{"id":5022,"date":"2018-03-13T14:18:04","date_gmt":"2018-03-13T14:18:04","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/?p=5022"},"modified":"2024-09-04T14:35:24","modified_gmt":"2024-09-04T14:35:24","slug":"small-business-domain-name","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/small-business-domain-name\/","title":{"rendered":"Choose your Small Business Domain Name like a Pro"},"content":{"rendered":"<h2>Coming up with a great domain name can be a daunting task for a small business.<\/h2>\n<p>But it\u2019s incredibly important to your success. Your URL (web address) is what your visitors see first when they&#8217;re searching for a company like yours online. It\u2019s your first chance to make a good impression. A great domain name will stick in your customers\u2019 minds, and, if it is well-thought-out, won\u2019t hamper your company\u2019s future growth.<br \/>\n<!--more--><br \/>\nFirst, let\u2019s clarify 3 web terms to get you started on the right track.<\/p>\n<h3>What&#8217;s the difference between a domain name, a URL and a website?<\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><span class=\"special\">DOMAIN NAME:<\/span> A domain name is the name of a website. It&#8217;s part of a URL that comes after \u201c<strong>http:\/\/www.<\/strong>\u201d \u00a0If someone wants to find you online, you will tell them your domain name.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"special\">URL:<\/span> A URL is the complete web address used to find a particular web page. Every URL contains a domain name.\u00a0A URL will lead to any web page in a website.<\/li>\n<li><span class=\"special\">WEBSITE:<\/span> A website is a collection of web pages and other content grouped together under the same domain.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<ul>\n<li>Domain Name Example:<strong> mountwashington.org<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>URL Example:<a href=\"https:\/\/www.mountwashington.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong> https:\/\/www.mountwashington.org\/<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mountwashington.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5090\" src=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/mount-washington-observatory-1.gif\" alt=\"Mount Washington Observatory\" width=\"600\" height=\"112\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"highlight\">NOTE: Buying a domain name is not the same as owning a website. Every online business must have a place to keep their domain name and a place (host) to keep all the files in their website. You don\u2019t have to keep your domain name and your website together at the same host.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"highlight\">In fact, you can go ahead and buy a domain name way before you do anything with your website. It can be your first ( and likely one of the least inexpensive) steps you can take to get your business online.<\/div>\n<p>The hard part is figuring out what the domain name will be. Once you decide, it\u2019s easy to buy the domain name and check it off on your to-do list.<\/p>\n<h3>How I Chose my Domain Name<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5150\" src=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/crimson-designs-logo.png\" alt=\"Crimson Designs logo\" width=\"167\" height=\"165\" \/><\/p>\n<p>I remember choosing the domain name for my business in a web design class. The class instructor gave us only 24 hours to come up with one. We were going to purchase them the next day in class. I didn\u2019t know much about domain names back then. I remember looking for ideas online, saying words out loud, writing potential domain names down and then going back online to see if my ideas were already taken. But, luckily back in 2002, there were more domain names available than there are today.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5246\" src=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/concord-high-school.jpg\" alt=\"Concord High School\" width=\"170\" height=\"166\" \/>Why I chose that particular domain name, I\u2019m not really sure. I only had 24 hours. The pressure was on. I knew I liked the color <strong>\u201cred.\u201d<\/strong> I may have thought about <strong>\u201ccrimson\u201d<\/strong> because I had graduated from Concord High School in Concord, NH where the football team was called the Crimson Tide.\u00a0I also figured that having the word <strong>\u201cdesigns\u201d<\/strong> in my domain name was appropriate for my business. People would have an idea of what I did right away just by looking at my domain name.<\/p>\n<h3>Domain Name Regrets<\/h3>\n<p>Luckily, I am still happy with my choice today. My only big regret is that I wish I had also bought the domain name <strong>crimsondesign.com<\/strong>\u00a0along with my domain name\u00a0(singular and plural versions). I find myself on the phone to this day, reminding potential clients that my website is \u201ccrimsondesigns.com\u201d with an (s). On rare occasions, people have gone to the wrong website looking for me. Thank goodness I still like the color <strong>\u201cred\u201d<\/strong> too. If I had decided to change my website colors to orange and gray, it would be a little odd to call myself \u201cCrimson Designs.\u201d Later on, I scooped up <strong>crimsondesigns.net <\/strong>too.\u00a0Visitors can get to my website through the .com or .net version. I recommend that you do that too.<\/p>\n<p><strong>About Domain Name Extensions<\/strong> <strong>(TLDs)<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5147\" src=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/domain-name-extensions-tnail.gif\" alt=\"domain name extensions\" width=\"336\" height=\"243\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As I mentioned, I own the .Com and .Net versions of my domain name. .Com and .Net are domain name extensions <strong>(TLDs)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Examples of domain extensions include <strong>.com<\/strong> for commercial, <strong>.org<\/strong> for organization, <strong>.gov<\/strong> for government and <strong>.edu<\/strong> for educational institutions.<\/p>\n<h3>Planning Long-Term<\/h3>\n<p>As you can see, it is important to think long-term when choosing a domain name because you will likely be using it for many years to come. Look for one that\u2019s simple and timeless. It should be unique, memorable and also flexible for any changes you may make to your business in the future.<\/p>\n<p>The easiest solution is to use your company name, if you already have one. Your company name will help customers distinguish you from your competitors, so you should at least try to <strong>\u201cinclude it\u201d<\/strong> in your domain name (unless it is long and difficult to spell).<\/p>\n<h3>Brainstorm Multiple Ideas<\/h3>\n<p>If you already have a company name or have come up with a catchy domain name idea, you should brainstorm about 10 more similar domain names and then jot them down in a list. \u00a0You can also go online and check domain name availability at a domain name registrar such as <a href=\"https:\/\/namecheap.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>NameCheap.com.<\/strong><\/a> You can do this right now (months before you have a website up and running). Don\u2019t risk losing out on the perfect domain name because you waited too long.<\/p>\n<h3>Checking for Domain Name Availability<\/h3>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright size-full wp-image-5152\" src=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/domain-name-search.gif\" alt=\"domain name search\" width=\"320\" height=\"300\" \/>To look for an available domain name, you can also go to \u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.name.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Name.com<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to get a better idea of a domain name&#8217;s use. It&#8217;s also a good idea to check<span class=\"st\">\u00a0that your domain name does not appear as a username on \u00a0social media sites like Facebook or Twitter either.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p>If you go to a domain name registrar, you&#8217;ll be asked to enter the domain name you want to register into a text box. The service shows you the domain name extensions (TLDs) you can choose. Look for \u201c.com\u201d first. It may be worth buying the .net extension for your website too, like I did. If your domain name is taken, the registrar will recommend other ideas.<\/p>\n<h4>Examples of Domain Names Already Taken<\/h4>\n<p>You might think that the <strong>Mount Washington Cog Railway<\/strong> in New Hampshire would choose the domain name <strong>.cograilway.com<\/strong>, but apparently it belongs to <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.cograilway.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Pikes Peak Cog Railway\u00a0<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>(Manitou Springs, CO).<\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thecog.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>Mount Washington Cog Railway<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0 instead, has the domain name <strong>thecog.com. <\/strong>It&#8217;s short and simple, but misses out on using the keyword &#8220;railway&#8221; in its name. (We&#8217;ll discuss SEO keywords in <a href=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/small-business-domain-name-part-2\"><strong>PART 2<\/strong><\/a> of this blog post.)<\/p>\n<p>You&#8217;d also guess that <strong>Story Land<\/strong>\u00a0(a popular children&#8217;s theme park in Glen, NH) would have the domain name <strong>storyland.com, <\/strong>but, unfortunately the name was swept up by another website.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.storylandnh.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Story Land<\/a><\/strong>&#8216;s domain name is <strong>storylandnh.com. <\/strong>Adding &#8220;nh&#8221; to their domain name is not a bad idea as an alternative name, though storyland.com would&#8217;ve been ideal. Also, keep in mind that if you add <strong>&#8220;nh&#8221;<\/strong> to your domain name, you will kick yourself later if you move your business to Maine or Vermont.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-5154\" src=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/03\/domain-name-examples.gif\" alt=\"domain name examples\" width=\"600\" height=\"112\" \/><\/p>\n<h3>Registering your Domain Name<\/h3>\n<p>When you&#8217;re ready to buy your domain name, you must find a Domain Name Registrar.\u00a0When you buy and register it, you will have to fill out some details like your name, phone number and address. You&#8217;ll own your domain name for a year&#8230; or maybe longer, depending on the length of your purchase.<\/p>\n<div class=\"highlight\">NOTE: Always register your domain names yourself. Don\u2019t rely on someone else to register it for you because you would be giving them control over your website and you could run into trouble in the future.<\/div>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"highlight\">They may refuse to transfer the domain to you if you want to take control of it. (Or heaven forbid, they could get hit by a bus!) Also be sure to BUY your domain name before you have it PRINTED on your business cards.<\/div>\n<p><strong>Now take a moment and jot down 8 or more domain name ideas.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Then head to <a href=\"http:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/small-business-domain-name-part-2\">PART 2<\/a> of this post. We&#8217;re going to fine-tune that list.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Coming up with a great domain name can be a daunting task when you&#8217;re starting a new online business. But it&#8217;s important to your success. NOTE: Buying a domain name is not the same as owning a website.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5205,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[291,290,58,144],"class_list":{"0":"post-5022","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-small-business","8":"tag-concord-nh","9":"tag-crimson-designs","10":"tag-domain-name","11":"tag-new-hampshire","12":"cat-3-id","13":"has_thumb"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5022"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7742,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5022\/revisions\/7742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.crimsondesigns.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}