Choosing a domain name sounds simple, right? You might be surprised to hear that if you're a new business or renaming your company, it may not be so straight-forward...
Most businesses have already chosen their domain throughout the UK and as such, this leaves less for the rest of us to choose from! It is often the case that the ideal domain for your business or start-up is already taken and this means that we have to think outside of the box.
If you find that the domain yourcompanyname.co.uk is already taken, try these tips and alternatives to get you moving:
1. Add additional words - Try adding words like weare or team before the name to provide a different option. Try to keep it simple and make sure it resonates with your brand.
2. Add a verb - Adding buy, get, call, shout, create can often be a viable option when your ideal domain is not available.
3. Include what it is - What are you actually selling or offering? If you’re specifically a clothes retailer or offering an app you could use this as a defining keyword i.e. yoursclothing.com or discordapp.com.
4. Location, location, location - Adding your town or city location to the beginning or end could solve the issue i.e. obriensnyc.com or hardrockhoteltenerife.com.
5. Different domain extensions - Back in 2015, hundreds of new domain extensions were released to help with this very issue. Choose an alternative to the usual .co.uk or .com., by opting for .online, .shop, .pizza, .photography... the list goes on!
6. Try a domain search tool - Sites like Go Daddy allow you to search the web and find out whether your ideal domain is available - and recommends alternatives.
Whatever domain name you choose, keep the following simple guidelines in mind:
- Simpler the better
- Short and sweet
- Keep it memorable
- Stay relevant
- Don’t confuse yourself with others
- Avoid hard to spell words
- Stay away from the same letters together
Say your desired domain name out loud - is it confusing or does it sound strange? Imagine saying it to a stranger over the phone - is the spelling of sound of your domain obvious or will it cause difficulty?
PRO-TIP: Try to keep your domain the same or very similar to your social media handles if possible - consistency is key, it also helps with your exposure on Google!
Please Note: This blog post was adapted and taken from our ebook, The Ultimate Guide to Planning Your New Website Project, which you can download in full here.
