If your goal is to have an online presence or become a “webprenuer” it is inevitable that you will need to purchase a domain name for your website.
A domain is the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or web address that is typed into a web browser to go to a website such as http://google.com or http://facebook.com.
Before you even begin building your website it is important to choose a good domain name. This essentially is a huge part of your brand and often is more memorable than your brand name itself. Also, if you’re intent is to align a domain with a brand then you really need to find the availability of the domain name itself.
Tips On Choosing a Domain Name:
- Keep it simple, unique, memorable, and easy to pronounce. Make sure your domain name is short, easy to remember, and simple. It can be difficult for readers to correctly spell, pronounce, or type your domain name if it is too long.
- Your domain name should be relevant to your industry or niche. If you are creating a website for a law firm don’t make your domain ‘chickendinner.com’ The domain if possible intuitively depict what the website is about if at all possible.
- Keep it short. Make the web address mobile friendly. As of February 2021 51% of all Internet traffic was from a mobile device. Try typing a domain out on a mobile device keyboard first to see if it’s easy to type.
- Select the right TLD (extension .com, .biz,) The more popular TLDs or domain extensions are easier for people to remember because they are common.
Get the Right Extension or I TLD You So!
It’s no secret that having a .com is the best TLD to get simply because it is the most popular and the defacto TLD to get for any business. However, a good .com address can be difficult to find in most cases. A .org (organization) or .net (network) are still very popular but I would use them sparingly for only certain applications. If you have a volunteer organization then owning a .org domain is preferred, it actually gives legitimacy.
Currently .biz and .co are still growing in popularity as commercial websites and still have a lot of availability. Another option is purchasing a custom TLD which costs more and can benefit the identity of your brand such as an app developer may have thisismynewgame.app. The problem is that these custom TLDs don’t seem to attract search engines despite their catchy appearance. However, that could always change and then you would have something catchy for later.
Where to Purchase a Domain?
Any domain registrar can register a domain in your names such as https://topsweb.com or https://xorohost.com. You can check availability and it will give you name suggestions and TLD alternatives to help you pick the best domain name for your business.