Finding a great domain name these days isn’t easy. Most short, snappy .com domains have been bought and parked. So whilst the domain name that you might believe is perfect for you is owned by someone based in Connecticut, getting a great domain isn’t impossible.
Brainstorm words that fit your company and its business
A fair few years ago, I was on holiday brainstorming verbs and adjectives that I thought would suit my planned web design company. I got to nearly two pages, out of which very, very few were left. Luckily measureddesigns.com was one of them, and I haven’t looked back since.
What to look for in a domain
I’d always advise trying to buy the .com and .co.uk (or extension of the country that your business resides). Not doing that before you start investing in a site, marketing and stationery, can make acquiring it at a later date very expensive. The individual who owns the .com of your company name or domain can also use it to steal custom or indirectly damage your brand. Trying to buy the parked .com domain before you add value to it, or looking elsewhere is much better than maybe having to go through the courts at a later date.
A prime example of this occurred to a rival company of a law school I once worked for. They didn’t own the .com of their website, so typing that directly into a browser would bring up a school girl porn site.
Do you include a location?
Including the location of your business can add SEO points but can have the disadvantage of making your business too localised, limiting future expansion. Aviva have spent millions on trying to drop Norwich from their business name. So although Leighonseadesign.com would benefit me more in SEO rankings when people look for web design in Leigh-on-Sea, it has no relevance to someone in seeking a new website in Farnborough. So whilst a local trade business might benefit from a localised domain, its usefulness would seize if they opened further shops elsewhere.
Quirky names
However, these preferences are shared by the millions of other people looking to own a domain name. Magazines like .Net produce a monthly list of free domain names they’ve found. These often combine quirky, funky names such as stripped giraffe or purple melon.
That big search
So have an idea of what your perfect domain name might be. Here are a couple of domain tools that will help you along the way.
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