How to Choose a Killer Domain Name

Choosing the right domain name is a very important aspect of your online business for a few reasons. First, it acts like a headline in a way, it’s the first thing people see a lot of the time, and it’s what they will have to remember so they can return to your site. For this reason, you want to pick something memorable.

But a killer domain name does more than that—it tells a story. I don’t mean it goes off on a long winded story about what yourself or your website. I certainly don’t recommend something like HiThereMyNameIsJohnAndThisIsMyWebsite.com, that is not the type of story that I am talking about.

When telling a story with your website you should follow all the domain name ‘rules’. Keep it short, simple, memorable, and to the point. However, ensure that it contains information regarding your site. Something that will make a prospect think ‘ah, I know what to expect here’.

You don’t want to confuse your prospect with your domain name, you want to provide them with information right away so they have a good idea why they are going to your site. Let me give you a few examples:

GOOD: ListJoe.com – this is a site that allows you to send out email marketing information to a large list of people. If you are in the internet marketing world, right away the name triggers you to think that this site has something to do with lists, and that the average Joe can use it, which is exactly the service the site provides. Further, the site is consistent with the name: When you go to the site there is an image of your ‘average Joe’ and information about email list marketing.

BAD: Fairtilizer.com – look at that name quickly and see what comes to mind? Fertilizer? Does it have something to do with gardening? It really is hard to figure out what this site means, it is definitely not telling a story. Worse, it’s a bit of an odd word that isn’t really easy to remember or flashy. Oh and, for those who are wondering, it’s a music site—What does Fairtilizer have to do with music??!!!

So there you have it, when you are going to choose a domain name, try to make it tell a small story about your site. Make sure your site is consistent with the name, so that you are in line with your prospects expectation. This will ensure you keep their attention and increase their chances of remembering your site.

Of course, killer domain names are getting hard to come by, so trying to incorporate all this into one name can be challenging. Use a thesaurus and try different words, but if you can’t find that perfect name, don’t let it hold you back from starting an online business. The best thing to ensure your online success is taking action, so don’t let anything hold you back!