Abbie Agatha Arabelle T. Requilman

Coming up for a name for your website or business is one of the most annoying and tedious aspects of starting an online business. Think of a florist who would like to expand their business via online but isn't a techie. How about a law firm who wants to put a website using their company name or health clinic who'd like to offer their services online but doesn't have time to sit down for brainstorming ideas or to check if their name is available in the digital space. We understand how stressful and chaotic it is. There are articles already online on “how to choose the right domain name and yet many are still having a hard time or worse case scenario have chosen a wrong domain that can hurt company's branding, and transferring to a new domain name can be expensive plus the effect on it on your SEO rankings. To avoid this kind of hassle we’ll share some tips & tools you need to get domain name ideas and how to choose the best domain name. 7 TIPS in choosing the RIGHT Domain Name 1. Keep it simple & Go back to Basics You must avoid using numbers, hyphens or long names as it can be mistyped or misspelled by users. Keep it short, easy to read so it can be recognized by other people. See companies like Google, Amazon or Hubspot. They've used short, one-liner and easy to remember name that any user can easily type and find the domain name. It helps any user to remember their domain name and it’s also a crucial part for long-term online success. For ideas in choosing domain names. You have checked the core value of your business, mission & vision statement, business strategy, and target audience. 2. Do Brainstorming session There is a saying that "Two heads are better than one." Conduct brainstorming sessions who can help you come up with creative business names ideas. If it has become a problem and you are running out of time look for professional experts. They can provide creative ideas that fitted on your branding. Here are some tools that will help you brainstorm ideas and ease the hassle of finding the right name for your business. a. Shopify Business Generator- Use Shopify's business name generator to search for e-commerce business names and check domain availability. b. NameMesh- is a business name brainstorming tool that helps you find a name for your company, app or product in a simple search. When you use Namemesh, it will give instant suggestions for keywords as you type. Eztransition- is a group of professional Web-development specialists and Martech experts. Who can come up with creative business names and custom domain name that is branded for your business! We can provide build a well-crafted and responsive website as well. 3. Always Go for the .Com Whenever it’s possible to choose the .COM domain name. Why? People are more familiar than with anything else. People always assume a website always ends with .COM and by default they tend to type .COM into their browser address bar. There’s even a research that shows that .COM is used as the top-level domain by user with a total of 47 % Although, there are some exceptions to it. E.g if it becomes unavailable or if you would like to use ccTLD (country-code top-level domain name). There are companies who would like to cater to broader local audiences. 4. Do not stress brand keyword inclusion Rand Fishkin says that keywords in a domain name are helpful for cognitive fluency. It matters for branding purposes too. Many SEO experts would add a keyword to their domain name but as Google keeps on updating. However, this technique is no longer advisable as it can create a negative impact on search engines and even to your audience. He says it is okay to use keyword mention as it will make your website obvious of what it is all about. But if you’re trying to secure a keyword rich or a keyword targeted domain, best to avoid using it as it doesn’t create an impact and can be harmful to your rankings instead. 5. Check Availability & if it can be own When you have a domain name in mind do some research first! Check if it is not already trademarked and available to use. By doing some Google search it can prevent if there isn’t another company that’s already using your name with a similar niche or target market. If there is no copyright infringement issues secure it immediately. You can also register your business name and domain name for legal purposes. 6. Expand your reach Many companies would choose a domain name closer or related to their niche. This smart move helps them to give their customers some idea of what your website or business is about. But you don’t want to limit your options instead leave some space to expand. Did you know when Steve Jobs is trying to create a name for their company? Some say he was sitting in an apple orchard and thought the name, "Apple" sounded fun-spirited and not intimidating. Thus, when they launched their first Apple computer they used it as they couldn’t think of other names than Apple.com. Fast forward Apple has been ridiculously known not just for MAC computers but they released several and pioneered some of the best gadgets like iPhones, iPods, Ipad tablets and even an apple watch. If they limit themselves in just naming thru their first product we will not know Apple as we know now. Choosing a domain name for business can be a lengthy process, but it is well worth the time you invested. Once you've set your domain name you made a significant step toward launching your business online. And it’s a start of your presence and branding in your own niche both in the business and Digital world.