Choosing a website domain is a very important decision. Choosing the wrong name can negatively impact your business, search rankings, and can be a big hassle later. If you’re just starting your business this can be a very stressful decision especially if your first choice is already being used or unavailable. This post outlines my top tips for choosing the right domain for your business.

1) Stick with .com or .co

There are so many different domain endings these days, but .com and .co are the most professional and memorable. Avoid .net, .org, .me, .online, etc. I know it’s tempting to use one of these alternate endings especially if your top domain name with .com is taken, but trust me you want .com or .co.

Most people will automatically add .com if they’re trying to find your website and if you aren’t using that they may not be able to find you. Also, most smart phones even automatically include .com buttons when searching.

2) Match your business name (or clearly related)

You want to make sure whatever domain you chose is either your business name or closely matches. There is nothing more confusing than a domain name that is totally different than a business name.

3) Use a keyword (if possible)

Finding a domain with your keyword while also matching your business name can be very hard to do, but it’s excellent for search engines as it clearly tells Google what your business does. This can help your rankings.

Example: if you’re a doula or midwife it’s a great idea to include “doula” or “midwifery” or even “birth” in your domain as this clearly indicates what your website and business is all about.

Or if your business name includes a specific location, city, or region that is readily known and searched that’s also a great idea to include. Example: twincitiesdoula.com or saintpauldoula.com

4) Keep it simple

A good domain name is simple. It should be short, memorable, and easy to spell. Keywords are important, but it’s more important for it to be short and memorable. Longer domains are not easy to remember or spell and can reduce the amount of traffic to your website. Also, avoid using words with a string of the same letter or string of words that is hard to read (ie birthingblissservices.com).

5) Skip the hyphens (and numbers)

Sometimes our top domain choice isn’t available, but a closely related one with a hyphen is available. It can be tempting to want to use this, but I recommend that you choose a domain WITHOUT. When someone performs a search they’re very likely to drop the hyphen when performing their search and will then land the wrong website (or worse on your competitors site instead of yours!) Also, hyphens can be associated with spammy domains.

It’s also a good idea to avoid numbers because people might search the actual number or spell the word and that gets confusing.

6) Leave room to grow

If you’re just starting out it can be easy to select a domain that is specific to what you currently offer, but it’s a good idea to select a name that will allow your business to grow and evolve. For example, you started your business as birth doula, but now you’ve expanded to sleep consulting or lactation support and now your jamiethedoula.com domain doesn’t fit anymore. You can always change your domain, but if possible think toward the future so you can lessen the need for a complete rebrand.

7) Research it

Just because a domain name is available doesn’t mean it’s the right fit. You’ll want to see if matching (or similar) social media handles are also available. This builds consistency across all your platforms and will make sure your brand is easily recognizable.

To avoid any legal issues you’ll also want to check for trademarks. If your desired name is trademarked, find another!

Choosing a domain name should be a thoughtful and careful decision. Hopefully, these tips help guide you in your process!

If you’re looking for more support be sure to check out…

The Blueprint to Building a Website:

The 10-page guide includes:

• Breakdown of brand essentials—logos, fonts, and images. Plus my favorite free resources!

• Direction on writing content for each web page and essentials to include.

• How to structure your pages