You want something simple, recognizable, and memorable. In fact, it should align closely with your brand name.
Designing websites begins with a domain name
Picking a domain name is quite similar to choosing a brand name we discuss how to choose a good domain name in this article; you want something simple, recognizable, and memorable. In fact, it should align closely with your brand name.
Simply put, a domain name is a unique identifier that allows web users to find your website. If the internet is a city filled with streets, avenues, and millions of houses (websites), then a domain name is the address that allows people to find their way to your house (website). Make it too complicated, or unrelated to what you do, and users will have trouble remembering it. Don’t rush to ask, “how do you design a website?” before you’ve picked an appropriate domain name.
Tips for choosing a domain name
Picking a domain name is pretty straightforward but it’s important to keep a few things in mind to ensure you land on one that works well for you.
- Use the right domain name extensions (.com, .org, or .net). We recommend going for a .com extension.
- Pick a name that markets your company’s brand. You can create new words, use existing ones or leverage domain name generators that use your domain ideas and keywords to generate a brandable domain name.
- Make it short. Shorter domain names are easier to read and remember, make your business seem more professional or exclusive and make your website look more trustworthy and authoritative.
- Make it easy to type and pronounce. Think Google, Yahoo or CNN. The largest websites in the world tend to have short, easy to type domain names with relatively simple spelling.
- Avoid numbers and hyphens at all costs. They make a domain name needlessly complicated and hard to remember.
- Use niche keywords to make your website more identifiable in your particular niche.
- Think long-term. Create a great domain name as changing it in the future will cost you SEO rankings, branding and money.
- Make sure your preferred domain name is not already trademarked or in use.