How To Choose A Domain Name For Your Blog

A domain name is also known as a website name that helps internet users to locate and access your website. It is also known as Domain Name System (DNS) and it can be a combination of letters or numbers and an extension is attached to it at the end. Extensions are .com, .org, .net, .us, and so on. A domain name makes it easy for people and users to access your website. This is because a domain name is easier to remember than an IP address that a computer uses. Some examples of domain name vendors are www.domain.com, www.GoDaddy.com, and www.NameSilo.com, etc. Domain.com will have records for www.Domain.com likewise. GoDaddy.com will also have records for www.GoDaddy.com.

IMPORTANCE OF A DOMAIN NAME

Your blog needs to have a domain name. Let us look at the importance of a choosing a domain name

1. Credibility

For your blog, a personal domain name makes your business look professional. And if I were to look for a website online, I’ll be attracted to one with a good domain name. People can trust and believe what you do thanks to having a domain name. Meanwhile, you want to note that there are domain name extensions like www.example.blogger.com or www.example.wordpress.com. You want to avoid these sort of domain names; although they are free, but they don’t get customers’ attention. Customers will feel you don’t want to invest in your business, and that is bad for business. So, it is important to plan your budget and get a good domain name as credibility is very important.

2. Adds mobility to your internet presence

Having a domain name for your business, brand, or blog gives you easy web mobility. You can work from anywhere and transfer data at your convenience. Anyone can access your brand or business from any part of the world with the same address. If you don’t have a domain name yet and are using a temporary [free hosted] domains, you will tend to lose your website’s SEO ranking.

3. Recognition

A domain name can get you more audience and recognition. With the right domain name, people can know what you have to offer and know what kind of business you’re doing. For example, a blog that talks about food can have a domain like www.healthyfoods.com. People constantly searching for food-related content can easily find that domain name on the internet. This is how a domain name brings more recognition to your blog.

4. Brand building

A domain name can enhance brand visibility. Your brand awareness is increased as a domain name will help customers to remember your blog and they can easily refer your brand to other people via word of mouth. This is a guarantee way to generate real-time traffic to your site. Also, when your blog name is the same as your domain name, it helps to reinforce your brand and gives your brand more reputation.

Other importance of a domain name includes:

It increases your ranking on search engines. As you build your blog site with quality content and perform SEO, your blog will be more recognizable with a good domain name in search engines like Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. leading to audience growth.
Your blog site will be marketable and can be promoted anywhere in the world easily with a domain name.

RULES OR GUIDELINES FOR CHOOSING A DOMAIN NAME

I’ve highlighted some benefits of having a domain name earlier. Now, what do you need to know when choosing a domain name? This section highlights some guidelines for choosing a domain name.

But, before the guidelines check out the types of domains.

TYPES OF DOMAINS

A domain can be classified into two main parts which are the second-level domain (SLD) and the top-level domain (TLD).

The second-level domain is easy to remember and contains letters, numbers, or any other characters. They appear on the left side of the domain. They are seen after the dot.

An example of a top-level domain is (.org, .edu, .net) and so on. In the word ‘Google.com’ the word, “Google” will be the second-level domain while “.com” will be the top-level domain.

Here are the rules/guidelines:

Choosing a domain name is very crucial in the development of your website or blog. A good domain name will have a positive impact on your blog while a bad one will have a negative impact.

Here are a few tips that will guide you in choosing a wonderful domain name for your blog.

1. Choose what works for you

It is important that you choose an ideal domain name that works for your blog. You want to brainstorm, but also want to be creative! Avoid selecting random keywords or characters that have no relation or align with what the blog talks about.

2. Make it short

Long domain names are difficult to remember and might discourage visitors. A shorter domain name is preferable to a longer one because it is memorable and easy to understand. If you must use a long domain name, ensure that it is creative and unique.

3. Avoid Hyphens and Dash

You must avoid the use of hyphens and dashes when creating your domain name. Hyphens and dash can make your visitors uninterested in visiting your blog, causing you to lose more traffic.

4. Use a Domain Name generator

A domain name generator is a wonderful tool you can leverage when you are confused or finding it difficult to come up with a domain name. By entering words related to your blog or website, a domain name generator can automatically give you various ideas and also help you check whether it is available or not. A website builder like GoDaddy can help you find a suitable domain name for your blog.

5. It should be easy to type

Your domain name should be easy to type on search engines. Use simple words that are easy to spell and recall. For instance, healthyfoods.com is a simple domain name that is easy to type and spell.

Research it: Ensure your domain name hasn’t been used by any other website. You risk facing copyright issues when you use an existing domain name.
You should act fast: Once you have chosen a perfect domain name for your blog. Do not hesitate to purchase and register it. Ideas are not monopolistic; thousands of people all over the world are thinking of what you want to invent. The best route is to act fast before someone else steals that perfect domain you took time and energy to brainstorm.

WRAPPING UP

There you have it; how to choose an ideal domain name for your blog. A domain is very crucial for any business, especially for a blog, business, or brand. I hope this article can help you choose the right domain name for your blog site. Want to create your own blog? I have written this material to help you get started.