How to Decide on a Domain Name?
After choosing your website builder platform and your niche market, the next step is to decide on a domain name. A domain name represents the brand and the internet address of your business.
It is important to choose it carefully because of the influence it can have on how your business is and on how your website is going to rank in the search engines.
You have an important choice ahead! But don’t worry, this post is a guidance for selecting an amazing domain name for your website.
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Importance of Having Your Own Domain
Having your own domain is very important because of 3 main factors:
Factor #1: it is your own asset with the potential to generate revenue and to increase in value over time.
Factor #2: you have complete control of it. It is like owning a property where you can do whatever you like with it (make it bigger, refurbish or sell it).
Factor #3: the search engines will rank it much better than a subdomain. This is crucial because the amount of traffic and conversions that results from it will be highly affected by your rankings in the search engines.
Where to Find a Domain?
I highly recommend domain registrars such as Namecheap.com or GoDaddy.com to buy your new domain. They are ICCAN accredited (very reliable) and charge around $5 to $30 per year. My domain, for example, I purchased with Namecheap for a bargain of $10.
Choose a Clean and Memorable Name
It is a good idea to choose a website name which is easy to pronounce and type. The idea is to make it simple so that when someone is recommending your website via text or even word of mouth, they can easily remember and make no mistakes. Therefore, it is advisable to include short and simple words, avoid numbers, dashes, slangs and especially misspellings.
These are some domain types you should avoid:
http://how-2-prepare-healthy-snacks.com
Why not? Dashes and numbers!
http://avoiddodgyscamsontheinternetnow.com
Why not? Use of slang word (dodgy) and extremely long!
Brandable VS Keyword Rich Domains
There are two types of domains and both have their pros and cons. Here are them:
Keywords:
Keywords are simply words or phrases people type in the search engines to look for specific information. If your website domain has the exact keyword people are typing, it can have a slight advantage over other websites and get a lot of traffic for that specific search. I said, “slight advantage” because it used to be more efficient in terms of rankings than now.
In the past, many people took advantage of keyword rich domains. They created poor content websites because it used to rank high and get tons of traffic no matter what. With Google’s ever-improving algorithm, this easy traffic is long gone. However, you can still use popular keywords for your domain to get the edge for that specific query, as long as you keep focus on quality content and other critical factors (click here to know the 5 critical factors).
Here are some examples of keyword rich domains:
- http://waystoavoidscamsonline.com
- http://losebellyfast.com
- http://thebestwinterboots.com
One disadvantage of using this type of domain is that if you target a specific kind of products, as in thebestwinterboots.com, it will be awkward to promote in a wider niche in the future. For example, what if you want to promote winter jackets?
Just remember that tons of other keywords will be naturally ranked from your content, so you don’t need to be worried about ranking for one in particular as to make this influence on your brand name.
Brandable – My Favorite Option
This type does not contain an exact match keyword, but it can be memorable and reflect the essence of your business.
I highly encourage you to choose a brandable domain because it can give you more flexibility in terms of content creation, product, and services promotion, etc.
In addition, as you build up your reputation/authority within your niche, your brand will become well-known and people will connect with what your business is all about. This can be really powerful!
Take, for example, Apple, Google, BMW, Sony and many others. The brand name itself tells nothing about the kinds of products and services each company offers, but everybody has an emotional connection with what they represent in terms of quality, reputation, exclusivity, and so on.
Use a Top Level Domain Extension (TLD) for Better Rankings
When you go to a domain registrar to buy a domain, you are faced with many extension options such as .com, .org, .net, .news, .info among many others. Considering you are creating a website for a business and want to target an international audience, I suggest you give priority for the following extensions:
- .com
- .org
- .net
Among them, the .com is your best choice for two main reasons:
Reason #1: Your website is going to gain much more visibility in search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. This will ultimately have an impact on traffic and conversions. If your competitor has the same domain name as yours but a .com website, you will probably have a hard time ranking higher than him with an unconventional extension. You don’t want to have this disadvantage!
Reason #2: It is much easier for people to remember. The .com extension is already fixed in people’s minds when it comes to typing a web address on their browser.
If you have decided on a domain which is not available as a .com, your next good option is .org. However, I highly encourage you to rethink about your brand name if you cannot find a .com version available. The benefits will definitely be worth the change.
If your focus is on a local audience, a good option is to choose a top level domain specific to a country. Some examples include .ca (Canada), .uk (United Kingdom), .de (Germany), .br (Brazil).
Still Undecided? Start Your Website with a Free Subdomain
When I got started in internet marketing, I had a hard time deciding on a domain name for myroomismyoffice.com.
Fortunately, this didn’t prevent me from start working on it because I used a free subdomain with SiteRubix. In the beginning, my sub-domain website was myroomismyoffice.siterubix.com.
After I felt confident enough, I bought my domain, and I transferred my entire SiteRubix website to my own domain with a simple click. That was great!
Starting your website or blog with a sub-domain is ideal, especially for a newbie. It is really common in the beginning to feel indecisive about a niche and/or a domain name and I think it is comforting to have the power to go back and change things. This can save you money and headaches.
Just to clarify, a sub-domain is a part of a larger domain. It won’t rank as well as your own domain but it will not make much difference in the beginning, considering you will have only a handful of articles.
You can create 2 free websites with SiteRubix, which also offers:
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Conclusion
Choosing a domain name for your website is a big step for your online business. That’s why you have made a good decision when you came to this page looking for information. Just to recap, this is my guidance for making a good choice:
- Make it simple, memorable and avoid numbers, dashes and misspellings.
- Choose brandable domains for versatility and emotional connection
- Choose keyword rich domains for a slight advantage in rankings for a high traffic keyword
- Give preference to Top Level Domains (TDL)
Finally, I just would like to highlight that your success as an internet marketer will derive, first and foremost, from your great content.
Choosing a good domain will only be effective if you offer quality and consistency to your readers. At the end of the day, people will care about what you write and that is what will ultimately result in sales.
If you are having any trouble choosing a domain or would like to comment on anything that was covered in this article, please leave me a message below.
Thanks for taking your time to read this article.
Peace
Want to Get Paid for Playing Games on Your Phone?
I tested and compared the best reward apps and sites, so you don't waste time on the fake ones. See which ones actually pay, how low the cash-out minimums go, and which offers are worth your time.
- ✅ Low cash-outs, some from just $1
- ✅ PayPal, gift cards and more
- ✅ Games, surveys and simple tasks
- ✅ Honest tips to avoid tracking problems
Earnings aren't guaranteed and results vary. Treat it as a bonus for time you already spend on your phone.
Hi Stefan,
I see a lot of people get bogged down with choosing a domain name. Within WordPress it is very easy to transfer all your content (posts, pages, comments, photos) to a new domain if you decide to change it. The most important thing in the beginning is to start building that content as soon as possible then change the domain name later if you come up with something better.
-Alex
Hi AlexYou are right! There is no need to be so worried in the beginning. I think the niche selection is way more important decision in the beginning. And as you said, the newbie should focus on content first… when they are confident enough, then they should buy a domain at a Registrar. Thanks for your input!
Great Article,
I actually regret the domain name I chose for my website. I feel it is slightly misleading as my niche is a bit broader than the name makes it sound.
I wish I could change the name but it is too late now as I have bought the domain and I’m ranking in Google already.
I guess I’ll just put more time in to the next one! I wish I saw this article sooner, like before I named my site!
Thanks for the interesting read.
Hannah.
Hi HannahI think you shouldn’t be so regretful about your domain. You just have to focus on your good work. I am sure it will not influence negatively on the traffic and conversions as long as you keep adding quality content. this is way more important! Many thanks and the best for your business!
Hi Stephan,
A great website you have there
i love travelling around the world and also gain financial knowledge
You have good information regarding CB passive income and also your WA experience
A good Review about it
Oh btw your website is easy to navigate and at the meantime it will be good that i will suggest you to change your banner
A nice color pick for Black blue and white
It will be better for your profile picture on your right to be the one that you are happy like you went to travelling and stuff
As happiness is contagious 😀
I hope you will bring around the world of financial literacy through your website and bring success to WA too
Best of luck Stephan.
Hi FithJuneI really appreciate your feedback on my site! it gives me motivation to keep on going 🙂 I will try out some other pictures. I think it will be great to have one of my travelling photos on the first page. Great tip!
Hello Stefan,
Very very informative post :), first i am really impressed with your website very clear,comfortable to the visitors eyes, about the article, well till i think that the domain choice is not that important (may be i’m wrong), that’s why i didn’t took long time to decide the name of my domain, sure as most of comments said the content is the most important part & also difficult for me too :(, but i am trying hard to post quality content as i knew that is very important, thanks for sharing Stefan & good luck 😉
Ehab
Hi Ehab! Yes, you are right ! you can be successful with any domain… but you still need to think a bit about your brand name, as this will stick with your business and make some impact on your visitor’s perceptions. Not that much compared to what you have to say through your content though.You also need to choose a good extension, as this is part of your domain name. So, my advice is to go for a .com domain as I explained in the article. It is said to rank better in the search engines.Thanks for your comment!All the best and good luck with your decision… take your time!
Hi Stefan,
Excellent article on what to think about when selecting a domain for your online presence. You bring up all the pertinent points and offer alternatives. In short you make it easier for the newbie on how to decide on a domain name!
In my experience it is good to think about these things prior to buying a domain. I have several that I likely will not use ever due to not thinking the process through ahead of time.
This is also why I agree and endorse the rest of your article in regards to Wealthy Affiliate program. This is an all-in-one site that has everything you need to get a proper online marketing program in place.
It also has training and advice on how to select a domain name, as you mention. I like your site by the way, verhy organized and neat looking, kudos to you on this! Best of luck!
Hi DaveI really appreciate your comment! It is frustrating when this happens! I tend to be very indecisive, but I don’t know what happened to me the time when I selected my domain. My domain name idea came really quickly and I really enjoyed it. I created my free siterubix website with wealthy affiliate and I was luck my domain was available at Namecheap.com. I know regrets are really common when it comes to choosing a domain and that’s why I recommend starting a website with a subdomain and transfer it after some time. In the beginning, having your own domain will not influence that much because rankings take time and a lot of work. I appreciate your compliments and best of luck with your websites!
Hi there! I have a question about domain names. Can I change the name of an existing domain or should I buy another domain If I want to change it? It is because I am planning to change my domain name because it is too long and not easy to remember. And if ever I change the domain name of an existing website, will its content deleted too? Thanks in advance for your response.
Hi John! You should buy another domain and move all of your website’s content and structure to a new domain. So, no, you will not lose your content. However, in order to do so without losing SEO, you will need to follow some important steps. You will need to back up your website, use a duplicator plugin (FTP will also be needed), set up 301 redirects and finally notify google through webmaster tools . As I have never done that before, I will give you a link that explains in detail: http://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-prop…If your website is relatively new, it is just not worth the headache. If you are already ranking for some keywords and experiencing some traffic, then I think it is better to do the migration. I hope that helps! Please get in touch if you are having any trouble.
Hi Stefan,
This is a great site, very clear layout and headings.
I like how you have made it personal to you, something I have struggled with do far with mine.
I’m looking forward to the day I have the confidence to transfer my site onto my own domain name, but at the moment I’m definitely glad of the option to use siterubix.
I look forward to seeing you progress, it looks like you’re well on you way to an authority site.
Jenny
Thanks Jenny. Yes, just take your time until your ideas are mature enough. That’s the good thing about siterubix. When you are ready, the transferring process will be very easy and will take only a few minutes.Please, come back to give us some good news when you finally make a decision about your own domain.All the best and Merry Christmas! 🙂
I think the main factor that will decide whether you choose a keyword rich domain or not is the size of your niche.
I agree that you can use it in smaller niches, but when you move to a larger niche, I would recommend a more brandable domain. Here in South Africa the companies uses .co.za extension.
Hi Viljoen. Definitely, I completely agree. A larger niche means you probably have a bigger website, which will benefit from having a memorable brand name. It is important to understand that a keyword rich domain can contribute to some queries on the search engines but this will not be really significant, especially if you are working with a wide niche.
The internet is full of small websites that are concentrating in one single product. For those, a keyword related domain will certainly make a big difference. The thing is, creating those types of were more efficient in the past. the tendency now is that the website needs to offer loads and loads of content in order to stand out. It is just useless to create a 10-page website that targets a single product just because one has a keyword in the URL.
Hi Stefan,
It was sooo hard for me to choose a domain name. I love flexibility and the opportunity to change my mind. Choosing a domain name seemed so final. But, I picked something that has a nice alliteration to it and I think it will translate well into something brandable. I used namecheap. Great service. Very user-friendly and got my dot com domain name verified and purchased for $10. I highly recommend them. Good advice in your article about how to choose a domain name. Choose carefully!
Alyssa
Hi, Alyssa. I prefer a brandable domain too. The main reasons are that we are aiming for something memorable and we are not tied to a specific topic. I think it is really important, especially in the beginning of our online business, the ability to change our minds and adjust according to what works best for our interests and prospects. When you are just starting out, a brandable domain allows you to change the focus of your website and/or take it to new and more interesting paths. Namecheap is a reputable place to buy a domain. I bought mine there as well.
great stuff! When I had my first website I didn’t think much about my domain name, I just went for one. i really regret that decision, as once its done and your pages start ranking, unless its REALLY early days there is nothing you can do about it.
So I wish I had spent more time looking into it. It annoys me everyday. Thanks for this information too!
Hi Ruth, I am sorry to hear you regret so much your domain name. The main thing to focus now is on your content. I know it is hard to forget about it, but you should not let the regret influence negatively on your business. At the end of the day, you will be recognized much more for your great work, for how helpful you are within your niche. Best,Stefan
Hi! Awesome post! Great review of WA. I completely agree with choosing a brandable domain name. I like having something that is slightly broad so I can really build on it over time. I like choosing a niche that I’m really passionate about. I think it really helps you to be able to enjoy what you’re blogging about, allowing for greater content. Thanks so much for this post! Best wishes to you.
Hi, Jeanette, thank you so much! I think it is really important to choose an enjoyable niche because there is nothing worse than arriving home from work and having the burden of writing something you find boring. I cannot see any future in this situation. So, you will have a much higher probability of success talking about something you are passionate about. I know some people find it really hard to identify their passions combined with a profitable niche. Therefore, it is ok to choose something that you have genuine interest and something that is enjoyable. So, you are doing the right thing! You’re welcome! BestStefan
deciding on the best domain name for the web seems to the tricky things ever and in most cases most people use to fail to come up with the right name that will capture the intention of the audience
thanks for the information provided and please keep updating me for any other information
cheers
jose
You’re welcome Jose. Deciding on a domain name is important but not as creating helpful content for your audience. What will ultimately catapult you to success is your ability to attract and convert audience I to buyers.I wish you all the beststefan