At the outset of your business, you shouldn't just be thinking about the name of your business—you should be thinking about the name of your eventual website domain as well. Many new entrepreneurs don’t realize the importance of business domain names as it relates to search engine optimization and not being mistaken for other companies.

Here are some ways that you can choose the right domain name for your company to improve your chances of online success:

• Choose the right domain extension. A domain extension is what comes at the very end of your URL. Common examples include .com, .org, .net and more. Most people agree that by far the best extension to use for your company is .com—for better or for worse, potential customers and investors see websites with .com extensions as being more credible. While you can settle for a .net if your preferred domain name isn’t available on a .com extension, you should never choose extensions like .info, .biz or other extremely cheap and obscure extensions.
• Make it easy to remember. The name of your domain shouldn’t be too long, it should be easy to pronounce and it should be easy to spell. Remember: you need people to be able to remember your website after seeing it in advertisements, and you need to be able to improve your chances of having your site discovered. Strange spellings or pronunciations make that more difficult.
• Put keywords in the domain name. One way to improve your search engine optimization with your domain name is to include keywords in the domain name itself. If you have a pet business, for example, it’d be a good idea to include something about pets or pet supplies in your domain name. You may even choose to include your geographical location to improve local search rankings.
• Make it original. If you’re looking to use your domain as a branding opportunity, you may opt instead to use a catchier, more original domain name rather than a domain name made up of keywords. Be creative and figure out a way you can name your business and domain in a way that will build up the brand identity you want your customers to identify with.

For more tips as you choose your domain and begin building your website, contact us today at Viral Solutions.

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