Choosing a domain name for your website can be an intimidating task. There are so many things to consider: the length of the name, if it is available or taken, and how easy it is to remember. However, there are some basic rules that will help you choose your domain name with ease! In this blog post we will talk about what factors should go into choosing a name.
What is a domain name?
When picking a blog niche, selecting the right domain name is one of the most crucial aspects. This is because your website needs an address just as you need a physical address to navigate with GPS or postal mail.
A domain is composed of two main elements: the website URL (e.g. workingathomemom) and the domain extension (.com). When someone purchases a new domain name, they have to specify what server it points to.
What is your blog about and what are the keywords you want to rank for in Google search engine results pages (SERPs)?
As a blogger, your domain name is the first thing people see when they visit your website. If you’re not careful about picking one that’s relevant to what you do and in line with popular search terms, prospective readers might leave and never come back because they couldn’t find what they were looking for.
Do you want one that’s short, easy to remember, or descriptive of your blog topic or niche market (e.g., “fitnessblogger” vs “my-blog-about-running”)
How do you want people to find your site when they’re searching on Google – do you prefer something catchy like “My Blog Name” or something more descriptive like “Your Site Name About Topic”?
Should it be an extension of your personal name, company name, or just a random word with no meaning at all (“yourdomainnamehere”) ?
For this blog we used key works – Working at Home Mom and it tells you EXACTLY what the website is about. I used to have a book blog tour business, it was called Promotional Book Tours. It told you EXACTLY what it was, it was the keywords for the blogging niche. You don’t have to do this but it has worked well for me.
Always Go for The .com
There are many reasons why you should choose a .com. First, it’s memorable and easy to spell. Second, Google prioritizes web pages that have a .com over those with other extensions. Finally, they also boost your SEO performance. If you love your perfect .com but it’s already taken, then think about choosing a different one or contacting the current owner to see if they’d be willing to sell. Warning, this could get very expensive. I suggest looking for variations when you choose your domain name.
Try Some Domain Name Generators
Wanting to come up with a cool domain name for your business can be hard enough, but if you’re also having trouble coming up with a catchy business name, these kind of tools can help.
Tools like this are very simple and surprisingly helpful. All they need is one keyword or seed key-phrase, and, in return, they give you dozens or even hundreds of suggestions that can be registered immediately.
Tools include –
- LeanDomainSearch, created by the guys at Automattic (also known for WordPress.com).
- Nameboy is a little old-fashioned in its design, but it’s still very useful for narrowing down your name options.
- Business name generator by Shopify does everything above and also helps you build a Shopify store of your choice.
Make sure you can Legally Own the Domain
Registering a name that infringes on somebody else’s trademark can lead to devastating consequences.
The occurrence of this happening is slim, but you may still need to be cautious when naming your website or blog. To best avoid having a bad day.
Furthermore, before registering it for your business or website idea, you should perform a Google search to see if it is already in use by someone else.
Choose a Domain Registrar
The registrar is a company that registers a domain name on your behalf, and then you have full access to the registered name.
We recommend
SiteGround — our top recommended hosting company that also sells names.
Godaddy – I buy a lot here because they have $.99 sales for the first year all of the time.
Register Your Domain Name Yourself
Creating your own domain name is always a good idea. Agencies may have to register for it, but you will avoid potential troubles later on. If someone else registers the domain, they’ll gain power over your website. If you ever want to move away from their services, it can be tough for them to agree because they won’t want to give up control of it.
Set Your Domain to Auto-Renew
Generally, when you register your new name, you get to choose the registration period — the time span during which the registrar keeps the domain active on your behalf. Most people register their names for 12, 24, or even 5 years.
You will need to renew it when that time is up and you can choose how long for. I’ve known too many people who have forgotten and lost their domains, even domains that were their names! Don’t let this happen to you and put it on auto-renew.
This blog post was all about how to choose your domain name, and we hope you found it helpful. Remember that a good name is important for SEO purposes as well as branding, so make sure you take the time to find one that suits your needs. You’re now armed with some valuable information on what makes a great domain name choice–feel free to share this article if any of its content resonates with you! Happy blogging!
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