When you first start your business, one of the initial things you will need to do is choose a domain name for your business/website. In fact, your domain name will be one of the first things someone else sees when looking at your brand. One thing to keep in mind is that you’re going to have to live with that domain name for a long time, so it had better be a good one.

What does it mean to choose a domain name?
As you’re in the process of deciding which domain name to choose, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind before making your final decision. You’ll want to choose a name that is short, unusual, and typifies your particular brand. Well, those are the things you need to keep in mind. What about the things you shouldn’t choose?

In addition to the few basic concepts that have been mentioned, there are some additional details that you will also want to consider. They will also help you choose the best possible domain name for your business.

Your domain name must:

• Write your brand: The name should have some aspect of your brand. It should also be a name that people will remember and that is unique to you and your business.
• Be easy to pronounce: Is it easy for you to pronounce your domain name? Is it easy for other people to pronounce it too? If the answer to any of those questions is no, you may want to reconsider the name and come up with something that fits the criteria.
• Be brief: The last thing you want is for your domain name to be long and cumbersome. You want it to be short, easy to write, easy to pronounce, and easy to share with others.
• Let a.com, if possible: .com is still the most common suffix for domain names. That suffix works for all kinds of businesses, no matter what you’re selling. Of course, other suffixes will work as well, but they are not preferred.
• Stay away from other similar domain names: If you have a domain name that sounds similar to another company’s (or individual’s) domain name, you may be in trouble. You certainly don’t want to get involved in any kind of copyright infringement issue. Harness your creativity and create a name that is uniquely yours.
• Use a strong keyword, if possible: A keyword is very important if it works on your domain name. That will help keep it optimized for search engines. However, it is not always possible to use a keyword. If you don’t have that option, you’ll come up with another creative domain name.
• Give a clear message about what you are selling: If done correctly, your domain name will instantly let people know about your brand and your offerings. That will go a long way in distinguishing the right target audience from the people who aren’t actually your potential customers.
• Not necessarily be carved in stone: Of course, you should keep in mind that your domain name will be with you for a long time. However, that doesn’t mean it will necessarily be with you forever. If, after a significant amount of time, you find that your domain name no longer works for you (perhaps you’ve taken your business in a different direction), you can revise the name and make it work for your new address.
• Stay away from hyphens and numbers: Numbers and hyphens tend to confuse people. That especially applies if you tell the other person your domain name. The number and/or hyphen can be confusing because the other person won’t understand if you are using the number instead of the word and when it comes to hyphens, there are several different types of hyphens that the other person can use instead. In that case, he or she will never get to her website (or, at least, not easily) and the person may end up walking away. Why ask for trouble?

Conclution

As you set up your new business and put all the pieces in place initially, your domain name is one of the first things you need to establish. Domain names are by no means random. A lot of thought goes into choosing a domain name and you should ensure that yours is a clear representation of who you are and what you stand for.