How to Select a Great Domain Name for Your Blog
By Charles Mburugu
A domain name is basically the address that you type into a browser address bar to access a website. For example, the domain name for Google is google.com. A domain name is made up of two elements; the website’s name (Google) and the domain extension (.com).
Once you’ve chosen the right niche for your blog, the next thing you need to do is select a great domain name. This is a crucial decision since changing the domain name later won’t be easy.
Here are five formulas you can use to choose a domain name:
- Name the audience — This type of domain name defines the target audience that the blog is designed to serve. For example, rookiemoms.com and modernmom.com are obviously sites targeting mothers. If you’re a marketer, you will be drawn to a domain like 60secondmarketer.com.
- Name the topic — This kind of domain names what your blog is about. Examples are worldweddingguide.com, entrepreneurshiplife.com and financialhack.com.
- Name yourself — NeilPatel.com, JohnChow.com and Oprah.com are good examples of self-named sites. However, this strategy only works if you are planning to turn your name into a big brand. The downside of using your own name is that no one else can run your site and you will never be able to sell it. In addition, it might take a very long time to make your brand recognizable
- Name the benefit — This type of domain name explains what benefit your audience will get when they visit your blog. Examples are debtreduction101.com, reducecollegecosts.com and makealivingwriting.com
- Name your company — If appropriate, you could consider using your company name as the domain name. Examples: Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Alibaba.com
If your blog is not in any specific niche, you can use a general domain name. This is a good option especially for lifestyle blogs which cover different topics. Examples: sourcefed.com, attentiontrust.org, theseeker.ca, whiteoutpress.com and axcessnews.com
Let us look at some tips for choosing a domain name:
1. Use a .com domain extension
There are numerous domain extensions you could use for your blog, from .com, .net and .biz, to .agency, .info and .club. You could also use localized domain extensions like .in for India or .uk for United Kingdom. A .com domain name is recommended because it is credible and memorable. Most people type .com at the end of a domain name without even thinking about it.
2. Make it short and easy to spell
Long domain names are difficult to remember. Therefore, be sure to make your domain name as short as possible; preferably not more than 15 characters in length. This will minimize the chances of a user misspelling or mistyping the name.
Your domain name should also be easy to pronounce and spell. Avoid the following:
- Numbers — citizens4justice.com
- Incomplete words — insidr.com
- Hyphens — just-for-laughs.com
- Double letters — kidsspace.com
In addition, you should avoid domain names that could be misinterpreted to mean something else. Examples: therapist.com, linksexchange.com or penisland.com.
3. Use keywords
Including keywords will make it easy for search engines to figure out what your site is about. This will help improve your search engine rankings. Keywords will also help attract the attention of your target audience. For example, anyone that sees these domain names will automatically have an idea what to expect; homedecorexpert.com, BudgetandInvest.com, socialmediaexplorer.com and intheknowtraveler.com.
4. Research your domain name
Before registering a domain name, you need to find out if the same name is already being used by an individual or company. Using a similar or matching name will not only cause confusion, but could also result in a lawsuit.
Start by conducting a simple search on Google, as well as checking social media sites like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. You could also check for registered trademarks on your respective government’s website.
5. Brainstorm using a domain name generator
When you research a domain name, you might find that it is already taken. Thinking of new ideas can be very time consuming and frustrating. Domain name generators are free tools that will give you tons of ideas based on your keyword. The most popular domain generators include Domain Wheel, Name Mesh, Bust a Name, DomainsBot and Name Station.
6. Act quickly
Every day, hundreds of domains are registered all over the globe. When you find a good domain name, register it as fast as possible. If you don’t act quickly, someone else might just register the same domain name you had in mind.
Closing thoughts
If you’re still undecided on the niche you would want to focus on, you could start a lifestyle blog. The beauty of a lifestyle blog is that you can write about anything from business, education and finance, to pets, home improvement and health.
Here are some examples of lifestyle blogs:
https://mytrendingstories.com/
Originally published on https://writerslocus.com/
