More than just a web address, your domain name defines your online presence. It’s like the impression formed in the first few seconds of meeting someone. So you want it to be good, or at least remembered.
Using your own name as a domain name seems like the obvious option. But your name needs to be unusual for it to not to be registered by someone else. If your name is available, consider whether it’s unique enough to stand out in the crowded online landscape.
If you have a company name or DBA, you probably want to use some form of it as your domain name. But if you haven’t already, google it and make certain no one’s registered it for their domain or business. If it’s not available, take the opportunity to use some of these other naming strategies.
Picking a direction
Used as a framework for coming up with an effective business or a company name, these naming strategies can be applied individually or together to select a domain name. As you brainstorm and create a list of possible domains, keep these four approaches in mind.
- Functional or Descriptive – WhatsOrganic.com: their name says what they do, which is to ask questions about organics
- Invented – Google rolls off the tongue and is easy to remember — and you know you’ve arrived when your made-up name becomes a verb
- Experiential – The names of web portals or browsers promise you new vistas: Explorer, Navigator, Safari
- Evocative – It has nothing to do with shopping and everything to do with how it feels to be a shopper: Amazon.com
For an in-depth exploration of these strategies and more on the process, see the IGOR Naming Guide.
Search and re-search
Once you’ve started a list of potential domain names, it’s time for research. As your list develops, use Whois as you go to search for a domains’ availability.
Connecting with the dots
A domain suffix is the last part of a domain name that starts with a “dot.” They include “.com,” “.net,” and “.org,” but there are many more domain suffixes (see a list here).
“.com” is recognized as the suffix for a commercial website and “.org” for an organization. But since anyone can register each type of domain, the domain name suffix doesn’t always indicate the type of website.
If a .com domain is taken, and even if the .org is available for your domain and is the best fit for what you do, you may want to cross it off the list and move on. Or not. Choosing to register a name in the crowded domain landscape can be a complicated decision.
Every situation is different and there are no really hard and fast rules. But however you come up with your domain name, be prepared to roll up your sleeves — and be creative!
Tools you can use
Other than Google, one of the best groups of online tools that actually come up with ideas for you are at WordLab. Another name generator that also looks up a domains’ availability is NameBoy.com.
Want to dig deeper?
- Get serious with the IGOR Naming Guide
- For more inspiration, and some great logo examples, cruise their website at www.igorinternational.com
- Have fun Snark Hunting at www.snarkhunting.com
Do you have questions about choosing and registering your own domain? Contact us.
