Domain name selection tips

Choosing an good domain name is a critical step in creating a successful online presence for your business. It can literally make or break your online success.

There are over 294 million current domain names in existence and new ones are being born every few minutes. Finding a domain name that hasn’t already been taken can sometimes be an exercise in patience and creativity. Rest assured – it can be done, so allow yourself adequate time to choose wisely.

Here are some tips to help guide your choice:

General guidelines

You can use only letters, numbers, and hyphens in a domain name. No other symbols are permitted. It must be between 2 and 63 characters long.

1. Choose a domain name that is easy to spell and easy to say. Keep it simple and concise.
2. A good domain name is easily understood and above all, remembered. So try to be original and stand out from the pack.
3. Choose a domain that is based on:
   •   your company name
   •   main keywords or phrases
   •   the home inspection industry
   •   your target area
4. If your first choice is not available, rearrange the word order, use synonyms, add small connecting words, make a short sentence, etc.
5. Register the .com version of your name first. Visitors generally type .com before any other extension.
6. Avoid using numbers in your domain name. People may not know if it’s a number or the word of the number when they hear your domain name spoken.
7. Even though dashes are sometimes useful to separate words in long domains, try to avoid them if not necessary. Also avoid underscores.
8. Try to avoid abbreviating your name to the point where it is no longer recognizable. Don’t use an acronym unless your company name is actually an acronym.
9. Do not copy or steal someone else’s company or domain name. It is your responsibility to ensure that your potential domain name doesn’t infringe on any registered trademarks.
10. Do not repeat words in your domain name.