Domain Registration

Choosing the right domain name is essential in the domain registration process. A domain name is often the first point of contact between a business and potential customers, so choose a memorable and relevant name.

Importance of Choosing the Right Domain Name

Here are reasons you’ll need to carefully think of your domain name as you digitize your business.

First Impressions Are Huge For Your Business

If someone visits a website with a boring or generic domain name, they may not even bother clicking through on any content links if they don’t see something interesting immediately.

They may also think that the site owner isn’t creative or doesn’t take pride in their work if the page looks unprofessional or outdated, which could be detrimental to future sales opportunities.

People Need To Be Able To Find You Easily

A bad choice of a domain name could mean that potential customers will never find you in the first place. And they may even choose one of your competitors instead.

Luckily there are plenty of ways to make sure that never happens. We will cover tips on creating a domain name in the next section.

Your Domain Name Is More Than Just A URL

Your domain name is a part of your brand, online identity, and reputation. Plus, it has the power to influence search engine ranking.

Domain names are extremely valuable because they provide instant recognition that builds customer trust. Your domain should also be clear and concise so people can easily find you online.

Tips for Selecting a Domain Name

Don’t let a lousy domain name drag down your business.

If your company is just getting started, you might think that a good domain name is just one of those things you have to put off until you’re a little more established.

But you couldn’t be more wrong!

The right domain name can pull your business up by the bootstraps and propel it into the stratosphere. It’s an opportunity to set the tone for your business and make a great first impression. But if you have a bad domain name, it could be hurting more than helping your business.

A domain name should be descriptive of what you do without being overly complicated or wordy—because that’s just annoying.

Following are some tips you can use as you decide on your website’s domain name.

Keep It Short And Simple

As you’re brainstorming domain names, remember that the simpler your URL is, the better. The more syllables and letters you add to your URL, the harder it will be for people to remember and type out.

Do not use a word with multiple meanings or connotations to avoid confusion. The more specific your domain name, the better. For example, starting a flower business and calling it “Flowers” is much less specific than “Loveflowers.”

But don’t be too specific either—you’ll want to leave room for future expansion or a change in direction.

Make It Memorable And Unique

A memorable domain name will stick in people’s minds, making it more likely for them to remember and visit your website. So spend some time thinking about what you want to call your website before you get started.

If you’re struggling to find something suitable, try brainstorming with friends or family. And don’t stop until you come up

with ideas that seem suitable for your business. They may have some great ideas that you hadn’t even considered before!

You can then narrow down those options by avoiding these bad practices:

-using the same name as a competitor (if possible)

-using words that sound similar to other words (e.g., don’t call yourself “web design” if there’s already someone else named Web Designs!)

-using words that are too generic (Pro tip: Do not use “the” unless it’s part of your actual brand name)

Use Keywords

Incorporating relevant keywords into your domain name can improve your search engine rankings and make it easier for people to find your website when searching for relevant topics.

For example, if your website is about “organic gardening,” use the keywords “organic” and gardening” in your domain name.

A word of caution, though: make sure your domain name is easy to remember and catchy.

Avoid Symbols

Symbols can make a domain name harder to remember and type and confuse users. So it’s best to avoid them and stick with letters.

You may use numbers if you need to add some variety. A good rule of thumb is to use at most two numbers in a domain name.

Also, avoid hyphens and underscores in your top-level domains, as they aren’t allowed for most top-level domains (for example, .com).

Use Top-Level Domains (TLDs)

A TLD, or a top-level domain, is the part of a website’s address that comes after the “dot” (.) and indicates the website’s type of organization or purpose.

For example, in the website address “www.example.com”, the TLD is “,com”.

The most common TDLs are “.com”, “.org”, and “.net”, but there are many others such as “.edu” (for educational institutions), “.gov” (for government organizations), and even new TLDs like “.blog” or “.shop”.

Some TLDs are intended for specific countries, like “.us” for the United States, “.ca” for Canada, and “.uk” for the United Kingdom. Also, a TLD can indicate a website’s purpose or intended audience, such as a “.com” TLD being more commercial, while a “.org” TLD is more informative or non-profit.

The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) manages internet names and addresses. Over time, ICANN has expanded into other areas, such as:

-internationalized domains (IDNs): allow non-Latin characters like Chinese or Arabic to be included in web addresses;

-country code Top Level Domains (ccTLDs): reference specific countries or territories

-generic top-level domains (gTLDs): non-country specific

How To Check if a Domain Name Is Available

Once you have decided on the perfect domain name for your business, don’t forget the last and crucial step. That’s getting the domain name from the registry!

You can visit a domain registrar’s website and enter the desired domain name into their search bar. Then, if the domain name is available, you can proceed with the registration process; if not, choose a different domain name.

Also, check if your target domain name is available for registration in your desired country. If not, try going down one level in the hierarchy and see if it’s available there instead (e.g., .com vs. .co).

Then register your domain as soon as possible because popular domains go fast.