10 domain naming tips for small business owners

If you are considering creating a web presence for your small business, one of the most important tasks is choosing the right domain name. Here are ten tips from the Bytestart team.

10 small business domain naming tips

1. Can you secure the .co.uk and .com at the same time?

If possible, choose a domain name which is available in both .co.uk and .com formats, as a minimum. This will prevent competitors from buying variants of your name in the future. Of course, as time passes, the chances of securing both variants of a decent name are reducing. You may have to resort to a domain name reseller if your desired name(s) are unavailable.

2. Keep it simple

Try to keep your domain name as simple and concise as possible, and ideally don’t use hyphens. This is also easier said than done with the number of available short domain names reducing by the day.

3. Future proof

Try to future-proof your domain name. If you hope to expand the products or services you initially offer, you may be better off going for a generic rather than a niche domain name.

4. The name doesn’t have to be intuitive

You don’t necessarily have to include the name of your trade or industry when selecting a business domain name. Many famous brand names bear no relation to the products or services they sell – look at Apple or Amazon!

5. Matching business and web names

It is wise to think about domain naming simultaneously if you are concurrently thinking of a business name (or limited company name). The best-case scenario is to have the same names for both your business and domain name.

6. Use a reputable registrar

Use a reputable domain name supplier like GoDaddy and ideally use the same supplier for all your domain name purchases. It makes managing things easier if all your ‘parked’ domains are held with the same company.

7. Don’t breach intellectual property

As with limited company naming rules, don’t be tempted to use other companies’ trademarks within your domain name for obvious reasons. You could be accused of ‘passing off’ (deliberately using other companies’ trademarks to secure custom).

8. Don’t hesitate

If you are not ready to go ahead and set up a website right now, it is worth securing potential domain names right now, as the next time you search, they may no longer be available.

9. Domain names are inexpensive

Domain names are inexpensive to buy – around £15 for a .co.uk and £25 for a .com address (for two years) would seem pretty competitive. You can pay a lot less but don’t expect rapid service and on-demand help if you pay pennies for your domain names.

10. Don’t be shy

Ask colleagues, friends and family for advice if you are unsure what to choose as your domain name. All too often, small business people operate in their bubbles when people you trust will be more than happy to provide their opinions objectively.