4 Easy domain name decision guideline for start-ups
Memorable. Short. Simple. These qualities describe a good domain name for a start-up. Domain names are sometimes thought of as a small and insignificant detail of a website when in fact, your domain name can make or break your website. Overlooking your domain name can lead to a plethora of negative consequences.
Are you already thinking of a name for your startup? If so, you’re already ahead of those who haven’t figured out theirs. As you know, the name of your business must be the biggest factor in choosing your domain name because your domain name is essentially the front door to your startup. It’s the first thing people type and sees when entering your website. It’s that URL that people search or type directly into their browser to reach you.
It’s not as simple as turning your business name into a URL. As you brainstorm the domain name for your startup, there are a couple of principles you can follow to make it smart and effective before proceeding to domain registration. Follow this guideline to find a domain that’s memorable, short and simple.
Keep it tied to your brand. Your domain name must reflect the name of your startup. However, it doesn’t have to be the entire name, especially if it’s longer than two words. Your domain name should be able to easily link between your business name and your URL. Try to avoid any drastic changes from your business name to your domain name. This will ensure that people can identify you clearly.
It is not recommended to use acronyms or shortened words that don’t really make sense. Shortening “technologies” to “tech” or “company” to “co” is logical, but shortening “logistics” to “log” or “advisors” to “adv” simply aren’t.
KISS. Or Keep It Short and Simple. Sometimes, making domain names shorter can make them complicated. The key is keeping it short, but not so short that it becomes unrecognizable. For instance, what if your company was the fictional Wayne Industries from the DC universe? Which domain would be better: WayneIndustries.com or WayneInd.com? The second one is shorter, but the first one is clearer and easier to understand.
Make it unique. One of the first things you should verify when choosing both a business name and a domain name is if the name does not violate any trademarks. After that, ensure that no one else out there is using it or something close to it.
You need to make your domain as distinct as possible to remove confusion. Unique domain names make it easier for customers to find you, plus it won’t confuse people looking for others and finding you instead.
Choose a good domain extension. There’s an onslaught of URLs with different extensions outside of the typical “.com,” “.org,” and “.net.” Other domain extensions like .info, .tech, or .photography may seem like a cool way to make your domain name unique, it may not be the best idea. This trend might not be sticky in consumers’ minds.
In most cases, the best is still to go with “.com.” If you can’t get the “.com” version of the name you want, consider “.co” or “.net” before branching out into other wacky new domain extensions.
You’ve probably realized that finding the right domain name for your startup isn’t that simple. With the above things to consider, to make it Memorable. Short. Simple. These factors are what matters the most before you proceed with domain registration – of course, from a good domain name registrar and hosting provider.
