You’re thinking of starting your own blog, business website, or online store, but aren’t sure about the steps to take to choose the best domain name.
Right?
If you’re that person, then you’re at the right place.
Finding the best domain name isn’t an easy task. While when you don’t have enough knowledge about how to choose the best domain name.
But you don’t need to worry about that because, in this detailed article, I will tell you step by step how you can find the best domain name for your blog or website.
Here is a question: Does a good domain name impact your business?
So my answer is: Yes!
A domain name is just as important as your business, and it is the online identity name of your brand or business. That’s why your domain name should be yours.
Always choose a domain name that is recognizable, easy to remember, and represents you and your brand.
Choosing the right domain name for your business idea is critical to success. But, in most cases, new business owners, bloggers, and website owners choose their domain names in haste.
After that, they realize that they have made the wrong choice.
Coming up with the best domain name isn’t easy. If you choose the wrong domain name in haste, it can be troublesome to switch later without harming your brand and search rankings for your website.
Throughout this article, I will help you choose your first blog, website, or business domain name in simple steps, which are the most important ones to consider before choosing the right domain name.
What is a Domain Name?
In simple terms, a domain name is an address of your website that visitors type in the browser HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) bar to visit your website. As long as you continue to pay the annual fee ($10 – $15 for the .com domain), it’s yours.
Before creating a website, it is a must to know what is a domain name.
You must have seen on the Internet that every website has a domain name. It creates a distinct identity for the website on the Internet.
But what exactly is it?
We also know the domain name as the name of the website. By the way, each website technically runs on an IP address, but it is difficult to remember, so we use the domain name to make websites easily identifiable.
Computers use IP addresses to connect and open every website. It could be a series of numbers like this 192.168.1.1. It is used for domain name extensions like .com, .net, .in, .org, .gov, etc.
DNS (Domain Name System) or domain name is a system that creates the name of a website. Users who know your domain name can find the website by typing into their browser’s address bar.
Other people can find your blog or website through search engines like Google and Bing.
Domain Name Structure
A domain name has a three-part structure. It begins with the machine or hostname (such as “www” to indicate the “World Wide Web”), followed by the website name, and finally, the TLD (such as .com, .org, .in, or .gov).
Every part of the domain: is separated by a dot, creating a fully qualified domain name (FQDN) such as www.wpsettingbox.com.
- Prefix: An internet application protocol of your domain (HTTP: – standard, HTTPS: – secured).
- Subdomain: The third level domain of your website name (some sites use “www” and some don’t).
- Name: The second-level domain of the website, selected by the person registering the domain.
- Extension: The top-level domain. Can be selected from the variety of available choices.
Why your Domain Name matters
Your domain name is a valuable part of your blog or website. Your domain name is the main element of your website. It’s not just your address on the World Wide Web.
It does much more:
- First Impression: Your domain name is the first thing visitors will see first. A good domain name can make a good impression on your visitors, while a bad domain name can hurt rankings.
- Branding: Your domain name strengthens your branding. A good domain name can enhance brand recognition.
- It affects SEO: It can help your SEO ranking if you put keywords in your domain name.
Tips for Choosing the Best Domain Name
When starting a blog, choosing a domain name can be stressful if you don’t want to make any mistakes.
A lot of domain names are already taken or owned by someone. So the chances are few to get the desired domain name that you have in your mind.
In this case, you need to research more ideas to get the best domain name.
Finding the best domain name is one of the most valuable steps in starting a blog or business website. To simplify the process, I have a 12-step outline that you can use to choose the best domain for your blog or website.
- Choose the Right Domain Dame Extensions (.com, .net, .org)
- Make it Brandable over Generic
- Keep your Domain Name Short
- Make it Easy to Type, Pronounce, and Spell
- Avoid Hyphens, Numbers, and Double letters
- Consider using a Keyword that Reflects your Website
- Target your Geographic Area
- Research your Domain Name and Check on Social Networks
- Avoid Trademark Infringement
- Use Domain Generator tools to Get More Ideas
- Try Getting a Free Domain Name with Web Hosting
- Register first before Anyone Else does
Now let’s look at these tips one by one in more detail.
1. Choose the Right Domain Name Extension
Why choose .com?
While there are various domain name extensions available today. You can choose from original .com, .net, .org, and the niche extensions like .blog, .club, .news, .photography, and more.
But instead of all this, the .com domain extension is still popular and reliable.
All of the major brands use .com domain name extensions. Most users are accustomed to typing this at the end of every domain name.
According to research, 52% of all domain names have a .com extension. That is why .com is the best option to start a business, blog, or website.
New domain name extensions like .blog, .club, .life, and others can make your business look less trustworthy. So always try to go with “.com” first. If not available, you can choose .net or .org.
Suppose your blog domain name is mika.life, and your user types it wrong mika.com. Then they will go to an error page or someone’s other website.
That is why the .com domain name extension is still the best.
2. Make it Brandable over Generic
Your domain name should be brandable and unique.
But why choose a brandable domain name?
A brandable domain name is unique and memorable and stands out from the competition. While a generic domain name usually comes up with some keywords.
Look how you know the differences between bluehost.com, dreamhost.com, and a2hosting.com.
Probably not, Right?
These are similar and common domain names with keywords. They will increase the competition and make it even more of a mix. Think like top brands and websites, and make your domain name brand-worthy and unique.
Here’s a quick way to find more brandable domain names:
- Think new words: Choose your domain name, like top brands (Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc).
- Use existing words: Using attractive words, you can make your domain name more memorable that fit your brand.
- Use domain name generator tools: Domain name generator tools help you to find more brandable domain names.
3. Keep your Domain Name Short
It is always better to choose a short domain name.
A domain name of 10 to 15 characters is ideally best. But more short is perfect, from 4 to 8 characters.
A short domain name is easy to remember. Whereas more extended domains are more complicated for your users to remember.
Users will also be more at risk of entering typos with longer domain names which can lead to traffic loss.
4. Make your Domain Name Easy to Type, Pronounce, and Spell
Easy-to-type domain names are always memorable. Think like big brands, like Google, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook, and BBC.
They have one thing in common they are all easy to type. People love and remember easy-to-type domain names.
Also, your domain name should be easy to pronounce and well-spelled.
An easy-to-pronounce and the well-spelled domain name can make your blog or website name memorable. It increases the chances of success.
That is why you should choose a domain name that is easy to write and pronounce. Hard-to-pronounce domain names aren’t easy to remember and can lose your visitors.
So please keep this in mind before choosing a domain name.
5. Avoid Hyphens, Numbers, and Double Letters
Never choose a domain name with hyphens (-), double letters, and numbers. Hyphens and numbers make this more difficult.
Suppose Yahoo’s domain name had a hyphen like Ya-Hoo, so it wouldn’t be easy for you to type and remember.
By the way, there is a hyphen between Ya and Hoo.
Hyphens, double letters, and numbers make your domain name difficult to type, remember, and pronounce. So choose wisely without hyphens, double letters, and numbers.
Let’s see this with an example.
Suppose yahoo.com is already registered, and you accidentally choose the same one with the hyphen ya-hoo.com.
So, in this case, if your user forgets to add the hyphen, they will go to yahoo.com, and it will cause traffic loss.
6. Use Keywords in Your Domain Name Search
Keywords play a valuable role in the domain name. If your domain name has a Keyword, it makes your website more searchable in search engines like Google.
Domain names that contain keywords can target a specific area, category, or niche. It’s hard to find a good domain with your target keywords that aren’t already taken.
So you need to be more creative to find the best one.
7. Target your Geographic Area
If you plan to start a local business or store, consider including your city or state in your domain name to make it easier for local customers to find and remember.
Examples: FloridaPetCare, MiamiFlowers, UtahBuilders, etc.
This will increase your chances of ranking your business higher in a specific geographic area.
8. Research your Domain Name and Check on Social Networks
The best part of choosing your domain name is to do the research, and you should avoid making your domain name similar to other domain names.
Similar type names can confuse your visitors and cause traffic loss.
You can also do a Google search and check the availability of the name on top social media websites like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc.
It is a good idea to check out the top social media sites before choosing a domain name for your blog or business website.
If the names already exist, so try to find another one.
By doing this, you can avoid infringement of copyrighted trademarked names of another brand or business.
9. Avoid Trademark Infringement
If you choose a copyrighted name for your domain name, this can be a hassle for you. Before choosing a specific domain name, it is significant to check its availability on Google and social media sites.
If the domain name is already available, stay away from it to avoid infringement of copyright trademark names of another brand or business.
10. Use Domain Generator Tools to Get More Ideas
Try domain name generator tools to get the best ideas.
Domain name generator tools can help you find the best domain name for your blog or website. They are easy to use and less time-consuming.
They will help you generate domain names with the targeted keywords you want to add to your domain name.
11. Get a Free Domain Name with Web Hosting
Many web hosting companies offer domain registration as a service. But some web hosting companies offer free domain name registration with a new hosting account.
It is helpful for beginner bloggers who want to save money and grab this deal to start their blog or website.
If you are going to start a blog, then getting a domain name for free is a great idea. Typically, a domain name comes with a cost of $10 to $20 per year.
Let me suggest you two web hosting companies that are offering my users great discounts, free SSL, free CDN, and a free domain name:
#1. GreenGeeks is a faster, more secure, and eco-friendly web hosting company. It is a well-known web hosting service provider that started its journey in 2008.
#2. HostGator is a leading provider of shared, reseller, VPS, & dedicated hosting solutions. Award-winning support is available 24/7/365 via phone, email & LiveChat.
Most web hosts only offer free domain registration for one year. After the first year, your domain registration will renew, usually for around $14 per year.
12. Register First, Before Anyone Else Does
The domain name is already taken.
When you check the availability of the domain name you want to get, you might be surprised by the above message.
A lot of domain names are registered every day. The chances of choosing the best domain name for your blog or website are less.
That is why you need to act fast to register if you get a good available domain name.
Final Thoughts
Finding the best domain name is challenging, and mostly good domain name is already taken.
But I’m sure this article will help you to find the best domain name.
Please drop your message in the comment section for more help and suggestions. I’d be happy to help you find a great domain name for your blog or business.
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More insightful, I need to choose a domain for my niche.
Choosing a domain name can be daunting, but your step-by-step guide has made the process much easier for me. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks, you find this article helpful.
I chose my domain a long time ago but didn’t focus too much on how it would. It was a random pick.
Actually, almost all unique and short domains are already registered, so finding the best domain is very difficult. Usually, people try to find the best names using domain generator tools, but I prefer to dive deep into my own ideas to find one manually.
These are great tips!
Great post. So detailed. Very useful for newbies.
Choosing a domain name is such an important step in the beginning blogging process. You outline some really helpful tips on selecting one as well as some intelligence on why it’s important. Great post!
Thank you for your appreciation. I’m grateful.
I never thought of all these details when choosing my domain name. It would be helpful to read your advice before buying. I learned that domain generations exist from your post. Thanks for sharing this detailed article!
Thanks, you found this helpful.
It is really a big thing when you are starting. Great post and thank you for the insight.