13 Tips for Choosing the Perfect Domain Name

How to Choose the Perfect Domain Name for Your Business in 2024

Your domain name is one of the most crucial elements of your brand‘s online presence. It‘s how customers find you on the web, and it communicates key information about who you are and what you do. A well-chosen domain name can make a strong first impression, boost brand recognition, and drive traffic to your site. On the flip side, a poorly chosen one can turn off potential customers and hurt your business.

With over 1.9 billion websites online today, coming up with a domain name that checks all the boxes—one that‘s memorable, meaningful, and available to register—is harder than ever. But don‘t worry, we‘re here to help. Follow these 13 tips to choose the perfect domain name for your business in 2024 and beyond.

1. Keep it short, sweet, and easy to type
   When it comes to domain names, less is definitely more. Aim for 6-14 characters max. The easier your domain name is to type correctly on the first try, the better. Avoid easy-to-mistype strings of letters and numbers. And if you want people to be able to pass along your domain name verbally, make it easy to spell and pronounce, too. Think "Amazon.com," not "Amaz0nStore4Gr8Deals.biz".

2. Use keywords… judiciously
   An exact-match domain name that incorporates your primary keywords can give your site an SEO boost and make it instantly clear what you do. For example, "SportingGoods.com" leaves no doubt about what that website sells.

But don‘t go overboard cramming multiple keywords in. Keep it natural-sounding, and avoid keyword-stuffed mouthfuls like "BestSportingGoodsShopOnline.net". You want your domain to read like a brand name, not a search query.

3. Target your area
   If your business is local, try including your city or state in your domain name to capture geographically relevant traffic. For instance, "NewYorkPlumber.com" signals right away that this plumber serves the New York area. Even if you do business nationally or globally, you could use a country code top-level domain (ccTLD) to specify your home base, like ".us" for the United States or ".de" for Germany.

4. Avoid numbers and hyphens
   People often leave out or misplace hyphens and numbers when typing in domain names. If you want "YourBrand.com" but it‘s taken, resist the urge to go with "Your-Brand.com" or "YourBrand247.com". Hyphens and numbers make your domain harder to remember and easier to mistype, costing you traffic.

The one exception is using a number to signal your founding date, like "JoesGarage1998.com". Even then, make sure you also register the non-numeric version if it‘s available so people can find you either way.

5. Be memorable
   There are millions of registered domain names out there. To stand out, you need a domain name that‘s catchy and memorable. Aim for a name that‘s unique, quirky, or even a little unconventional—as long as it fits your brand voice.

Steer clear of names that are too generic, abstract, or easily confused with other brands. While you can certainly get creative with made-up words or unexpected combinations (think "Twitter" or "GoDaddy"), make sure your domain name still gives some clue about what you do. Finding that sweet spot between distinctive and descriptive is the key.

6. Research your domain name
   Before you commit, do your due diligence. Make sure your chosen name doesn‘t infringe on any existing trademarks. Check Urban Dictionary to see if your desired name has any unintended meanings or rude connotations you weren‘t aware of. Look into the domain‘s history to confirm it wasn‘t previously associated with spammy behavior or unsavory content.

Most importantly, search for your top picks on social media sites to see if matching handles are available. Securing the same name across your domain, social profiles, and other brand assets creates a cohesive brand experience and avoids confusion. Tools like Namechk can help you quickly search for a name‘s availability on dozens of sites.

7. Choose the right domain extension
   When most people think of domain extensions (also called top-level domains, or TLDs), ".com" is the first that comes to mind. It‘s been around the longest and still wields the most authority and trust with many web users. If you can snag a ".com", go for it.

But don‘t despair if your ".com" is taken. Newer options like ".co", ".io", ".app", and ".website" are gaining ground as memorable, credible alternatives. Just be sure to avoid obscure extensions that could look spammy or untrustworthy.

Another option is using a TLD that describes your business or industry. For example, ".photography" works great for photographers‘ websites, ".tech" suits technology companies, and ".pizza" is perfect for (you guessed it) pizza shops. Descriptive extensions can make your domain more memorable and meaningful.

8. Leave room to grow
   Choose a domain name that will still work if your business scope expands down the road. For instance, if you sell t-shirts today but might branch out to other clothing later, "JanesTees.com" is more limiting than "JanesApparel.com". The vaguer name gives you space to grow without having to change your domain later and lose out on brand recognition.

9. Protect your brand
   To guard against impostor sites and protect your online identity, consider registering multiple versions of your domain name. For example, if your main domain ends in ".com", you could defensively register the ".net", ".org", and ".co" versions too and have them redirect to your primary site.

You may also want to register common misspellings of your domain name. So if you own "Flickr.com", you could also grab "Flicker.com" and "Flikr.com" to catch wayward traffic.

10. Act fast
    New domain names are registered every second. Once you‘ve settled on a name you love, don‘t delay. Domain names are relatively inexpensive (usually $10-20 per year), so it‘s better to grab your name now than risk losing it to someone else.

Many domain registrars also offer add-ons like privacy protection (to keep your contact details out of the public WHOIS directory) and automatic renewal (so you don‘t lose your domain if you forget to renew it). Consider if these extras are worth it to you.

11. Set your domain to auto-renew
    If you let your domain name expire, it eventually becomes available for anyone else to register. Don‘t lose your domain to an opportunistic squatter or competitor! Set your domain to auto-renew so you can hang onto it long-term.

Most registrars offer one to ten-year registration periods. Generally, the longer you register for upfront, the less you pay per year. Consider how long you plan to keep the domain when deciding on a registration length.

12. Use domain name generators for inspiration
    Stuck on ideas? Plug keywords related to your business into a domain name generator tool and see what creative suggestions it spits out. Some of our favorite generators are:

• Lean Domain Search: Enter a seed keyword and get a list of available domains that include that word or variations of it. Helpful for brainstorming ideas in a specific niche.

• Nameboy: Input two keywords, and Nameboy will mix and match them into available domain names of different lengths. Great for exploring unexpected keyword combos.

• Wordoid: Makes up quirky portmanteaus that work well for distinctive brand names. Enter a word you want the domain to contain, select an ending (like "-ly" or "-ism"), and choose your character length limit.

13. Don‘t stress (too much)
    Choosing the perfect domain name does take time and consideration. But don‘t let the decision paralyze you. If you‘ve found an available name that‘s short, memorable, easy to spell and pronounce, and relevant to your business, go ahead and register it. You can always change your domain later on if needed (though there are downsides to doing that).

The most important thing is to take action and stake your claim to your corner of the internet. Your domain name is just one part of your broader online presence. Ultimately, offering great content, products, and customer experiences is what will make your website successful.

Now that you‘re armed with these 13 tips, you‘re well on your way to choosing a domain name that will serve your business well for years to come. If you need help with the next steps—like finding a web host and building your website—check out our other resources. Here‘s to your online success!