11 tips for choosing the right domain name

1. Start by Brainstorming
   Pick at least five main words or phrases that describe your blog topic. Write them down, then mix and match these words to invent domain names. Choose the one that sounds good and will be memorable. There’s a rule in advertising that says when launching a new product, you need to start by making a list of 10 names. The first three are easy. Maybe you can do five or six without breaking a sweat, but by the time you get to last one, you’ll be stuck for more ideas. Using the outline described above, pick the best one from your list and you are on your way.

2. Choose a unique name
   Using a search engine, like Google, search out your proposed blog name. Does your search show any sites with similar names? If it does, then make sure you try a different name. Giving your blog a name that’s similar to other existing sites is the first step to failure. Also, don’t choose names that are plural or misspelled versions of existing sites.

3. Make it easy to type
   If you have to spell the name out more than once, it won’t work. Keep the name as easy to remember and type in a search field or address bar as possible. You don’t want your future visitors to incorrectly type in your name and be directed to a totally different site. For example: Popular social site, Flickr.com, was started in 2005. Four years later, the company had to acquire Flicker.com for a large amount of money in order to redirect visitors who misspelled their name. If you’re determined to have that oddly spelled name, then make sure the domain names for common misspellings are available as well, so you can register them and redirect visitors to the main domain.

4. Choose dot com first
   52 percent of all websites are “dot.com” domains. It’s still the preferred extension and the easiest to remember. If your top name choice isn’t available, then try your second choice before accepting another TLD. Remember that some browsers accept address-only entries in their address bar. If you type just the domain name (and who knows how many of your users will just do that?) they will return, by default, to the “.com” site.

5. Make it brandable
   Your domain name represents your brand. Some names speak for themselves—when you hear the name, you know what the blog is about.

6. Shorter is always better
   As we’ve said before, shorter is better. If you can’t get your domain name down to one memorable word (almost impossible to come by these days), then consider adding one, or at maximum, two more
   words. Combinations of two words work great for the memorable names like LifeHacker.com or GeekSquad.com. Also, don’t use an acronym. People rarely remember the letters unless it’s an exceptionally catchy name.

7. Avoid trademark Problems
   Once you’ve chosen your top choices for your blog name, you have to make sure you’re not violating anyone’s trademarks. To check within United States, visit uspto.gov/trademarks and do the search before you register the name. This problem is not that common for bloggers, but it’s always good to check now, because this could kill a great blog and business down the road. Also, if you are going to create a blog about a big-name product, such as WordPress or Facebook, review their terms and conditions. Most will not allow you to use their name

8. No numbers and hyphens
   in any part of your domain (sorry—no wordpresshacker.com site allowed). Numbers and hyphens (especially hyphens) cause confusion. Avoid them at all cost. Even something as clever as the number1blogger.com will cause confusion. Make the name speak for itself.

9. It’s not always good to follow new trends
   It’s not always good to follow new trends. Anything that deals with something trendy will, like the trend, fade away. Stick with a classic name that will span the decades and not be tied down to a trend or
   fad.

10. Marry your domain name
    You have to be 100-percent certain that you love your domain name. Once it’s set, you’ll be wedded to it for years to come. If you decide later to rename it, then you will lose time, money, brand equity
    and rankings. We do not recommend changing your domain once your blog has been live long enough to have gained a following.

11. Check social networks
    Before you register your desired domain name, it’s always a good idea to check social networks to see if the same name is being used. To keep your blog name constant and to build your brand, you want
    a name that is readily available. For example: check facebook.com/yourdomain, witter.com/yourdomain and secure them as well. www.knowem.com is a great tool to use to see if certain names are already branded on social platforms.

Premium domain names
You might find a domain name that’s already taken, but not necessarily in use. These are usually referred to as premium domain names. They are domains registered by someone else and offered for sale. There’s no way of telling how much a domain is worth on the market, especially if you’re after a niche domain. To buy a registered domain, check one of the auction sites: Godaddy Auction, NameJet or SnapNames. If it’s not for sale through auctions, you can contact the domain owner to see if you can make an offer to buy it. You can use Whois Tool to find the domain owner’s contact information. Even if the owner’s name is protected or private, you can send an email to the provided email address and ultimately reach the domain owner.

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