Choosing the Right Domain Name: A Practical Guide for Business Owners
Your domain name is your digital address—the foundation of your online presence. Yet many businesses make costly mistakes when choosing one, either overthinking it or making hasty decisions they later regret. This guide covers everything you need to know to select the perfect domain for your business.
The Extension Matters More Than You Think
.COM is still king, here’s why:
- 46% of people automatically type .com without thinking
- Customers trust .com domains more than alternatives
- Email filters less likely to mark .com as spam
- Better resale value if you ever sell your business
- No need to constantly clarify “it’s .net, not .com”
When you can’t get .com:
- .net – Second best choice, widely recognized
- .co – Modern alternative, but often mistaken for .com
- .us – Good for explicitly American businesses
- .org – Only for actual non-profits (misleading otherwise)
- .biz – Dated and often associated with spam
Extensions to avoid:
- Clever new extensions (.guru, .ninja, .rocks)
- Hyphenated versions when .com is taken
- Misspellings to get around availability
- Country codes unless you’re in that country
Reality check: If YourBusiness.com is taken, YourBusinessLocation.com is better than YourBusiness.net. Adding your city or modifying slightly beats using an alternative extension.
The Anatomy of a Good Domain Name
Length considerations:
- Ideal: 6-14 characters
- Maximum practical: 20 characters
- Shorter is better for typing and remembering
- Longer okay if it’s your exact business name
Word count:
- 1-2 words: Ideal (rare to find available)
- 3 words: Common and acceptable
- 4+ words: Too long unless it’s your business name
What to include (in order of importance):
- Business name only (BobsPlumbing.com)
- Best if available
- Builds brand recognition
- Easiest to remember
- Business name + location (BobsPlumbingSacramento.com)
- Great for local SEO
- Clarifies service area
- Reduces competition for name
- Service + location (SacramentoPlumber.com)
- Strong for SEO
- Immediately clear what you do
- Good if business name is generic
- Business name + service (BobsPlumbingServices.com)
- Clarifies what you do
- Good compromise
- Helps with SEO
Critical Domain Rules
Never use hyphens or underscores:
- People forget them when typing
- Look unprofessional
- Hard to communicate verbally
- Often associated with spam sites
- “Bobs-Plumbing.com” will lose traffic to “BobsPlumbing.com”
Avoid numbers unless part of business name:
- “2” vs “to” vs “two” causes confusion
- Looks unprofessional
- Hard to communicate verbally
- Exception: If it’s actually in your business name
Check for trademark issues:
- Search USPTO database before buying
- Avoid names similar to big brands
- Don’t use trademarked terms
- When in doubt, consult an attorney
Make it pronounceable:
- If you can’t say it easily on the phone, pick another
- Avoid creative spellings (Kwik vs Quick)
- Test it: Would grandma understand it spoken once?
Where to Buy Your Domain
Avoid GoDaddy’s premium pricing: While GoDaddy is the biggest name, they’re also the most expensive:
- First year might be cheap (bait)
- Renewal rates are significantly higher
- Aggressive upselling of unnecessary services
- Domain privacy costs extra
Better alternatives:
- Namecheap.com – Consistently lower prices, free privacy protection
- Domain.com – Competitive pricing, good customer service
- Google Domains – Simple interface, includes privacy
Price comparison (typical .com):
- GoDaddy: $19.99/year + $9.99 privacy
- Namecheap: $13.98/year (privacy included)
- Domain.com: $13.99/year + privacy deals
Over 10 years, that’s a $160+ difference for identical service.
The Multiple Extension Trap
Domain registrars love to sell you “protection” by buying multiple extensions. Unless you’re Coca-Cola, this is usually wasteful.
When multiple extensions make sense:
- You’re a major brand
- Your domain gets significant type-in traffic
- Competitors are actively trying to confuse customers
- You have budget to waste
When it’s pointless (most small businesses):
- Your traffic comes from Google, not direct typing
- You’re a local service business
- Your marketing uses links, not verbal mentions
- Budget is limited
What actually protects your brand:
- Trademark registration ($250-$350)
- Building strong Google rankings
- Consistent branding across platforms
- Quality service that creates loyalty
Domain Privacy: Non-Negotiable
Without privacy protection, your personal information (name, address, phone, email) is publicly visible in WHOIS databases, leading to:
- Spam calls and emails
- Junk mail
- Potential security risks
- Competitor harassment
Always get privacy protection. If it’s not free, the few dollars yearly is worth it.
Common Domain Mistakes
Buying from your web host:
- Makes it harder to change hosts later
- Often more expensive
- Less control over your domain
- Keep domain registration separate
Letting someone else register it:
- You don’t truly own it
- Nightmare if relationship sours
- They control your online identity
- Always register in your name/business
Forgetting to renew:
- Set auto-renewal immediately
- Use a credit card that won’t expire soon
- Keep contact email current
- Lost domains are expensive to recover
Choosing trendy over timeless:
- “CryptoBobsPlumbing” will age poorly
- Avoid current slang or fads
- Think 10 years ahead
- Classic beats clever
The Domain Decision Framework
Ask yourself:
- Is the .com available?
- Yes → Buy it
- No → Continue to #2
- Can I add my city to get the .com?
- Yes → Good option
- No → Continue to #3
- Is my business name + service .com available?
- Yes → Consider it
- No → Continue to #4
- Is the .net version available?
- Yes → Acceptable alternative
- No → Reconsider business name
Special Situations
Buying an existing domain:
- Check its history at Wayback Machine
- Verify no penalties with Google
- Ensure no trademark issues
- Consider age value for SEO
Changing domains later:
- Possible but painful
- Loses SEO value temporarily
- Requires extensive redirects
- Costs in reprinting materials
- Choose right the first time
International considerations:
- .com works globally
- Country codes for country-specific businesses
- Avoid regional extensions for national businesses
- Consider language and pronunciation
Your Domain Checklist
Before purchasing:
- ☐ Is it easy to spell?
- ☐ Is it easy to pronounce?
- ☐ Is it under 20 characters?
- ☐ Is the .com available?
- ☐ No hyphens or numbers?
- ☐ No trademark conflicts?
- ☐ Checked price at multiple registrars?
- ☐ Privacy protection included/added?
- ☐ Auto-renewal enabled?
- ☐ Registered in your name?
The Bottom Line
Your domain name is a 10+ year decision. Spend the extra hour to get it right. Stick with .com when possible, keep it short and clear, avoid unnecessary extensions, and buy from affordable registrars like Namecheap or Domain.com rather than overpaying at GoDaddy.
Remember: A decent .com domain beats a perfect .anything-else every time. Your customers will thank you, and you’ll save money and headaches in the long run.
If you have web development questions, or are in need of having a website developed, please feel free to contact me at info@ecurtisdesigns.com.
