, and as a basic rule it should not exceed two to three words. If the name you had in mind happens to be longer than that, consider cutting it down or changing it altogether.
As Sanks Nair, COO of Recall shares:
“Short and sweet was essential. [For Recall] the name needed to be easy to say, two syllables max, and roll off the tongue effortlessly. A short, memorable name strengthens brand recall and spreads faster through word of mouth.”
Another hot tip from Sanks is to try out your domain name as a verb. She says, “From experience, a name that can turn into a verb creates a stronger brand. I was an early employee at Uber, originally 'UberCab.' Back then, no one would say, 'I UberCabbed here,' but today, 'I Ubered here' is natural. We wanted a name that could similarly evolve into common usage, like 'I'll recall that.'"
03. Make it easy to type
You don’t want potential visitors lingering over details such as spelling before hitting your page. For that reason, look for a domain name that will easily roll off the tongue - and fingers. It’s best to avoid frequently misspelled words, or anything that requires a double take before pronouncing. Run your chosen domain name by a few friends and see if they can get it right on their first attempt. If they struggle a little, go for a different name.
As Ben Donovan, founder of Brand Builder University notes, when he was selecting a domain name for his business, he focused on it being four things: meaningful, memorable, short and unique. With this in mind, Ben says:
“A domain that's easy to remember sticks in people's minds and makes it simple for them to return or recommend it. Shorter domains are especially helpful, precisely because they're easier to type and share.”
In case you’re planning on using your personal name as the domain, but your last name isn’t intuitive in its spelling, use a combination of your first and middle names instead. Alternatively, combine your first name with your specialty—such as “bakingwithsam.”
Another good practice is to choose a domain name that is predictable, meaning your audience won’t have to second guess how to write it properly. With this in mind, refrain from shorthand and spell out your words. For example, go for “you” instead of “u” and be wary of words that can be spelled numerous ways (is it “ok” or “okay?”).
04. Avoid numbers and dashes (usually)
Unlike a password, your domain name shouldn’t be a string of characters that makes sense solely to you. Therefore, refrain from using special characters such as hyphens and numbers. So “gr8cakes-4all,” for example, would be an especially bad domain name.
Numbers and hyphens are too often confusing and are harder to remember and type. Numbers leave people wondering whether to go for the numeral digit or to spell them out (is it a 10 or a ten?).
Hyphens, on the other hand, are easy to overlook or misplace when typing in the web address and are not immediately within reach on most mobile keyboards. However, there may be specific use cases or situations where hyphens are relevant.
As Charles Hoffman, the owner of Guardian Pressure Washing experienced, his first domain name choice, "guardianpressurewashing.com," was taken, so he used an alternative domain. His first option was to use a different Top-Level Domain (TLD) like ".org," ".net" or ".site." For example, he says he could have chosen "guardianpressurewashing.site."
According to Charles:
“While the unprofessional stigma around using a TLD other than .com has largely fallen off over the years, I decided there was a benefit in taking a different approach. The URL that I went with was 'guardian-pressure-washing.com,' which I felt was easier to read because of the dashes. My work truck is wrapped with various branding, including my domain name. At a glance, people can easily discern the text in the URL.”
05. Consider clarity and accessibility
When choosing a domain name, prioritize accessibility by keeping it simple, easy to read and free of ambiguous characters or confusing structures. This ensures it’s memorable, screen-reader-friendly and inclusive for a diverse audience while enhancing usability and SEO performance.
When it came to selecting a domain for Carepatron, CEO Jamie Frew says the most important factors were clarity, accessibility and alignment with our mission.
“We wanted a name that clearly conveyed our focus on healthcare while being memorable and easy for users worldwide to understand. 'Care' captures our commitment to healthcare and well-being, while 'patron' reflects support and partnership, a core part of our mission to empower both healthcare practitioners and patients.”
Carepatron also prioritized simplicity and ease of recall, as a straightforward domain name makes it easier for users to find and remember us. Jamie says that “after brainstorming and testing various options, Carepatron stood out because it encapsulated our values and the experience we aim to create. It was a name that felt natural, approachable and mission-driven, which is exactly the qualities we wanted our brand to convey.”
06. Stay on brand with your name
A great branding strategy is made up of many different elements that come together in telling one cohesive story. As Wix's head of brand maker, Yaya Aaronsohn, says:
"At its core, branding hinges on trust. Think of it as a relationship between two individuals: the customer and the brand. Within this relationship, authenticity plays a critical role. It builds trust and creates emotional bonds. It fosters consistency, engagement and reduces reputation risks."
Make sure you align your domain name with the rest of your marketing efforts, such as your business website, social media handles and general tone and voice. Doing so will ensure that your online presence speaks the same language and gives off the right message cross-platform.
Your domain name can be either the same as your business name, a variation of it or your business name with an added keyword (as described below). If you’ve yet to name your business, spend some time thinking of a name that’s catchy and encapsulates the spirit of your brand. You can invent new words that have a nice ring to them (such as Wix and Google), look up meaningful terms in the dictionary or thesaurus, or elicit the help of a business name generator to get your ideas flowing.
Furthermore, regardless of how similar to your business or personal name you want your domain to be, you’ll need to make sure the end result is perceived as a brandable name. This will ensure that your online address is perceived as unique and is much easier to remember. For example, “bakingwithsam.com” makes a much stronger impression than “samteachesbaking.com,” in spite of following a very similar pattern and intent.
Learn more: Most expensive domain names
07. Include keywords for SEO
Through the practice of SEO, you can improve your chances of showing up on Google when people search for businesses such as yours. One of the best SEO tips to keep in mind is to include a relevant keyword in your domain name. This can help both site visitors and search engine bots associate your website with your main field of expertise, hence helping it rank better for that topic.
While beneficial, it’s equally important to use keywords in moderation and only when they fit naturally into your domain name. If not, don’t force it, as an overly optimized domain name can come across as spammy. In other words, this strategy for SEO in domain names is valuable but not a must.
When including a keyword does work out in a natural and memorable way, then go for it. If you own a poke place called Aloha, for example, the domain for your restaurant website could be “aloahpokeshop.com.” Whereas if you’re creating a photography portfolio, adding the word “photography” or the location where you’re based to your name can be a plus—such as “jimsmithphotography.com” or “nycweddingphos.com.”
As Tom Smith, marketing team member at University Frames, Inc. found, SEO and discoverability were paramount when they chose their business domain name. Tom notes:
“We considered keywords frequently searched by our target audience. By incorporating 'university' and 'frames,' we ensured our domain naturally aligned with popular search terms, boosting visibility."
You might also want to consider the keywords your target customers or users search for to find a similar product or service, and consider using that within your domain name. Another option is to research what competitors use and if it's relevant to your business.
08. Be descriptive
While this tip may not be the case for every business or brand, it certainly can make an impact depending on your target audience and offering. For Featured.com this was a particularly important consideration for their brand.
As CEO Brett Farmiloe says, “Pulling the trigger on acquiring Featured.com wasn't an easy decision. It was pricey, especially for a young startup like ours.”
“What put me over the edge on the acquisition was the descriptiveness of the domain. We help people get featured in the media. Featured.com is the perfect, most descriptive word that accurately captures our customer value proposition. The simplicity is priceless and has dramatically impacted the growth of our business.”
09. Pick the right domain extension
A domain extension, also known as TLD (top-level domain), is the suffix at the end of your domain name. This rightmost segment of your site’s address serves to identify some of its key elements, such as its purpose, location, or owner.
While the most common extensions are .com, .org and .net, there are many types of domains that can serve different needs and offer alternatives in case your first domain name choice is already taken.
Jeffrey Gabriel, the CEO of Saw.com Incorporated, says, “Try to find a domain that is easy to spell and remember, in a domain extension your audience is comfortable with, and matches the brand of the business.”
“If a company is B2B with a specific focus on selling to very tech-savvy individuals using a .AI or a .IO domain extension, it might make perfect sense, but if it focuses on consumers in the English market, then a co.uk might be the best option. Companies looking to have a presence in many different markets should always lean toward a short, easy-to-spell and memorable.COM domain that is easy to spell and remember in many languages.”
Let’s take a look at what some of these domain extensions are used for:
.com: When it comes to what .com is, this widespread domain extension is almost synonymous with the web. Standing for “commercial,” it's the most trusted and well-known TLD, and when in doubt, it’s usually the best option. The “.com” extension is associated with for-profit businesses. For example: wix.com. Other business-related TLDs are .biz, .tech, .digital or .company.
.net: Referring to networks and what .net is, it's the second most common extension and is generally used by service providers such as website hosting, databases and collaboration tools.
.org: Short for “organization,” this domain extension is most often used for non-profit and charitable organizations. For example: wikipedia.org.
.info: This extension is an abbreviation for “information” and is primarily reserved for informative or educational sites.
.me: An extension that’s highly fitting for an online resume, blog, portfolio website or personal brand. You can also consider .blog for a blog website specifically or .tv for entertainment related sites. Alternatively, both .site and .website are considered wide-ranging TLD. Other options to consider include: .me, .email, .fun, .world, .solutions, .top, .ninja, .art, .pictures, .directory, .studio, .cloud, .live, .party
ccTLD: Country code top-level domains are domain extensions that show off your physical whereabouts and might give your local SEO a boost. A few examples include “.de” for Germany, “.fr” for France, ".nl" for the Netherlands, ".mx" for Mexico, ".br" for Brazil, ".be" for Belgium, “.co.uk” for the United Kingdom, and more.
Learn more: New top-level domains and most popular domain extensions
10. Do your research
Prior to purchasing your domain name, ensure that you’re not infringing on the competition. Research trademark and copyright databases, as well as competitor brands. Going with a domain name that has been adopted by other brands even indirectly (meaning in uses other than a domain name), could result in customer confusion and possible legal issues. It’s therefore worth spending time making an informed and well-researched decision.
Once you have chosen a domain name, it is important to make sure that the domain name is available. You can check for its availability on various web hosting or domain registration websites. The domain name registration system, for example, maintains a database of all registered domain names and their IP addresses. All of this information is freely open to the public.
11. Think long term with your domain name
If you envision growth in your brand’s future, you might want to plan accordingly starting from early on. Purchase a few variants of your domain name to protect them from competitors, ensuring they remain in your hands.
These variants might mean different domain extensions (both the “.com” and the “.net”, for example), or similar options of the same name that can be confusing for users (such as with or without “the” at the beginning). This is especially useful as it’s possible to connect multiple domains to the same website.
Additionally, make sure that the domain name you choose won’t limit your business from expanding further down the line. For example, if your beauty parlor currently provides nail services, but you dream of one day branching out into hairdressing and spa treatments—make sure that your domain name is broad enough to encompass your future endeavors as well.
It's important to distinguish between choosing a domain name for your personal website and your business website, too. When choosing for your personal site or brand you can align it closer to your own personal interests, and be creative. For your business brand you will potentially need to think more professionally and consider what your competitors are doing. If you need help finding inspiration on a name that will distinguish one from the other, use a website name generator to brainstorm ideas.
Read also: Tips for future-proofing your domain
12. Act fast when securing your name
Once you have made up your mind, you should register your domain name as soon as possible in order to ensure no one beats you to it. To do this, simply find an accredited domain registrar that will deal with the ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers) on your behalf (looking through a list of the best domain registrars can help you with this process). They’ll protect your domain name and ensure that it remains yours and only yours for the entire duration of your purchase.
If you’re curious as to how much a domain name costs and if you an get a free domain, note that prices vary based on different factors like the domain extension and the terms you select (such as securing a domain for a longer period of time). However, there are many website hosting platforms that include the first year of domain registration for free.
By combining both a website host and a domain registration, these plans allow for an all-in-one business solution, where you can seamlessly build your website, purchase your domain, and enjoy professional online tools, all under one website infrastructure roof.
Why is choosing the right domain name so important?
But fully understanding what a domain name is, and what a subdomain is, you can understand just how much impact it has when planning how to make your website. Here's why choosing the right domain name is so important.
Be perceived as a professional: Acting as your brand’s address online, a well thought out and customized URL will contribute to your site’s professionalism and authoritativeness, making your company appear more professional from a first look.
Make your website easy to find: By picking a good domain name for your website, you can make it more memorable and help potential visitors find it with ease. A domain that represents your business while being easy to remember means more eyes on your site.
How do you buy a domain name that’s not listed?
Acquiring a domain name that is not listed for sale requires a more personalized approach, as the current owner has not yet expressed their intent to sell the domain publicly. You'll need to:
Identify the domain name: Clearly define the domain name you are interested in acquiring. Consider factors such as keyword relevance, brand alignment and memorability.
Research the owner: Utilize WHOIS lookup tools to gather information about the current domain owner, including their contact details. This information will be crucial for initiating communication.
Direct contact: Compose a personalized email or letter directly to the domain owner expressing your interest in purchasing the domain name. Be respectful, professional and clearly convey your reasons for wanting the domain.
Offer negotiation: Propose an initial offer for the domain name based on your research and understanding of its value. Be open to negotiation and willing to compromise to reach a mutually agreeable price.
Persistence: Understand that acquiring an unlisted domain name may take time and effort. Follow up with the owner politely and professionally, demonstrating genuine interest without being overly pushy.
Alternative options: Explore alternative options if the initial contact or negotiation proves unsuccessful. Consider using domain marketplaces, expired domain auctions or alternative domain names that align with your objectives.
How to choose a domain name FAQ
What's considered a good domain name?
A good domain name is one that's memorable, easy to spell and relevant to your brand, business or purpose. It should be concise, avoiding hyphens and numbers that may cause confusion. Additionally, a good domain name reflects your identity and is unique, helping you stand out in the online space. Consider choosing a name that aligns with your content, is easy to pronounce and has a positive connotation.