3 Things To Know Before Choosing A Domain Name
It’s time to learn about the 3 things you NEED to consider when picking a domain name for your small business website
A bad domain name can actually cost you customers.
In fact, most business owners don’t realize that your domain is one of the first things people judge about your business.
But, by the end of this blog, you’ll learn the top 3 things most people overlook when choosing a domain name and how to make sure yours builds trust and gets remembered.
So, get ready to feel confident making the right choice for your domain name.
Before we get into it, if you’d prefer to watch and learn then click the video below!
3 Things to Know Before Picking a Domain for Your Small Business
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[00:00:00.00]
A bad domain name can actually cost you customers because most business owners don't realize that your domain is one of the first things that people judge about your business. But in this video, I'll show you the three things most people overlook when choosing a domain name and how to make sure that yours builds trust and gets remembered. So I encourage you to watch to the end of this video so that way you feel confident when you go to purchase your domain Domain Name. When it comes to your domain name, shorter is almost always better. And that's because you want something that is easy to type, easy to remember, and easy to share. Okay, so think about it this way. If someone hears your domain name in a conversation or on a podcast, maybe, can they type it into a browser later without getting it wrong? If they can't, you're going to lose traffic. For example, let's say that you're a local florist in the Naperville, Illinois, area. Okay? Your business name is Rosesinbloom. A bad domain would look something like this: Naperville, roses. Com or rosesinbloomnaepervilleil. Com. The first one is just too vague and doesn't speak to your brand.
[00:01:24.14]
And the second one, I mean, unless you're going to be selling flowers to the White House or something, people are not going to type in something that is just too long, right? So a good domain would be something like rosesinbloom. Com. It's short, simple, and definitely on brand. Or if for some reason that you can actually get that one, rosesinbloomflorest. Com. It also lets you slip in that keyword there to help identify what type of business you are, and especially helps when people type in florists, right? Maybe they'll be searching florists near me. So that would definitely help. So here's what I want you to do. Write down three to five possible domain names for your business. Then say each one out loud and imagine telling a friend or whoever, a potential client, your website address. If it feels natural to say and easy for them to remember, keep it on the list and just cross out the other ones. By the end, you should have one that's a clear favorite, that's short, memorable, and brand on brand. So next, let's talk about extensions. That's the. Com. Org, or. Net part of your domain. Your extension actually signals a lot about your credibility and sometimes the type of business or the type of website that people can expect when they click on it.
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Now, dot com is still the most popular. It's the most trusted, most recognized, and what most people instinctively type in. But that doesn't mean other extensions don't have their place. For example, dot org works really well for nonprofits because it signals trust and purpose. Local TLDs, meaning local top-level domain, like. Ca for Canada or. Co. Uk for the UK. Those can also work if you're serving a specific region. Let's look at five real examples. Since If every business is different, the right extension can change depending on your purpose. And if the. Com isn't available, these will also give you a clear idea of secondary options, which could make even more sense. So let's say a nonprofit called Revive Network needs a domain. A smart choice would be revivenetwork. Org because it instantly feels trustworthy. If the same organization used revivenetwork. Io, So instead, my first thought would be it's some type of tech business or internet thing. And that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. But in my opinion, revivenetwork. Org would be the better choice by far. So here's what I want you to do. First, write down what type of business you are.
[00:04:18.08]
For example, nonprofit, local business, personal brand, or some type of company. Then decide which extension best fits that identity. If you're a small business or personal brand, dot com is still the best option. If you're a nonprofit, dot org makes more sense. If you're local, look into your country's extension like dot ca or like I said, dot co dot uk. That way, you're not just picking what's available. You're picking what actually makes the most sense for your audience and the type of business that you are. And trust me, it always goes back to your audience. Finally, selling. Let's talk about keywords. Having one keyword in your domain can help with both SEO and clarity, but you do not want to overdo it. Okay? So for example, something like Mrpipesplumming. Com. Com. It works perfectly. It includes the keyword plumbing, but it's still on the shorter side, brandable and professional. But a domain like bestplumingcompanynearme. Com, it's a disaster. It's just a bit too long. It's stuffed keywords, and honestly, it looks pretty spammy. So Google is not going to reward that keyword stuffing, and your customers are not going to trust that either. It doesn't speak anything about your brand.
[00:05:43.20]
So the rule of thumb is use one keyword if it helps, but don't sacrifice simplicity or branding. So the last thing I want you to do is to write down one keyword that best describes what you do, like plumbing, photography, or design. Then Can't brainstorm three to five domain name ideas that naturally include that keyword without making the name too long or forced. This way, you'll strike a balance between clarity SEO and branding. For example, when I chose my domain name, I played around with a lot of ideas, but I ended up going with designwithadmi. Com. I liked it because it checked three boxes. One, included the keyword design. Two, Two, it uses my name. And three, I wanted it to highlight the collaborative process and experience that clients get when they work with me. So remember, your domain name is often the first impression that someone will get of your business when they go online to search it. You want to make sure that you get it right. But if you keep it short and memorable, pick the right extension that fits your business, and use keywords wisely without going then you will end up with a domain that is professional, trustworthy, and easy for customers to remember.
[00:07:08.01]
If this was helpful, hit the like button, say hi in the comments below, and don't forget to subscribe for more small business website tips. Hey, if you want to keep a street going, check out this video where I walk you through the five things on your website that are costing you sales if you don't fix them. Some of them might surprise you.
Thing #1: Keep It Short and Memorable
When it comes to domain names, shorter is almost always better.
You want something that’s easy to type, easy to remember, and easy to share.
Think about it this way: if someone hears your domain name in a conversation or on a podcast, can they type it into their browser later without getting it wrong? If they can’t, you’re going to lose traffic.
For example, let’s say you’re a local florist in the Naperville IL area.
Your business name is Roses In Bloom. A bad domain would be something like
“napervilleroses.com” or “rosesinbloomnapervilleil.com”
the first one is too vague and doesn’t speak to your brand, and the second one…
I mean unless your flowers are going to be used at the White House, people are not going to want to spend the time typing all that out.
But, a good domain would be something like
“rosesinbloom.com”
It’s short, simple, and on brand.
Or if for some reason you couldn’t get that one
“rosesinbloomflorist.com”
also lets you slip that keyword in there to help identify what type of business you are when people search for florists.
So, here’s what I want you to do:
Write down 3–5 possible domain names for your business. Then say each one out loud, and imagine telling a friend or a potential client your website address. If it feels natural to say and easy for them to remember, keep it on your list. And cross out the others. By the end, you should have one clear favorite that’s short, memorable, and on brand.
Thing #2: Choose the Right Extension
Next, let’s talk about extensions
that’s the .com, .org, or .net part of your domain.
Your extension actually signals a lot about your credibility and sometimes the type of website that people can expect when clicking.
Now .com is still the most popular.
It’s the most trusted, most recognized, and what people instinctively type in.
But, that doesn’t mean other extensions don’t have their place.
For example, .org works really well for nonprofits, because it signals trust and purpose. Local TLDs (meaning local top-level-domain), like .ca for Canada or .co.uk for the UK, can also work if you’re serving a specific region.
Let’s look at 5 real examples:
.co → popular with startups (example: angel.co)
.io → used a lot by tech companies (example: notion.io)
.org → trusted by nonprofits (example: charitywater.org)
.net → still used when .com isn’t available (example: speedtest.net)
.us / .ca / .co.uk → great for local businesses targeting their country (example: gov.uk)
Since every business is different, the right extension can change depending on your purpose. And if the .com isn’t available, these will also give you a clear idea of which secondary option makes the most sense.
So let’s say a nonprofit called ReviveNetwork needs a domain.
A smart choice would be
“revivenetwork.org”
because it instantly feels trustworthy.
If that same organization used
“revivenetwork.io”
Instead, my first thought is that it’s some type of tech business, or internet thing. I mean it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world, but in my opinion, revivenetwork.org would be the better choice.
So, here’s what I want you to do:
First, (write down what type of business you are.) For example, nonprofit, local business, personal brand, or global service. Then, (decide which extension best fits that identity.) If you’re a small business or personal brand, .com is still your best bet.
If you’re a nonprofit, .org makes sense. If you’re local, look into your country’s extension like .ca or .co.uk.
This way, you’re not just picking what’s available…you’re picking what makes the most sense for your audience. And trust me, it always goes back to your audience.
Ready to work with a designer to get an awesome, high-converting website? Book a call and let’s chat!
Thing #3: Use Keywords Wisely
Finally, let’s talk about keywords.
Having one keyword in your domain can help with both SEO and clarity. But you don’t want to overdo it.
For example, something like
“mrpipesplumbing.com”
works perfectly. It includes the keyword “plumbing,” but it’s still on the shorter side, brandable, and professional.
But a domain like
“bestplumbingcompanynearme.com”
is a disaster.
It’s way too long, stuffed with keywords, and honestly looks spammy. Google doesn’t reward keyword stuffing anymore, and customers do not trust it either.
So the rule of thumb is: use one keyword if it helps, but don’t sacrifice simplicity or branding.
So here’s what I want you to do:
Write down one keyword that best describes what you do—like ‘plumbing,’ ‘photography,’ or ‘design.’
Then brainstorm 3–5 domain name ideas that include that keyword naturally, without making the name too long or forced. This way, you’ll strike the balance between clarity, SEO, and branding.
For example, when I chose my domain name, I played around with a few ideas and landed on designwithabby.com. I liked it because it checked three boxes: it includes a keyword, it uses my name, and it highlights the collaborative experience clients get when they work with me.
Final Thoughts
Your domain name is often the very first impression someone gets of your business, so getting it right matters.
But If you keep it:
short and memorable
pick the right extension that fits your business
use keywords wisely without going overboard
then you’ll end up with a domain that’s professional, trustworthy, and easy for customers to remember.
Abby Castillo
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Your domain is often the very first impression people get of your business online. A strong domain builds credibility, makes you easy to remember, and can even improve your visibility in search engines.
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Yes. If it’s available, .com is still the most trusted and widely recognized extension. That said, other extensions like .org (for nonprofits) or local extensions like .ca or .co.uk can also work well depending on your business type and audience.
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Keep it short and simple. Ideally, aim for 6–14 characters. Long, complicated domains are hard to type, remember, and share.
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Including one keyword (like “plumbing” or “bakery”) can help with SEO and clarity, but avoid stuffing multiple keywords. It makes your domain look spammy and less professional.
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You have options:
Add a keyword (e.g., rosesinbloomflorist.com).
Try a different extension if it makes sense for your business.
Keep it on brand and don’t force a long or awkward name just to “fit.”
