Knowing how to choose the best domain name for your blog might be tough but extremely significant, and this is also the first thing you need to consider when starting out a blog or else it will affect the brand later.
When Choosing the best domain name for your blog, Consider your niche, branding, and SEO implications.
Over the years, I have seen numerous bloggers who had to change the domain name of their blogs only because they had previously picked the improper domain name.
The process of changing the domain name for the blog from a technical standpoint is not difficult, but from a brand viewpoint, it will be a “makeover”, and of course, no one wants to “makeover” until you push it.
To prevent you from needing to change the domain name in the future, this post will teach you how to choose the best and most appropriate domain name for your blog.
Let’s start.
See also: How to create a free email with the domain name.
What Is A Domain Name? Why Is It Important?
A domain name is the name of a website running on the internet. If your blog wallet is a home, then the domain name will be the address of that property.
A domain name will be offered ONLY for a website, and priority will be given to those who register first.
For example, Financebode.com is the domain name of my blog.
What Are The Parts Of A Domain Name?
A domain name consists of two parts:
- Name: You can choose these characters to establish the domain name. It comprises letters, numbers and dashes “-“; the total number of characters is fewer than 255.
- Domain tail: the initial right-to-left portion of a domain name. It is separated from the domain name by a dot “.”. For example, .com, .co, .net, .org, .uk, .es…
For further explanation, let’s use this blog as an example. With the domain name financebode.com, the name portion will be “Financebode”, and the end will be “.com”.
How Many Levels Does A Domain Name Have?
Domain names now have 3 levels:
- level 1
- level 2
- level 3
What is a Level 1 domain name?
In Level 1 domain name, several countries share an international domain name. The peculiarity of these domain names is that there is just one dot “.”.
The most common are .com, .org and .net. Followed by .xyz, .business, .tech, .club, .online, .shop, .store…
What is a Level 2 domain name?
The second level domain is the country domain. Most of these domain names are defined by the network management organization of that nation.
The characteristic of this domain name is following the “.” generally just 2 letters. For example, .es (Espanol), .us (US), .ca (Canada),…
What is a Level 3 domain name?
Level 3 domain name mixes first- and second-level domain names. Therefore, this domain name normally contains 2 dots “.”. For example, .com.es; .edu.co;
When picking a domain name for your blog, you should consider choosing a first-level domain name.
Now you have grasped the fundamentals of domain names. After studying it, we will know how to choose the proper domain name.
But first, let’s review some mistakes people commonly make while choosing a domain name!
4 Common Mistake To Avoid When Choosing A Domain Name
Here are the most common mistakes when choosing a domain name that we often make. See if you have made these mistakes.
Choose a difficult-to-remember or long domain name.
Domain names should be simple to read, comprehend, and remember. But many of us choose a domain name for our blog with an entirely new or overly lengthy name.
Domain names with complicated and rare words will be difficult to remember and spell properly.
Unless you have a lot of money, have a competent team to perform the marketing campaigns so readers can pronounce and remember them.
When you read the domain name to someone who knows nothing about you, ask them if they understand what it means.
If people don’t understand what your domain name is literary. That is an indication that you should choose another domain name again.
Remember, choose domain names that are simple to read, easy to remember, and short (should not be more than 2-3 syllables).
Using a blogging platform’s subdomain
Many choose a free blogging platform to save money when establishing a blog.
At that time, your domain name will be accompanied by a subdomain with an extension like “.wordpress.com”, “.blogspot.com”, “.wixsite.com,”…
In the past, when blogging was not as established as it is now, it was not a significant issue. However, if your blogging aims to make money, that free blogging platform is a No-No-Area.
Why you should not use a free blogging platform
- The platform’s subdomain makes the blog appear less professional. This domain name will be perfect for those who want to blog to confide in a personal journal. And people frequently think the same way.
- You will be restricted in blog customization, such as themes, plugins and other functions.
- You will be restricted in your capacity to make money: certain platforms will not allow you to insert advertising, restrict sales tools, promote services, affiliate marketing, etc.
- Do not have complete control over your blog. This is a very crucial element. Once you’re set up on someone else’s platform, they may suspend or remove your blog if there’s a policy change or for any other reason. And there’s practically nothing you can do about it. The most apparent example is Yahoo 360.
And if you want to test blogging to see whether it’s right for you or blog for pleasure, that’s alright. I also built a free blog on the WordPress platform: https://financeairbode.bloggers.com/
Use dashes, symbols, and single numbers in the domain name.
For instance: Your name is Bode, and you wish to build a blog using financebode.com.
But I previously registered this name. So you modify it to Finance-bode.com or financebode.com. Then what will happen?
When inputting your domain name, readers won’t remember to insert a single dash, symbol, or number. It is quite simple to type a typo or omit a hyphen.
And thus, you have lost a reader. At the same time, these characters are also difficult to write and might undermine confidence in your website and company.
Use a brand name or trademark that another firm has utilized.
As stated by Google, you must not allow these names to appear in your domain name. If you attempt to incorporate certain names in your domain, you might be sued and your domain suspended.
Here are the common mistakes to avoid when picking a domain name for your blog. You can infer some principles in domain name choosing through these mistakes, right?
However, before getting to the recommendation section. Let’s go straight to the significant component of choosing a domain name: the aim of blogging.
How To Choose The Best Domain Name For Your Blog
How to choose a domain name for a personal blog.
If you want to blog for entertainment, confide, or personal journals, you may choose any domain name you wish. For example: filbil.wordpress.com; bintil.blogspot.com…
How to choose a domain name for the blog according to the interests of readers.
How do you blog to benefit your readers? You teach them how to create cakes, arrange flowers, and speak English correctly…? That is the advantage of the reader.
The domain name should be well recognizable with this form of a blog. As soon as it is seen, people should know instantly what they will gain from your blog.
For example, savethestudent.org (helps teens make money) is a form of a domain name for blogs according to readers’ preferences.
Similarly, domain names like smarthpassiveincome.com, enterpreneur.com…
Below are examples of how to choose a domain name for a blog that targets certain advantages visitors will gain.
The basic formula for picking a domain name this way is:
- Study + field (subject) + accomplished outcomes + .com/.net/.vn…
- How (help) + field (subject) + results + .com/.net/.vn…
How to choose a domain name to develop a personal brand.
You should choose a domain name related to a popular name that has some significance.
With this domain name, you can earn money and produce passive income but emphasize personal branding goals.
For this reason, you can pick a domain name using the following formula:
- Common name + domain name extension.
- Common name + meaning + domain name extension.
Choosing a domain name like this will help visitors readily recall your brand; and know you are the person behind this blog.
However, it will make it tough for you to develop into a community. And it is quite tough to sell a blog if you do not aim to expand anymore.
How to choose a domain name for a blog to earn money and create passive income.
You should choose a domain name that is a term connected to the theme of the blog.
Keyword selection makes it easier for readers to locate your blog in search engines. Also, get to know the major content of the blog.
For this reason, how to choose a proposed domain name as follows:
- Product/service name + domain name extension.
- Subject name + domain extension.
- The advantages of readers + domain extensions.
You can use the Namestation tool for further recommendations in this area.
With Namestation, you only need to input the blog subject and the keywords you want to appear in the domain name.
The tool will then offer you a series of domain name recommendations. However, this tool only proposes domain names in English.
Best Practices For Choosing The Best Domain Name For Your Blog
#1: Make your blog name simple and easy to remember
As discussed before, after the value you deliver to your community. The only thing people remember is the name of your blog. It might be hard to recall a lengthy, vague name.
So, instead of purchasing such domain names. You should choose short, simple to remember and easy-to-read domains so people can remember your blog.
This helps you develop a brand and assist you in promoting it. Readers will remember and come to you when they have a need.
#2: Choose the extension for the domain name
When you first start working on a website, you must choose a domain extension; normally, you will choose.COM since this is the most common extension in the world, with more than 70% of websites globally using it.
So the degree of competition for the.COM extension is quite strong; even
Suppose you cannot choose the.COM domain name extension for your website. You might consider choosing another extension for your website.
In Spain, the.ES domain name extension is also very excellent. ES extension is the second most popular top-level domain name in Spain after the.COM extension.
The state also supports The.ES domain name extension for personal use. and companies.
In addition, if you are (a blogger) and cannot register with the.COM or.ES extension, you may alternatively go with the .NET or. ORG extension.
#3: Choose a blog name that suits the content you produce
If you have not yet defined what your blog is aimed at, you can still choose a name for the blog.
The first approach is to name the blog with a related meaning to what you plan to write; it will be good for all types of content that you publish. It’s also incredibly simple to develop a brand.
Once you’ve determined the content you publish, your blog’s name should be relevant to the content you create.
Imagine your blog name is “makecoolcash”, but all the content on your website is about cooking lessons – this would confuse viewers and not what people expect it to be a beauty blog.
#4: Don’t use digits, special characters, and punctuation to name your blog
When picking a name for your blog, you need to minimize the use of numerals, special characters, and signs since it will make readers:
- Difficulty remembering your blog name
- Difficulty in discovering
- No aesthetics
- Easy to confuse
#5: Don’t give your blog a generic name
Proper nouns are usually remembered longer and more recognized than ordinary nouns. Naming your blog using a popular term makes it hard for users to recall your website.
For example, mercedes.com, instead of a generic name like xeoto.com, making it a proper noun would assist in developing a brand and be simpler to remember than a generic name like xeoto.com.
#6: Note regarding security services while purchasing a name for a blog
Domain name security service, often known as Whois Privacy.
Domain name security service, which helps to conceal any personal information of the domain owner, to avoid information theft.
If you do not employ a domain name security service, your website will run the danger of:
- Spam individuals/organizations make use of accessible personal information to send promotional emails; fraudulent, harassing, .. and some bad people may potentially access your personal information to utilize for other nefarious objectives.
You should choose a domain name service provider that provides domain security services. Most domain name service providers offer domain name security packages.
Namecheap is the only domain name service provider that provides free domain name security.
The domain name pricing at Namecheap has been ranked as the cheapest domain name service provider for many years from just $ 9.88. You will only have to pay $ 8.95 if you input the discount code.
How To Get A Domain Name For A Blog
You already have an idea for the domain name and have also picked a suitable domain name for your blog. So where is the best place to get that domain name? How much and how to buy?…
Where should I get a domain name?
This is undoubtedly a question that many of you have just posed in the course of working many times.
I have received numerous inquiries connected to the issue of losing domain names; domain names cannot be renewed… merely because of purchasing from unreputable firms.
Currently, there are numerous firms supplying domain names. However, most are tiny resellers; therefore, they are not engaged in everything.
I strongly advocate getting domain names only from firms that are legitimately registered with ICANN (an organization that administers all forms of domain names globally).
The two largest firms in terms of domain names that you may register nowadays are GoDaddy & NameCheap.
How much does it cost to get a domain name?
When you purchase from the two firms stated above, the pricing would be less than purchasing from resellers enterprises.
Normally to acquire a . COM domain name:
- At NameCheap: Price from $9.88
- At GoDaddy: Price from $12.99
How To Get A Domain Name At Namecheap
To get a domain name, go to http://namecheap.com, then right on the homepage, click “SIGN UP” to establish an account.
Fill in the essential information as indicated below, then choose “Create Account and Continue” button. Remember to check your email for verification.
If you already have an account at NameCheap, then use log in to log in.
Now is the time to verify whether anyone has acquired the domain name. How much? Put the domain name in the search box and then hit the “Search” button.
Immediately after that, NameCheap will alert you that the domain name is still available for purchase (shown in blue) and the price of this domain name is $8.88/year; now, you only need to add to the basket by clicking “Add to cart.”
An intriguing note is that when you register a domain name with NameCheap, you will always receive the WhoisGuard service for free (a service that conceals personal information such as the domain name registrant’s name, address, phone number or email).
To pay, you can use Visa/Master Card. You may also choose to pay via PayPal; here.
Check the total price for the last time, then click “Check out PayPal.”
Ok, now you will be taken to PayPal, log in and click “Continue” to pay.
So you have successfully purchased the domain name, NameCheap will lead you to the invoicing page.
To manage your domain names, click on “Account” -> “Domain List”, Here. You will find all the domains you hold.
That’s all; the process of purchasing a domain name at NameCheap is complete.
Note: Usually, NameCheap conducts promotions every month. Therefore, you may get domain discount coupons at https://www.namecheap.com/promos/. You will hit the “Buy Now” button to enjoy the discount here.
You will then notice a discount coupon code; copy this code to use at checkout.
Conclusion
In summary, there will be no certain rule in choosing a domain name that is best for a blog.
In truth, many blog sites are exceedingly difficult to remember and tough to write for Vietnamese people yet flourish successfully.
For example, SavouryDays.com (a blog specializing in sharing food – cakes of blogger Linh Trang) still grows very well and is a prominent blog in the community of individuals who enjoy cooking and cakes.
So essentially, content and marketing strategy are still vital, and while picking a domain name for your blog, you need to consider the following factors:
What is your long-term objective and approach to blogging?
Do you want to establish your brand via blogging, or are you aiming for a bigger community?
What is your development strategy and marketing plan for the blog?
I usually place the short, simple to remember, easy to pronounce and hidden meaning behind the domain name on the top because once the reader knows that meaning, they will remember you; and remember the blog for a long time.
The process of developing a blog is equated to you “building a house”. Therefore, choosing a domain name will probably be the first “brick”.
So if you don’t want to make any mistake (in reality, many sites have had to alter the domain name), then choose the proper one from the first “brick” – that brick is the domain name for the blog and also the brand name.
