Choosing a domain name for your website is like choosing a name for a pet. You invest a lot of your passion and personality into the choice and once you choose it you’ll have a hard time changing it. Therefore, it helps to know the basics of choosing a domain name before you go around shopping for one. To help you, we’ve developed this brief guide to choosing a domain name for your website.
The first thing you need to do is determine what keywords you are targeting. Don’t try to get clever or unique, just pick something that people will instantly recognize within your niche. Do some keyword research if you must, and don’t be afraid to do split testing with several domain names before you settle on the winner.
If the domain name you want is taken, then you have a few different options. You could opt for a different extension, such as .net, .info, or .biz. However, I always prefer a .net or .com over the other choices.
You can also try inserting a dash in between your keywords. For example, www.mydomain.com could become www.my-domain.com. This is a subtle change that really won’t make a difference in the eyes of your customer, and is much more preferential than a .info or .biz domain extension. As a last resort, you can turn numbers into letters, change the spelling of words, or use a combination of new domain extension and dashes between the keywords. If you try hard enough, you should be able to find a domain name that works.
Once you’ve settled on a domain name, then find a domain name registrar, such as Go Daddy, Namecheap, or 1and1, and register your domain name. I prefer private registration, but the choice is up to you. You should be able to get a domain name for around 10 bucks or less. Once you’ve got your domain name chosen and purchased, then you can start the process of building and uploading your website. One last tip, make sure that if you don’t purchase your domain name for several years, that you don’t forget to renew it, otherwise you risk losing it to another lucky person.