The Best Way to Pick a Domain Name -- Five Crucial steps

A domain name acts as a street address for the online company. It informs customers the location of the location of your shop. This is probably the reason it's described as a website website address. But it's so much different from other streets, your domain name may reflect or precisely match the store's name. This is an extension of your brand or sometimes the name of your brand.

The choice of the domain name you choose is just as important as choosing the location of your physical retail storefront. You'll want to stand out easily and present yourself in a tasteful way that is suitable for your market and your customer base. You want to go to where customers are, as well as in areas where your competition does not.

If you're just starting your store or are looking to create an online presence to your brick-and-mortar storefront follow these steps for advice on choosing a domain name that will serve you well over the long run.

What is a domain's name?

A domain name, often called a URL (Uniform Resource Locator) or web address, is what visitors type into their browsers to locate your site. It starts with www and typically ends with something similar to .org, .net, or the most popular variation -- .com.

A domain name as well as a hosting account is two separate elements, yet you'll need both of them to get your website on the internet. They can be purchased together or independently but you'll have to enter some settings so both can be connected.

Where can you buy domain names?

Many hosts offer domain buying services , or offer a no-cost domain name in their package, but you could find it simpler to use the domain buying platform on WordPress.com. Search for the available names and pick from the standard endings (.com, .net, etc. ) as well as more than 350 distinct alternatives including .blog, .store, and many more.

How to choose a domain name

Selecting a domain's name is fundamentally the same as naming your business itself. Just like you wouldn't name your company Coca-Cola because it's trademarked and known as a trademark, you'll need to choose among options that are accessible and cost-effective.

The focus of this article isn't on ways to think of ideas however, rather, how to filter your choices to arrive at the bestdecision among the choices that you come across.

Overall, you should create a wide list of options and then narrow it based on this ultimate goal being something easy to recall and share. At the end of this article, we will provide details on five areas that determine if an internet domain is in line with this.

Make a list of names relevant to your company and the purpose of your business.

You want a domain with your business's name, or has a connection to your industry. If your business is completely online, then you must consider available domains before choosing an official domain name for your company. It is a matter of choice.

If you already have a physical store that you'd like to create an online presence for, you may require some creative thinking to discover a name that's both associated with your current brand while still meeting your primary objective of something that's easy to recall and share.

Check for availability

After you've got your initial list of concepts and you've got your first set of ideas, check the domain's available. If you already have a company name, you may start with this step to see if it's available.

When one of the most successful ideas, or your existing company name is offered with an .com end, then you've probably discovered your winning domain. Though, you should still go through the checklist in the final section of this post to make sure that it is in line with the goal of a good domain name.

However, most likely you'll find that your most creative ideas will already have been taken into consideration, but will being offered at a premium price, or will only be offered as an alternative of the initial (by adding on words or choosing a different end, etc.). If that's the case, don't be discouraged. This is a typical situation. Use the rest of this article to assist you in navigating through more possibilities until you can find the ideal option.

Consider the price

Simple, popular names are typically owned by an individual already. If they don't use it or selling it, they could put it on the market. It's important to think about the cost and the significance to your organization.

Domain prices as well as physical ones vary dramatically because they're set by the owner. Sellers may require only a few hundred dollars, or, for names such as eCommerce.com 10s of millions.

A domain name isincredibly valuable, so like every other investment in your business do not be afraid of making the purchase if you can afford it and is the perfect match.

What can you do to narrow your domain's possibilities:

There are many factors to consider in deciding on a domain name each of which must be evaluated in the context of one another. Just like with any business decision, you'll need to narrow down your list and consider the advantages and disadvantages of each URL.

 To ensure it's easy to remember and communicate select a domain which:

1. Is short

Avoid long names like, "RebeccasLouisianaCrabShackOffTheCornerofMainAndThird.com."

Most one-word domains are sold with hefty prices. A few easy words to your domain of choice could be an excellent idea. Make sure the domain is compatible with the other objectives included in the list.

DRYFT is an example. It is a retail store selling fishing gear as well as clothing. The company added "fishing" to their website's domain name"dryftfishing.com" dryftfishing.com -- to make it simpler and easier to remember.

2. The end of the line is .com In the event that it is the possibility exists.

This is the most commonly used end and is what a lot of visitors are likely to type when they arrive. Another ending could be offered or more affordable however, keep in mind that visitors could quit their search, or be directed to another competitor's site since they type .com first.

However, some online stores, do utilize alternate endings if it fits seamlessly to their branding. Certified Comic Shop, for example, has the domain certifiedcomic.shop, a innovative way of establishing their name online.

3. Is easy to spell

Names such as "Kathryn" could also be written as "Katherine," "Catherine," or "Katheryn." So a name like "DessertsByKathryn" can be difficult to pronounce. You'll have to also purchase each spelling variant or clarify how it's spelled every time you say the word, which is unlikely to be realistic.

4. There isn't a hyphen, or number, and is simple to say

As with finding a domain that's easy to pronounce It's not a good idea to include other elements that are confusing when spoken out loud.

An hyphen can be a good example. Although adding one could create a domain but many are likely to land on the wrong path. The numbers can also be confusing because they may be written out (twenty three) or input as numbers (23).

2 Hounds Design knew that people could interpret their name differently. Their primary site name was 2houndsdesign.com, they also purchased twohoundsdesign.com and changed it's URL to their site.

5. It's not easy to confuse something with that is offensive

The most damaging thing about the mistake of sending your visitors to a competitor is causing them to be offended. If a common typo or alternative ending leads your customers to a page they'll consider offensive, it's another reason for you to select an alternative.

Check your gut: Do you feel proud every time you say it out loud? Do you think of saying the same thing on TV, before your family members who are respected or before a fortune 500 board member?

Make it available to a group of your peers or as a test audience. Invite them to come up with their own ideas and find out if there's something "dirty" or "offensive" you can come up with using the title. You might discover an area of blindness or the name of a popular culture icon which you're not aware of. This could spare you a great deal of embarrassment.

You can give them the name , and request them to spell the word out. Did they spell it correctly? Return to them a few days later to see if they remember the word.

Found your perfect domain? There's one more thing

Once you've found the ideal domain, you can go on and stand out from the crowd by soaking up the market. Does your domain have the suffix .com? It could be worth getting different endings, such as .net and .org. Have you picked a domain that isn't spell-checked? Snap up the other versions prior to competitors taking over by redirecting these to your primary URL.

If you found a good domain name for a low price make sure you go out of your way to get as many variants as possible to protect your investment.

Create your brand of dreams

The store you've always wanted is more than great software like . It requires all the pieces to work together to create a fantastic shopping experience as well as efficient backend operations.

For branding, a strong brand name and attractive logo is essential. However, online, a good domain name is similar to the perfect store location in Main Street. It could determine your business's success. Be patient and weigh the options with care. The perfect domain for your business is in the wild!