Rand Fishkin, founder and CEO of SEOmoz, offers 12 Rules for Choosing a Domain Name. Rule number one? Make it keyword-y.
When you first begin your domain name search, it helps to have 5 terms or phrases in mind that best describe the domain you’re seeking. Once you have this list, you can start to pair them or add prefixes & suffixes to create good domain ideas. For example, if you’re launching a mortgage related domain, you might start with words like “mortage, finance, home equity, interest rate, house payment” then play around until you can find a good match.
But Fishkin cautions against making it too generic. Your domain should reflect your unique brand, he says.
Using a unique moniker is a great way to build additional value with your domain name. A “brand” is more than just a combination of words, which is why names like mortgageforyourhome.com or shoesandboots.com aren’t as compelling as branded names like bankrate.com or lendingtree.com. SEOmoz itself is a good example – “SEO” does a good job of explaining the industry we’re in and creating expectations, while “moz” gives a web association, and an association with being free, open, and community-driven.
I highly recommend reading the entire article. It does a great job summing up the key considerations for picking a domain that will work best for your business.
This MarketingSherpa article (11 years old but still accurate!) adds a few more helpful suggestions.
See also: Top 10 Worst Domain Names (e.g. www.expertsexchange.com)
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