A domain name conveys the brand image and it tells what actually the website is all about. People are buying domains every second around the globe. However, all the domains do not have equal value.
In this post, I will explain the main aspects that you should look for when it comes to buying a domain.
How to find a good domain name?
Before you buy any domain, ensure it has a few specific characteristics mentioned below.
- Make sure it has a COM extension or TLD
- It does not contain a number, dash, or any other symbol
- Not exceed more than 15 characters
- Easy to spell or pronounce
- Contains only one or two words
- It should reflect your business & brand image
1. Make sure it has COM extension or TLD (Top-Level Domain)
There are lots of domain extensions such as com, net, org, info, xyz, etc. But “COM” has the highest popularity and a “COM” can be used for any business.
On the other hand, .net refers to the network, .org refers to an organization, .info refers to information, and so on and so forth.
However, if you are still confused about the term “TLD” or Top-Level Domain, here is a simple clarification: “TLD or Top-Level Domain refers to the last part of your domain name which comes after the Dot.” For example- com, net, org.
Statistics show that 52.3% of the websites have the “.COM” extension or TLD. So definitely it has the topmost popularity.
Most importantly, your website visitors are very comfortable with this domain extension. Another cool thing is- many mobile keypads/keyboards have the “.com” button.
That’s enough for choosing the “COM” extension.
2. Avoid numbers, dashes, and other characters
Sometimes people include numbers if their desired domain is not available. Also, they use dashes to separate the words in the domain name.
Whatever the reason, you should avoid numbers, dashes, and other characters while choosing the domain name.
But if your business name stands with numbers, then you can include it on your domain name. For example “Lucky7.”
3. The shorter the better
Short domain names are easy to remember. Even people can remember short domain names from elevator pitches.
I said that a good domain name should not exceed 15 characters but don’t take it as Bibel.
If you see that you found a perfect match but it exceeds 15 characters, then go for it but do not exceed too much.
Sometimes you have to apply your own intuition to find the domain.
4. Easy to spell domain name
Make sure your domain name is easy to spell. Because it’s the name of your business and people have to pronounce it.
Some businesses and organizations need to create videos and spell the domain/business name. So if the name is hard to spell, the people won’t try to pronounce it. That means hard domain names may miss a lot of opportunities from word of mouth.
5. Contains only one or two words
It’s easy to advise for choosing one or two words domain name but it’s very hard to find.
Now the problem is your desired domain may not be available at this moment. And even if you search for your nickname, it may also not be available.
But your job is to search & find the best domain name based on availability. However, you really don’t need to buy a domain from a flipping marketplace at a huge price. Don’t do that.
Though one or two words’ name is better. But if you find a meaningful brand name with three words, then feel free to go for it.
6. A good domain name should reflect the brand
It simply means that a domain name should be aligned with the line of business (niche).
Here are a few examples:
- fbainspection.com
- ajrichtherapy.com
These domain names clearly state the business and what they do.
But if you’re searching for a domain for your blog, I would advise you to not choose a super tiny niche. Instead, go for a broader niche or something that is not bounded by just one topic. Because you yet don’t know what type of posts will rank the most or will be trusted in Google’s eyes.
Bottom line: Follow the above guidelines before you buy a domain name. Finding the right domain name may be time-consuming & hard. But it’s worth it.
How to generate domain name ideas?
There are a few helpful domain checkers and name generators out there. These tools will give you inspiration and ideas. Let’s discuss one by one:
Lean Domain Search
Note that the appearance has changed a little and the UI looks a little different than the above screenshot in 2023. And may see something similar to the following screenshot below.
It’s a FREE domain name generator tool for finding available domain names. Once you go to the website, input your desired word and hit enter.
It will bring a lot of ideas for your domain name. Most of the suggested ideas are not accurate but you can go through them and see if there is a match.
You can filter the search results by popularity, length & alphabetical order. You will find the filtering option on the right sidebar.
However, there are lots of domain name checkers out there, but most of them are misleading. They just try to push you to buy a domain from their referrals without giving you enough flexibility to look around.
In my opinion, the above tool is just fine to come up with fresh ideas.
Don’t wait after you find a perfect domain name!
One day I chose 7 domains for my clients and added them to the cart.
Once I went to the checkout page and made the payment, I saw that they charged me for 4 of them & 3 of them were not available.
It took me approximately 30 seconds to go from the Cart to the Checkout page. And during these 30 seconds, other people bought those three domains. How bizarre!
So if you found your desired domain name, don’t waste your time thinking more. Because it may not available for a long.
Conclusion
Now you know what a good domain name looks like and what characteristics it should have. Also, you have a nice tool for generating domain name ideas. Therefore, if you still have questions let me know.
