Make Your Domain Name Brand-scalable

People form an impression of someone within seconds of meeting them, and the same is true when they encounter your domain name. The name you choose is the online representation of your brand, so it’s important to make it stand out from the competition and speak clearly not only of the service or product niche you’re offering, but also of the values and mission behind those things. This will help potential customers remember your business easier.

It’s also important to think long-term about your domain name. Since that name will be used all over the internet, and potentially offline too, it can be difficult to make a change later if it appears that your name doesn’t really express what your business is about, or if your company opts to expand into other areas. While it’s important to incorporate keywords where possible, stuffing your domain name with generic keywords not only makes it less interesting and memorable, but it also creates limitations if the business changes focus later on.

Make Your Name Memorable

Studies have shown that the most familiar domain names in the world, such as Google, Apple, Facebook, and Twitter, share some key characteristics: they’re creative, instantly recognizable, easy to pronounce and spell and are short.

While keywords can help with searches for your domain, use them sparingly. Consider getting creative with an obscure word or phrase that evokes the spirit of your brand, or using an existing word in a new way. The most memorable sites online typically have short, punchy names that are between 6 and 14 characters long, which makes them easy to remember and type into a web browser.

Word spreads about a brand in a variety of ways, even word of mouth. Domain name experts recommend choosing a name that is easy to say as well as to type. That means avoiding names that contain numbers, hyphens, or other special characters that make them hard to pronounce, as well as hard to remember. If your company or brand has a long name, though, consider using its initials, perhaps in combination with a single relevant keyword.

Choose the Best Domain Extension

The extension, the part of your domain name after the “dot” that designates a top level domain, can also help or hurt your name. The most recognizable extension in the world is still .com, even though many more are now available, and because of its familiarity and association with commerce and reliability, .com remains the best choice in most cases.  If .com is not available, consider other neutral extensions such as .net or .info. While new extensions like .church or .photo can help to instantly convey what a site is about, more fanciful choices such as .me or .pizza may not convey the right image—or stand the test of time.