4 Things to Consider When Choosing a Domain Name for Your Business

by Stephanie Faris on Monday, March 21 6:00

A business s domain name is as important as the signage in front of a retail store or restaurant. Whether a business has a brick-and-mortar location or is completely ecommerce based, a good dot com is essential to winning new customers. The vast majority of shoppers conduct research online before buying a product, so any business must show up prominently in search results to remain competitive.

But what should a business look for when choosing a domain name? A professional s first tendency might be to simply make the domain name the same as the business, but is that always the best option? Here are a few considerations for businesses looking for a new domain name.

Make It Memorable

If your business already has a name, your domain name will likely include some variation of it. You may find that your business s domain is no longer available, since you re competing with companies around the country that have the same name. However, it s important to make sure your loyal customers will be able to remember your domain name and type it in, so try to keep it as short as possible, while also connecting it to your brand.

Make It Findable

You ll likely get any new customers through basic web searches. Your domain name plays a major part in search engine algorithms, so try to include information that someone would search. Some businesses buy multiple domain names, connecting them all to the same landing page. A Dallas-based plumber might choose a name like BestDallasPlumber.com or ReliableDallasPlumber.com. When you name your domain after your business, also make sure to include the type of products or services you provide in the name.

Make It Legal

At this point, making sure your domain name stands out from others can be difficult. Once you have a domain in mind, make sure you aren t using a name that is trademarked or in use by another company. Not only will this save you from a legal mess, it can also reduce the instances of customers coming to your page by accident or seeking out a competitor with a similar name.

Make It a .com

Since so many .com domains are now taken, it can be tempting to choose an alternative domain like .net or .org. Unfortunately, .com is still the leader for American websites. Customers who are looking for your site will naturally add .com to the end of your domain name. Potential customers searching for businesses similar to yours will see a .com before an alternative domain name because Google sorts results based on credibility. Experts believe algorithms naturally rank .com higher because it has traditionally been associated with the most trusted sites on the Internet.

Despite the large number of domain names that have already been registered, businesses will find there are still a large selection of .coms available. By taking the time to come up with a creative, SEO-friendly domain name, businesses can improve their visibility in search results while also creating a URL that will make it easy for customers to find them.