How to Choose a Great Domain Name | GoDaddy

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Choosing a good domain name can take some time and consideration. Learn some basic concepts you should keep in mind when picking out your domain. Read about it more at: godaddy.com/garage/smallbusiness/launch/10-tips…

Also, if you are looking for a new company name check our Business Name Generator - godaddy.com/business-name-generator

Welcome to “How to choose a great domain name.”

Your domain name is a critical part of your online identity. As your unique internet address, it can help put you on the fast track to business success – or be a stumbling block to reaching your goals. So knowing what makes for a good domain name matters.

For starters, keep it short and relevant to your business. A name that’s easy to spell and type is a bonus.

For instance, if your business is cleaning windows, you’ll want your domain name to include the keywords “window” and “cleaning” or “clean”- because those are the words people will search when they need your service.

Numbers, whether spelled out or as digits, and dashes can create confusion. Avoid forcing customers into mental gymnastics trying to recall your online address.

The domain “bestwindowcleaning.com,” three short words, is way easier to remember and type than number1-windowcleaning-4u.com

For local businesses, including your city, state, or region in your domain helps your customers find you faster. For example, seattlewindowcleaning.com is more targeted than bestwindowcleaning.com.

Now for the extension…. that’s the part of the domain name following the dot. If you can get “.com,” go for it. It’s the most widely used extension, but it’s also been around so long that getting a short, memorable name that ends in .com can be a challenge.

Other popular extensions include .net, .org., .info. and .biz. Plus, hundreds of fun new ones are now available, like .guru, .shop, .nyc, and .actor. These descriptive extensions allow you to perfectly represent your business and boost your brand.

Speaking of your brand, you can protect and build it by purchasing misspelled versions of your domain name so customers who get it wrong are still ushered to your website. It’s also a good idea to purchase your domain with various extensions to prevent competitors from registering them.

Finally, make haste. Domain names sell fast. But most are affordable, so get your favorite domain registered now before someone else beats you to it.

Domain registrars, like GoDaddy, streamline the process of finding a good domain name because they know which names are and are not available and help with your search by suggesting relevant alternate domains when the one you want is already taken.

Need a great domain name? There’s one waiting for you.