Without a domain, your users wouldn’t be able to find or share your website. For your knowledge, facebook.com is a domain, as is http://www.google.com. The http:// and www. are optional. Websites will work whether or not you type in the prefix.
There are four key elements to a domain: top-level domain, root domain, subdomain and subfolder:
TOP-LEVEL DOMAIN
The top-level domain, or TLD, is the end of the domain. The most ubiquitous TLD and the one you will be most familiar with is .com. Because .com is the first TLD that comes to mind, it is sought after the most by far, which is why most great .com domains are already owned.
There are many different TLDs, some created exclusively for organizations (.gov, .edu), some specific to countries (.au, .no, .co.uk, .us, .es) and some used most often as an alternative to .com (.net, .org .info).
ROOT DOMAIN
unlike the TLD, you have full control over your root domain; example.com is a root domain. We have tremendous freedom in choosing root domains. The only two restrictions when registering a domain are that it be unique (i.e. it isn’t currently registered) and that it consist only of letters, numbers and hyphens.
your domain name should have these characteristics.
- Short – The ideal length for a domain name is 10 characters or less (e.g., Google, Yahoo, Facebook, YouTube). If your domain name is longer, don’t sweat it. Anything under 20 characters is still pretty good.
- Unique – Check out your competitors’ websites and make sure that your own domain name stands out from the crowd. It’s hard to promote your own unique products and services if your website name is similar to everyone else’s.
- Catchy and memorable – Choose a domain name that people find easy to remember. Test your intended domain name on a friend or two to gauge their response. Can they still remember your website the next day?
- Easy to pronounce – Does your domain name roll off the tongue easily? Choose names that are easy to pronounce and can stand alone as a separate word.
- Easy to spell – The easier it is to spell your URL, the easier it will be for people to find your new business. Ever found yourself on a different website from the one that you thought you were visiting? It’s easy to make a mistake when visiting a new website for the first time. After all, domain names may only be a letter or two apart in spelling.
- Not too similar to competing domain names.
- Not a violation of someone else’s trademark.
SUB DOMAINS
A subdomain is the domain that appears before the root domain; sub.example.com, for example. Once you own a root domain, you can create subdomains at no additional cost.
SUBFOLDERS
Subfolders are listed after the TLD; for example, domain.com/subfolder.
When choosing a domain consider how well your domain name fits with your business brand. Ask yourself the following three questions:
- What does this domain name say about my business to my prospective customers?
- Does it align well with the tone, voice, and tagline of my business?
- Will this domain name still be relevant if I decide to grow my business and expand my services?
Select a .com name if possible because it signifies a top-level domain address that has commercial intent. If you really can’t find a suitable .com name, choose a .org or a .net version instead.
If you are doing business locally or within a set geographic area, you might want to choose a country-specific domain name like .au .
including Keywords For SEO purposes, it’s good practice to merge relevant keywords within the domain name for your business.
In Conclusion
The selection of your domain name is an important step in launching your new business. With your brand and domain name selected, you are getting close to actually bringing your business site online.