Your domain name is your address on the internet. It goes on your website, in your email address, on your company van and on every invoice. So a good name is chosen for years. Yet it is often made up in five minutes, and that is something you regret later: a name nobody can spell, a hyphen everyone forgets or a domain registered in your old web developer’s name. In this article you will learn how to get it right first time.
1. Short, clear and easy to spell
The best test is the phone test: say your domain name out loud to someone and ask them to write it down. If you have to spell it or explain it (“with two l’s”, “without the”), it is too complicated. A few rules of thumb:
- Keep it short: ideally under 15 characters, without the extension.
- Avoid words people spell in different ways, such as ‘colour’ and ‘color’.
- Avoid numbers unless they are part of your company name. With ‘4’, nobody knows whether it is ‘four’ or ‘4’.
- Check how the words read when written together. Some combinations accidentally form a completely different word.
2. Your company name or what you do?
Broadly speaking you have two options. A domain name with your company name (jonesbakery.com) builds your brand and is unique. A name with your service and region (bakerybristol.com) says straight away what you do, but is less distinctive and often already taken. For findability in Google it makes little difference: Google looks far more at your content, your Business Profile and your reviews than at your domain name. So in most cases, simply choose your company name. How to get found in your own region is explained in Local SEO: how customers in your area find you on Google.
3. Which extension should you choose?
The extension is the part after the dot. Which one fits best depends on where your customers are:
| Extension | When to choose it | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| .com | You work internationally, or want to protect your name worldwide. | Known all over the world, but short names are often already taken. |
| Your country code (.nl, .de, .it, .fr, .co.uk …) | Most of your customers are in one country. | Familiar and trusted for local customers. Some country extensions set conditions, for example about where you are based. Ask us and we’ll find out. |
| .eu | You work in several European countries. | Only for businesses and residents in the EU or EEA, and for EU citizens anywhere in the world. |
| New extensions (.shop, .online …) | As an extra, for a campaign or product. | Customers out of habit often still type .com or their country code. |
That is why it is better to use new extensions as an extra rather than as your main address.
4. Register the variants too
Besides your main name, register the most important variants and redirect them to your website. Think of the .com next to your country code, the version with and without a hyphen, and a common typo. That costs a few tens of euros a year and prevents a competitor or scammer from running off with it later. Scammers like to use lookalike domains for fake emails. How to recognise those is explained in How to spot a fake email about your domain or hosting.
5. Check trademarks and trade names
Just because a domain name is available doesn’t mean you are free to use it. If it contains another company’s trademark or trade name, that company can claim the name through a dispute procedure. So before you register, search your national business register and the trademark registers, such as your national trademark office, the EU register (EUIPO) and the international database of WIPO. In doubt? Ask a trademark lawyer for advice before your logo and van are printed.
6. Register the domain name in your own name
This may well be the most important tip. The registrant of a domain name is its owner. If your domain is registered in the name of your web developer, a former employee or a relative, you depend on that person when you want to move or when something goes wrong. So check who is listed as the registrant:
- via a Whois or RDAP lookup, or at the registry of your extension (for .nl domains that is SIDN);
- or simply ask your provider.
Also make sure the email address linked to your domain name is correct and that you read it. That is where renewals, transfer codes and security notices arrive.
With us, you are always registered as the registrant yourself. We manage your domain and renew it automatically, but the name is and remains yours. If you ever want to leave, you get your transfer code without any fuss.
7. Never let your domain expire
An expired domain name means your website is gone and your email stops working. After a short period the name becomes available again and anyone can register it, including domain traders who then put it up for sale for a lot of money. Turn on automatic renewal and make sure your payment details are correct. Receive an email saying your domain is about to expire? Always check first that it really comes from your own provider.
8. Transferring? This is how it works
If you want to move your domain name to another provider, you need a transfer code (also called an auth code, token or EPP code). You request it from your current provider. For .nl domains, SIDN’s rules say your old provider must supply that code within five days. For .com domains, a 60-day lock often applies after a registration or transfer, during which you cannot transfer again. ICANN has decided to reduce that to 30 days, but the new rule only comes into force later. Moving your website and email as well? Then first read Moving to another host: how to move your website without downtime.
9. Turn it into a business email address straight away
With your own domain name you can also send email from info@yourcompany.com instead of a Gmail or Hotmail address. That looks more professional and you keep your address if you ever change provider. How to set that up on your phone is explained in Business email on your phone: how to set it up. Working in several countries? Then also read A website in several languages: when and how.
Checklist before you register
- Short, easy to pronounce and to spell.
- No trademarks or trade names of others in it.
- The right extension for your customers, plus the most important variants.
- In your own name, with an email address you actually read.
- Automatic renewal switched on.
Check whether your domain name is still available
Our domain check shows you straight away whether your name is available. You choose whether to register just the domain name, or add hosting or maintenance right away. Undecided between a few names, or want to move an existing domain to us? Send us a message below and we’ll think along with you.
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Prefer to call? +31 (0)166 700204, Mon–Fri 9:00–17:30 (CET).
