How to Choose a Domain Name for Your Business
A straightforward guide to picking a domain name that works — including what to do when your first choice is taken.
Your domain name is your address on the internet. It's worth spending twenty minutes choosing a good one — but not worth spending weeks agonizing over the perfect one.
The rules that actually matter
Keep it short
Shorter domains are easier to remember, type, and fit on a business card. Aim for 2–3 words max. "portlandplumbingpros.com" is fine. "portlandplumbingprofessionalservices.com" is not.
Make it easy to spell
If you have to spell it out every time you say it aloud, it's too complicated. Avoid hyphens, numbers, and unusual spellings. "joespainting.com" beats "joe-s-painting-4-u.com" every time.
Use .com if possible
It's still the default assumption. When someone hears your business name, they'll try .com first. If .com is taken, .co and .net are acceptable alternatives. Industry-specific extensions like .shop or .photography work too, but they're less intuitive.
Include your business name or keyword
Ideally, your domain either matches your business name or contains a keyword someone would search for. "seattlecatering.com" works for both branding and SEO. "[yourname]consulting.com" works for personal brands.
What to do when your name is taken
Your first choice will probably be taken. Don't panic. Try these:
- Add your location: "joepainting.com" is taken, but "joepaintingportland.com" might not be.
- Add "get," "try," or "my": "getfreshbakery.com" or "myfreshbakery.com"
- Use a different extension: .co, .net, .io
- Abbreviate: "pdxplumbing.com" instead of "portlandplumbing.com"
Don't buy a domain from a squatter for hundreds of dollars unless it's truly a perfect match. A slightly different domain will work just as well.
Where to buy a domain
Popular registrars include Namecheap, Cloudflare Registrar, Google Domains (now Squarespace Domains), and Porkbun. Prices should be $8–$15/year for a .com.
Avoid buying through your website builder if possible — it's usually more expensive and makes it harder to move your domain later if you switch platforms.
Connecting your domain to your site
Once you have a domain, you'll need to point it at your website. Most website builders and hosting platforms have guides for this. It involves updating DNS records — sounds technical, but it's usually just copying two values from your builder into your registrar's settings.
With custom domain support built into your builder, the process is usually straightforward.
Don't overthink it
The most common mistake is analysis paralysis. A good-enough domain that's live today is better than a perfect domain you're still debating next month.
Pick something clear, professional, and easy to say out loud. Then build the site and move on to actually running your business.