How to Choose a Domain Name

Choosing a Domain Name

If you’re starting a new website, one of the first things you’ll need to do is register a domain name. The domain name is your website address that people type into the search bar to navigate to your website. For example to get to Google, you type in their domain name “google.com.”

When choosing a domain name, be sure to pick a name that is both accurate and catchy. If you have a blog about fishing, don’t call it “seachingforwhales.com” because that is ambiguous, unclear, and misleading. Better names would be “fishing.com,” “fishingblog.com,” “bigone.com,” “fishstories.com,” “whaletales.com,” or maybe “baitandswitch.com.” You want it to be a name that people will understand and be willing to click on, and also a domain name that people will remember easily.

Depending on your type of website, you may wish to use your own name as your website domain name. This is a great choice if you are using your own personal name for branding. For example, I own “gillianperkins.com” because my name is part of my brand. Your brand name is a good option for your domain name.

There are different types of domain names, including “.com,” “.org,” “.net,” etc. It is generally best to get a “.com” name if you can, just because it is the most recognizable, and therefore people will remember and trust your site more.

After coming up with a few good ideas, visit domains.com and check to make sure your desired domain name hasn’t already been snatched by someone else.

Just type the name you want into the search bar in the middle of the page where it says “Search for a domain name here. If your name is already taken—well, that just means you thought of a good one! Don’t be discouraged, just keep trying till you find one that is available that you really like.

If you have a word or phrase you really like, try adding to it to find something that’s still available. For example, if “fishingblog.com” is taken, try “bestfishingblog.com” or “myfishingblog.com.”