When we need an appropriate and representative domain name to develop a “brand” of our business, we should consider many things. Mistake on choosing domain name can affect the less effective marketing efforts that we develop. Domain name must be accordance with the theme or the content of the website. Besides, the name should be available and really not be used by others. We can read it in ‘finding a domain name for your client’ article.

If it could be not an easy thing to do, then, how to find a good domain name? There are some tips that I will share below.

1) Choose a domain name that represents your business

If your business revolves around buying and selling clothes, try to select a domain name that has an element of the clothes in it. Do not buy a domain with a name that had nothing relevant, even contradictory. For example, if you sell clothes, you can choose clothesshop.com, and do not choose computershop.com

2) Prefer to select a domain with (dot)com extension

Why? (dot)com extension is more general and familiar to people than other extension, such as: (dot)net, (dot)biz or (dot)edu. Because of that, people will remember it easier when they typing in the browser.

3) Choose a domain name that easy to remember

Many web users who today still rely on their memory to open a site that once they open (and they like) before. freesoftware.com, than freegenuinesoftware.com.

4) Choose a short name of domain

In many instances, get shorter domain name, it’s better for your business. bookstore.com is much better than staceyonlinebookstore.com. Short domain is easier to remember and more elegant than a long domain name, even it much details.

5) Avoid domain names that use numbers

Do not choose a domain name that writing ambiguous, or can be written in many versions. For example: 123.com. If we don’t know yet, we may have multi interpreted about it. It could be: 123.com, or onetwothree.com, or maybe one2three.com. Confusing, isn’t it?

6) Avoid clashes with copyright or trade mark issues

Try not to use the domain names of existing copyrights, famous brand or having trade marks. If we are not a person who has access to wear brand “Honda”, then do not ever make a domain with the name “honda-shop.com” or “genuine-honda.com“. We never know when brand holders offended by your domain name, and complaint to court over issues such copyright infringement.

7) For personal branding, use our name

We can already use our own name or your company name as domain name to develop. For example: jacksparrow.com, breadtalk.com (for branded business). Do not use the name of goods, or another person’s name.

Finally, use the “top” or “best” or the like for the website review

If you buy a domain that is used for affiliate marketing with the type of review, it is a good idea to use the word “best” or “top” in your domain name. For example: for web hosting review domain name, use the name: besthosting.com or tophosting.com. It could explained, that most people find the best web hosting on search engines like Google with keywords “best web hosting” or “top-hosting” or something like that. With a domain name similar to the desired keyword, your site’s potential to be on the home page search engines will be even greater.

I hope it will be useful for who will buy a domain name for the first time, considering points on the next domain purchase, or maybe who will make a domain name to their client.