Now that you know what a domain is and which types exist, we want to give you a quick guide on how to choose and register yours, taking into account many important factors that could determine the success of your project.
How long should a domain be? Which domain extension is best for me? Should I register other domains? These and other questions we try to answer below.
Why is it important to know how to choose a domain name for the Web?
The domain is your brand name on the Internet, the name by which visitors will recognize your Web site and access it from their browser. That is why it is very important that your domain conveys exactly what you want to project to your visitors, and that it allows you to take advantage of your Web.
A well-chosen domain name will help you to better position your Web site, reach your target market, stay in your visitors’ memory, facilitate word of mouth and improve your brand exposure.
Choosing a domain name
To choose a domain name, you must take into account several factors both in terms of image and usability. Here are some tips that will help you choose the best domain name:
Choose a short name:
Keep in mind that visitors will have to type that name to access your Web site, send you e-mails, and remember it in case they want to visit you again. A very long name is difficult to remember and people will often be tempted to go to another Web site before trying to type it.
Easy to write, pronounce and remember:
It’s all about making it easy for visitors and keeping them coming back to your site. Domains that are difficult to spell and pronounce, with abbreviations or letters whose meaning only you know, are very difficult to remember and will drive your visitors away.
For example, if your company is called “Quesos y Vinos de San José S.A.”, instead of choosing qyvsjsa.com, it would be much more attractive to your visitors something more familiar and easy to pronounce, like quesosyvinos.com, don’t you think?
Remember that the more readable and easy to remember your domain name is, the more likely visitors will return to your Web site in the future.
Unique and hard to confuse:
Never choose a name that can be confused with that of another brand or Web site, you will lose visitors. Following the previous example, if you try to register quesosyvinos.com but the name is already taken; it would be a very bad idea to register quesosvinos.com, or quesosyvinos.net; because many times your visitors could get confused and end up accessing another Web site and not yours.
Related to your brand, your product or target market:
This way your visitors will associate your domain with the theme of your Web site. Your first option should always be your brand, good examples are: samsung.com, pepsi.com, ikea.com etc.
If you don’t have a defined brand name, look for a name related to what you do, to the theme of your Web site or to your product or service. Make sure that the domain name gives the visitor a clear idea of the theme of your Web site or activity.
Beware of trademark rights:
Make sure your name does NOT use words that are trademarked, nor violate the intellectual rights of any other brand. Choosing a domain name that conflicts with a registered trademark could lead you to a legal dispute and even lose your name at great economic cost.
Which extension should I choose for my domain name?
We always recommend using the .com extension as the first choice, however there are cases where other extensions might be more suitable. Here are 2 examples:
Example 1: If your target market is Spain and you only sell locally, then it is much better to choose a .es. In general, to focus on reaching visitors from your country, choose that country’s extension.
Example 1: If your website is for a non-commercial organization or association, then a .org may be best.
Protect your brand:
Even if you choose an extension other than .com, we recommend whenever possible to also register your name in the most popular extensions to protect your brand and prevent someone else from using your name. We recommend at least registering your name in the extensions .com, .net and the extension of your country.