When creating an online business, one of the very first steps is to find the right domain name.
The domain name of your website should incorporate needs to be short, memorable, and easy to apply to your industry.
While you may not find the perfect combination, it is important that your domain name match closely because it will become part of your marketing efforts.
How to Choose the Best Domain Name
The best way to start is by brainstorming ideas and concepts of your business before you settle on a domain name. This means you should think about the industry, the niche, and the direction of your business first, writing down the concepts and talking to friends and family about ideas that they may have as well. You should not make any decisions at this point, but rather keep a list of ideas created from your brainstorming sessions.
You might include your name, the industry that you are in, or something else that is vital to your business as part of the domain name. This will help make it easier to narrow down the choices as to what works best. Here are a few parameters that you should follow when coming up with domain name ideas;
- Short and Snappy
- Use a Keyword if Appropriate
- Easy to Remember
- Simple to Type
- Include Domain Suffixes that are Available, such as .com, .net, and so forth
Your goal is to create a domain name that will roll off people’s tongues so that they will have no problem remembering your business. While it is true that many people bookmark sites that they enjoy, they also are more likely to visit websites that they can easily remember, especially when looking for the products or services that you offer.
Benefits
Creating a simple, easy to remember domain name that is tied in to your industry offers several advantages, especially in terms of marketing your website.
Simplicity: The simpler and more direct your domain name, the easier it will be for you to use it in your marketing efforts and for your potential customers to remember as well. Simple, direct domain names, especially for niche businesses, provide an edge over those that are complex, use hyphens, or otherwise are longer and more difficult to remember. While it may be rare that a customer will try to type in your web address, it doesn’t help if they cannot remember your exact domain name when using a search engine.
Incorporating into Marketing: You can use a simple, direct domain name in your marketing efforts from web advertisements to business cards and other traditional advertising efforts. Many successful businesses use their domain name as an important part of their advertising, so it is important that you try to do the same.
A good domain name also builds up your brand which in turn helps increase your customer base. When people see your domain name, they will automatically associate you with a specific industry where they may need products or services. So, the better the name, the more likely you are to reach new customers.