One of the most overlooked, but necessary steps in building a strong online presence is learning how to choose a domain name that supports your growth and positions your business for long-term success.
In 1999, Business.com was purchased for $7.5 million, making headlines as one of the most expensive domain purchases at the time. Critics scoffed at the deal, claiming it was overpriced and doomed to fail (after all, the dot-com bubble was about to burst).
But the investment paid off: in 2007, the domain sold for $345M.
So, what were the factors that influenced the domain name choice, and that contributed to shape this farsighted investment?
And which one is applicable today?
In this article, we’ll explore twelve key components to help you make the right choice, including what shapes an effective and profitable domain name selection, technical characteristics, and brand-related factors.
12 Tips for choosing a domain name
Choosing a domain name is more than just a branding decision, it’s a strategic step that affects your SEO, credibility, user experience, and ultimately, business growth.
Domain resellers, marketing agencies, and tech entrepreneurs can leverage these twelve in-depth tips to make the right call from the start.
1. Align your domain name with your brand identity
When thinking of how to choose a domain name, one should immediately reflect the brand’s purpose, tone, and positioning. It’s often the first impression people have of your business, so it needs to reinforce who you are and what you do.
A great example is the backstory of Hotels.com, one of the most famous domain success stories, and a perfect demonstration of what happens when your domain is your brand.
This domain name choice worked because of the:
- Purpose: the domain name instantly communicates what the business offers.
- Tone: clear, trustworthy, and universally understood
- Positioning and SEO-oriented: the name looks like the go-to aggregator for hotel reservations, beating out generic travel competitors; plus, it has an ingrained advantage in organic search because it describes the service itself
2. Keep it short, clean, and memorable
The shorter and cleaner your domain, the easier it is to remember and share.
Ideally, stick to 6–14 characters. Long, complex names increase the risk of typos and reduce word-of-mouth discoverability. Avoid filler words like “the,” “best,” or “hub” unless they truly add meaning or rhythm. Great domain names often follow a simple formula: a core concept + a functional word
Plus, other tactics advise for or against the use of numbers, depending on how relevant they are with the name of the brand or the scope of the service.
3. Avoid hyphens, special characters, and uncommon spellings
Characters like hyphens, special characters and even place-holding numbers may be fine for internal systems, but they’re UX blockers for a brand.
Hyphens are frequently forgotten or misused, and special characters are counterproductive for brand recognition and technical clarity.
Creative spelling (like “lyf” instead of “life”) can also cause confusion unless your brand is widely known or easily recognizable. Always test your domain with non-technical users: if they can’t recall it easily, search engines and customers might not either.
4. Investigate pricing and define your domain strategy
When thinking about how to choose a domain name, a fundamental characteristic is its pricing.
Not all domain extensions are priced equally, some come with premium tags, higher renewal costs, or complex lifecycle fees (like restoration charges). Start by checking both the initial registration and renewal costs across different TLDs: certain domains may appear affordable upfront but carry hidden long-term expenses, especially with aftermarket or premium listings.
It’s also wise to compare pricing across registrars. Domain pricing can vary significantly depending on the registrar’s business model, promotions, or whether they’re offering cost price to members or resellers. If you’re acquiring domains in bulk or managing a growing portfolio, these differences can add up quickly and impact your margins.
Bonus tip: At Openprovider, our Membership program lets you register and renew domains at cost price—directly what we pay registries. With plans tailored to your portfolio size, our members benefit from transparent pricing, no hidden markups, and exclusive discounts across 1,900+ TLDs.
5. Integrate keywords with care and purpose
Search engine optimization (SEO) can benefit from relevant keywords in your domain name, but only when done naturally.
For example, a cybersecurity firm might benefit from a domain like “SentinelSecurity.com,” which instantly signals trust and relevance. However, overly stuffed names like “best-seo-keyword-tool-2025.net” look spammy and reduce long-term brand equity. Focus on clarity and relevance, not just gaming the algorithm.
6. Audit the backlink profile before buying a previously owned domain
If you’re considering a pre-owned or expired domain (often appealing for SEO or brand reasons), conduct a backlink profile audit before purchasing it.
Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Moz to analyze the quality, quantity, and origin of backlinks. Look out for spammy links, link farms, or penalized sites pointing to the domain.
Bonus tip: a good indicator to ensure backlinks quality is the “spam score”, which is reflected in most SEO tools. To remove damaging links you’ll have to initiate a disavowing process or contact the referring domain owners to remove them.
A strong, clean backlink profile can boost your SEO from day one; a toxic one can damage your domain authority and search visibility, and cleaning it up is not always easy or guaranteed.
7. Check trademark databases and legal conflicts
Always ensure your domain doesn’t conflict with existing trademarks.
This is particularly important for domains that sound brandable or include popular terms. Use tools like the WIPO Global Brand Database, EUIPO (for Europe), or USPTO’s Trademark Search (for the U.S.).
This step is for legal protection and business security: the last thing you want is a takedown notice or legal battle after you’ve invested in marketing and SEO
8. Secure matching social media handles
Brand consistency matters across digital platforms. Check that your domain name (or a close variation) is available on key social networks like X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.
Use tools like Namecheckr or Knowem to scan availability quickly. If a name is unavailable, consider slight variations—just keep them consistent across platforms: you want customers to find you wherever they search.
9. Ensure it’s easy to pronounce and spell
Your domain should sound exactly like it looks and look like it sounds. Avoid homophones (e.g. “site” vs. “sight”), and test it with a diverse group. Can they spell it after hearing it? Can they pronounce it after reading it? Aim for high recognizability across audiences.
This reduces friction in referrals, voice search, and international communication.
If you have already crafted a strong name for your business, what’s next?
Checking name availability is quick and easy: simply enter your chosen name below to explore available domain options and find the perfect fit for your brand.
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10. Avoid dated slang or overly niche terminology
Trendy or hyper-specific terms can age poorly or confuse audiences outside your initial niche. While insider language might appeal to a specific group, it risks alienating others or becoming obsolete. Words like “web3” may sound cool today, but evaluate whether they’ll hold meaning and professionalism in five years. When in doubt, choose clarity over cleverness.
11. Use domain name generators and understand extension strategy
Tools like Shopify’s business name generator can spark new ideas and filter by availability.
But beyond creativity, consider how your TLD (top-level domain) affects perception:
- .com: still the gold standard. Globally trusted and expected, and excellent for a safe-play with long term vision.
Did you know? .com extensions might fall into an oversaturated market for tech startuppers; for this, entrepreneurs are considering .ai as an alternative domain
- .ai: popular in tech, especially for AI startups. It signals innovation, and, as explored in this article, it gained a treatment as if it was a generic TLD, although originally a ccTLD.
- .tech: Excellent fit for tech-driven brands and resellers. It helps position your company clearly within the industry. .tech extensions are often compared to .ai, although there are key differences to consider that might make or break your investments.
- .io: widely used in the startup ecosystem. Though originally a country TLD for the British Indian Ocean Territory of Chagos islands, it’s now associated with software and innovation, after going through a buzzy political exchange that handed the islands’ sovereignty to Mauritius. Search-wise, it’s treated similarly to .ai extensions.
Choose the one that matches your brand tone, customer expectations, and global goals, but always verify how it’s perceived in your core markets.
12. Protect your brand from typosquatting and impersonation
Once your primary domain is live, it becomes a target, not just for competitors, but for bad actors looking to exploit its visibility. Typosquatting is a common tactic where malicious parties register lookalike domains—often simple misspellings or keyboard-adjacent variations—to impersonate your brand, mislead users, or launch phishing attacks.
To prevent this, secure high-risk variations of your domain name early. These can include common misspellings (e.g. “ClouFluent.com” vs. “CloudFluent.com”), swapped letters (“CloudFlent.com”), or omitted characters (“CloudFlunt.com”). It’s also smart to register alternate TLDs that users might assume by default (.net, .org, .co, .ai), especially if you’re active internationally.
For brands managing customer portals, email campaigns, or payment workflows, protecting against typosquatting is not just about preserving traffic, but a fundamental layer of trust and security. Proactively managing your domain footprint is an investment in your reputation.
Registering your domain
Choosing the right domain name is a foundational step that can shape your brand’s success for years to come.
From strategic pricing to SEO relevance, from brand alignment to typosquatting protection, each decision carries long-term impact.
Whether you’re launching your first online project or managing thousands of domains for clients, taking a thoughtful, data-informed approach is essential.
At Openprovider, we empower resellers, agencies, and IT professionals with the tools, pricing models, and expertise to build smarter domain portfolios.
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