Selecting a Domain Name: What to Consider

Think of a domain name as an online address for your website. Just as your home address is used to identify where you live, your domain name is used to identify your website. And just as it’s important to choose the right location for your home, it’s important to choose the right domain name for your website. With millions of websites competing for attention, the wrong domain name can mean the difference between popularity and anonymity.

Here are a few things you should keep in mind.

Keywords

Keywords are the words or phrases that people use to search for information on the web, and if you want people to find your website one of your first considerations should be how to incorporate relevant keywords into your domain name. Relevant keywords are keywords that describe your business and website. For example, if the website is for an assisted living facility, some relevant keywords might be “assisted living,” “elderly care,” or “retirement community.” 

To find the most relevant keywords for your website, try brainstorming a list of words and phrases that you think people would use to find your site. For effectiveness, you can instead use keyword research tools like Google AdWords Keyword Planner to generate a list of relevant keywords.

Length and Readability

While it’s important to choose a domain name that includes relevant keywords, you also want to make sure that the domain name is short, easy to remember, and easy to spell. A long or complicated domain name will be difficult for people to remember and type into their browser. 

For example, while the domain name “www.findthebestassistedlivingfacilityforyou.com” might be packed with relevant keywords, it’s also long, complicated, and difficult to remember. A shorter, simpler domain name like “www.elderlycarefinder.com” is a better option for people to remember and type into their browser.

Extensions

When you’re selecting a domain name, you’ll also need to choose a “domain extension” or “top-level domain” (TLD).

This is the “.com” part of the domain name and while “.com” is still the most popular extension, there are now dozens of different extensions to choose from, including “.net,” “.org,” “.biz,” and “.info.” 

If you’re having trouble finding an available domain name with a “.com” extension, consider trying one of the other extensions. Especially if that’s the only snag in an otherwise perfect domain name. 

Domain Privacy

Domain privacy is a service that hides your personal contact information from public view. When you register a domain name, your personal contact information – including your name, address, and phone number – is automatically added to the WHOIS database, which is a publicly available directory of domain name registrants. 

Domain privacy helps to protect your personal information from spam, identity theft, and other abuses. If you’re concerned about protecting your personal information, opt for a domain registrar that offers domain privacy services.

Choosing the right domain name is an important first step in building a successful website. Keep these tips in mind to make sure you choose a domain name that will let people find your site and promote your business.