5 Tips to Choosing Your Winning Business Domain Name

Back Rub, Tokyo Tsushin Kogyo, DrivUrSelf, Research in Motion, Sound of Music.

Wonder if these big brands had been as successful if they hadn’t chosen to go by Google, Sony, Hertz Rent-A-Car, Blackberry or Best Buy?

Unquestionably, the name of your company is the face of your brand. It’s the first thing your audience sees or hears about you, so choosing a business name that catches their attention and evokes credibility is paramount.

And in our competitive world today, your name online is what matters as much as it does offline. So, it’s critical to take the time to do your research before choosing your company’s domain name. Consider these following five tips to help you find the winning one:

1. Pick your domain name BEFORE you register your business 

Or do it as soon as possible. Whether you’re scribbling ideas on a napkin, in the early stages of development or a year away from launching a website, register your domain name and hold onto it until you’re ready.

2. Be open to all options

Be flexible, because you may be surprised at what you’ll find! Evaluate options such as:

• Localized (bestbakeryinlondon.com)
• Keyword (consumersafeawards.com)
• Phrase (keepdreamingup.net)

Just try it. You’ll probably be amazed at what you’ll come up with when your creative juices start flowing!

3. Assess your long-term goals 

Avoid settling. Or thinking, “Once we make it big, I’ll get the domain name I really want.” Take the time now to create a domain name that doesn’t limit you and can scale as your business grows, especially if you’re looking to branch out in the future.

For example, incorporating the state you do business in makes great sense if you want to stay localized, but will this work if you want to expand overseas? Should you promote the main product you’re selling now, when you may have additional products or services in the future?

4. Choose your domain extension carefully 

What’s to the right of the dot IS as important as what’s to the left. So be mindful of today’s domain extension du jour. Hey, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to be trendy, so why not focus on creating that to the left of the dot? And then anchor it with a TLD (top-level domain) that’s tried, tested and trusted, such as a .com or a .net.

5. Use a domain name suggestion tool

To overcome a creative block, try a domain name suggestion service like NameStudio. Quick and easy to use, NameStudio helps you brainstorm with ease, providing unique and relevant domain name suggestions that help you stand out from the crowd and resonate with your target audience.

You can try NameStudio here.

Bottom line: You only have one shot to make a great first impression. And when you’re online, it starts with your domain name. So don’t treat it as an afterthought. Spend the necessary time it takes to create a winning domain name that will help build your great brand.

Any company, product and service names and logos referenced herein are property of their respective owners and are for identification purposes only. Use of these names and logos does not imply endorsement.