After you have selected your perfect niche for your website, the next step is to decide on the best domain name.
Sometimes the decision on a domain name is the hardest part of getting your website started. It’s a big decision as it will be your “brand” and will define your presence all over the Web. Research keywords thoroughly and select the best possible combination for your domain name.
Domain Extensions
There are many domain name extensions to choose from, over 300 to be exact. When selecting your domain name, choose the .com extension if at all possible. Your desired domain name may be taken but coming up with alternates to stay with the.com extension is worth it.
The reason it is recommended to use the.com extension is because it is normally the assumed extension when someone refers to a website.
Domain Name Keyword Selection
In researching your niche keywords, you should take note of the top 5. Your domain name should consist of the top 5 keywords for your niche.
Length of a Domain Name
The length of a domain name can be up to 67 characters but is a lengthy domain name always the way to go? It depends and I’ve heard arguments for both short and long domain names being the best choice. However, I think it is safe to say it depends upon your niche. Let me provide you with an example. Let’s look at a site everyone is familiar with; ToysRUs. If the company website was named TRUs.com, it would take on an entirely different meaning altogether. Your example should be descriptive enough to give a visitor an idea of what your site is about, yet short enough that it is easy to remember.
Domain Name already Taken
What if your domain name is already taken? Often the domain registrar will suggest an alternate domain name consisting of the words “The” and “My”. While these are valid suggestions, weigh out other options. The reason behind this is visitors may forget the “My” or “The” and you lose a visitor. Let’s look at an example:
Your site will be about making crafts and your most desired domain name is: “makingcrafts.com”. Unfortunately, this domain is taken. If the site makingcrafts.com is an established brand, I would not recommend going with Immakingcrafts.com because the competition is already too great.
Set yourself apart from the competition by using “createcrafts.com” or “discovercrafting.com”. This allows you to remain with a domain name related to your niche and it allows you to establish your own brand and set yourself apart from others.
In summary, selecting the best domain name will take time and research but it will be worth all the effort in the long run.
