Introduction

One important aspect of building a website or custom web application is selecting the right domain name. Many organizations and “so-called” digitalization firms focus their attention on building aesthetically-pleasing web applications but do not give thought to choosing the right domain name. The time and energy expended in choosing a domain name for your website or web application are synonymous with that of choosing a company name. Asides from the fact that you want to choose the best name, just like a company name, you also have to ensure that your domain name is unique and has not been used before.

What is a domain name?

On your everyday search on the internet, for things like the closest grocery store or the year a movie was produced, you most certainly have come across many website addresses with ‘.com’ at the end. A domain name is an address that internet users use to access websites. Often, people confuse domain names for URLs. While the domain name and URL serve a similar purpose – helping people find you on the internet, they are quite different. The URL consists of the protocol – HTTPS, the subdomain – www, your domain name, and the specific page the user wants to access. Using the TotalIt Development’s URL, you can see that the domain name is “Totalitdevelopment”.

Why should you pay attention to your domain name?

• A good domain name is a part of effective branding
• It is a subtle way of getting visibility for your brand 
• It gives professional credibility to your business
• It enhances marketability, both around the world and in your locality. 

Tips for selecting a domain name 

Niche down with keywords

Keywords are words related to the product or service that you render. When thinking about a domain name, remember that the goal of digitalization and web development is for you to be found online – both by people who already know that your business exists and people who have no idea about your existence. With that in mind, it is a great idea to use a name that describes your product or service. Using Totalitdevelopment again, you can see that the keyword “IT” is in the domain name. Besides, niching down goes beyond using specific industry keywords. If your business is a local one, including your geographic location – state or city – can help your potential customers to reach you easily.

Keep it short and memorable

Your domain name is your identity on the website or custom web application; thus, you want to ensure that the name you choose not only fits your industry but is also easy to remember, find and promote. The best way to do that is to keep it short and memorable for people to remember. Ideally, you should use the name of your company, but in the case where your company name is too long, it is advisable to carve out a unique and striking name for your domain. 

Avoid special characters and numbers 

Numbers and special characters are most times misleading. People will most likely forget to include numerals or special characters when searching for your organization; they may not even know that your website domain name has characters attached to them. If you discover that the name you intend to use has already been used by another organization, consider changing it rather than attaching a special character. 

Do your research

Remember that just like a company name, a domain name can also be copyrighted, trademarked, or used by another company. Thus, you must do your research, to avoid legal actions being taken against you. Websites like GoDaddy have access to comprehensive data that you can use to search for millions of domain names.

Choose the right extension

Extensions are the suffixes attached to domain names. Some popular extensions are .com, .org, .uk, .edu, etc. Extensions can have specific uses, so make sure to choose one that best fits your business. The .com extension is the most popular, hence, having a short and memorable .com name can be a tad bit difficult. However, there are new generic top-level domains — such as .photography, and .app that offer a great chance to register short and relevant domain names. 

Bonus tip: If you have not, then you should start your digitalization journey immediately. Hundreds of companies in your industry register their domain names every day. So, if you want to get your favorite domain name, then you should start the process now.

Conclusion

How do you locate a place you’ve never been to before? If your answer to my question is “address”, then you are correct! Your website or custom web application domain name is equivalent to a physical office address. Therefore, much thought must be put into it during the process of digitalization. At TotalIt Development, our web application service is not limited to building user-friendly web applications, we will help you select the right domain name for your website or custom web application. We desire that your existing customers have a wonderful experience on your website, while, making it easy for potential customers to find you through your domain name.