5 Tips on Choosing a Domain Name

by Startacus Admin
5 Tips on Choosing a Domain Name
Any startup who has ever needed a website knows the horror story that unfolds when choosing the correct domain name for your startup. It’s an absolute tirade of trouble when your business name isn’t available as a ‘.com’ or ‘.net’ or whatever other address you may want to use.
This is only the tip of the iceberg however as ‘domain selling’ companies often have very different terms and conditions as well as an ever-changing stock of domains which can seemingly vary every few hours. And that’s before we even consider pricing – some domain names can cost upwards of £1000, and then there are the renewal fees, auctioning fees and all the rest to consider. If it all sounds confusing, don’t worry – you’re not alone in thinking that! That’s why we’ve put together this list of 5 important tips to stay sane and successful whilst domain name shopping.
1. Have a domain name in mind – but have a degree of flexibility.
If you have a brand, then stick to your guns! That’s the ‘.com’ you want right? Then go for it, but bear in mind, it may not be available right away, and in fact may not be up for sale at all. That’s when being somewhat flexible will help, Don’t go in too headstrong about a particular name. Keep your brand loose and open to change before committing to a domain name. This will save you time, energy and money in the long run, as well as allowing you to save yourself wasting time chasing your tail because you fixated on a name far too early and are too stubborn to make a change.
2. Take advice from as many people as you can, especially potential customers.
These are the people who will be shopping from you or using your service so you ought to find out what they think. Their input is always helpful (ok perhaps not always, but honest feedback is generally always a useful resource). Do not however rely solely on this. Many companies have regretted customer decisions on names and wound up either dishonouring commitments to customers or having to legally use a name they do not approve of.
3. Take some time to actually just think about everything you want from the domain name.
If you spend too much time on the chase and rush to grab something that you think you want, you can usually end up missing a trick and wasting a valuable opportunity. There’s nothing to be lost by taking a little bit of time to actually think about and narrow down everything you want and need from your domain name. Do you want it to be nostalgic? Easy to remember? Short? Long? Unique? Numbers? The list may go on, but in essence you need to make sure all of this is ironed out before you even go looking. You don’t want to invest in something only to realise you don’t want or need it.
4. Be mindful of your competitors.
This should go without saying, but keeping an eye on your competitors is always smart. You shouldn’t copy them per se, but if they have certain advantages, emulating certain things is ok. That being said, you don’t want a domain name that’s a variant of theirs. If their SEO is better, even if your company is superior, search engines will favour them over you. So make sure your domain name is different from your competitors - but communicates the same message. Roughly.
5. Have a creative group around to help.
You could be the next Dr. Seuss and J.K. Rowling all rolled into one, but there’s only so far one can be creative for an extended period of time without needing a break or a little help. Since you’ll have to be business creative for the foreseeable future, having a creative crowd to help you get started will definitely take the weight off. If you’re having trouble coming up with something, someone else just might have the stroke of genius you’re waiting for.
To all the startups looking for a domain name, don’t stress and take your time. From all of us here at Startacus – Good luck!
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
Planning to launch a fashion brand this year? Here are a few basic tips that will help you do just that and get your business off to the right start

Bippit is an online platform and app that helps companies to support the financial needs of their employees - not just via their salary

2021 may be a challenging time to start a business, but these tips should help you get it right...

Startacus and Hatch Enterprise celebrate International Women’s Day by partnering with NetMinds to bring together female founders for a virtual speed networking event

Keeping customers engaged is vital for any small business - these basic tips will help you do just that

Alchemy Technology Services, the Derry-based centre of excellence for insurance software implementation receives recognition for its commitment to diversity

For the first time ever, the Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge has both a British winner and runner up in the form of innovative startups SoluBlue and Jiva Materials

The innovative Italian company that has created Handshield, a hand protection wrap to protect users from bacteria and viruses

If you’re thinking about starting an ecommerce business, these tips will help you do just that...

The lowdown on Pentaform, the London-based startup that has created an easy-to-use and eco-friendly personal computer that is globally accessible
Published on: 24th March 2015
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- Startacus and Hatch Enterprise offer speed networking IWD-inspired event 24th Feb 2021 Startacus and Hatch Enterprise celebrate International Women’s Day by partnering with NetMinds to bring together female founders for a virtual speed networking event
- Alchemy Technology Services receives Bronze Diversity Mark NI Award 23rd Feb 2021 Alchemy Technology Services, the Derry-based centre of excellence for insurance software implementation receives recognition for its commitment to diversity
- Groundbreaking British inventions win global sustainability prize 23rd Feb 2021 For the first time ever, the Postcode Lotteries Green Challenge has both a British winner and runner up in the form of innovative startups SoluBlue and Jiva Materials
- Wombat lands £2m investment as appetite for thematic, fractional trading grows 9th Feb 2021 The innovative investment platform Wombat secures major funding to help with further development and to expand the shares and investments on offer