One of the important decisions you need to make when starting a website for your business is domain name selection.
You’d think that it’s as simple as finding one that matches your business name, and you’re good to go, right?
Well, that’s not all there is to it, though. There are several common domain name mistakes that even professional marketers could make, which may have adverse consequences later.
Don’t worry, we’re here to help. In this post, we’ll take you through some of the common domain name mistakes you should avoid when registering one.
Let’s get started!
What Is a Domain Name?
A domain name is a specific address that locates a website on the internet. It’s what people use to search for and locate specific websites online.
For example, www.google.com is Google’s domain name.
There are three key components of a domain name. Let’s discuss these briefly.
- Top-Level Domain: This is the last part of a domain name, also referred to as a domain extension. Examples include .com, .org, .gov, etc.
- Domain Name: This is the main part of a domain name and usually matches the business name of a company. For example, “google” is the second-level domain in www.google.com.
- Subdomain: These are used to represent specific sections of a website and not every website has one. For example, in mail.google.com, “mail” is the subdomain, while google.com is the main domain name.
Now that we have the basics cleared, let’s discuss the key characteristics of a qualified domain name.
Characteristics of a Good Domain Name
Before we discuss common domain name mistakes, let’s first understand the qualities of a good domain name. This will help you understand what not to do when choosing a domain name.
A good domain name is:
- Short: Keep it short and simple to make it easy to spell and find.
- Easy to spell: Use common words and spellings to ensure your prospective site visitors don’t make spelling mistakes when searching for your website.
- Easy to remember: Make your domain name unique and easy to remember.
- Relevant to your business: Ensure it represents your business and doesn’t mislead potential customers about what your business offers.
If you need help finding a great domain name, use BigRock’s AI domain name generator tool.
You simply need to provide some instructions and details on your type of business, and the domain name generator will give you a list of ideas. You can use this for both your business name and domain name.
11 Common Domain Name Mistakes to Avoid
There are many domain name mistakes people make that have consequences later, when it’s too late to correct the mistake.
When choosing a domain name, the best practice is to consider the above characteristics. Choose a domain name that’s short, easy to spell, and easy to remember, and you’ll avoid most of these mistakes by default.
Problems arise when people add unnecessary characters or words to their domain names, making them long and complex. Remember, simplicity is key.
With that said, let’s discuss some of the most common domain name mistakes and how you can avoid them:
1. Using Numbers
Using numerals in your domain name is not a good idea unless you have one in your brand name.
It’s because it may confuse people when they search for your website and forget whether the number should be spelled out or not.
Here are some other reasons why it’s a mistake to use a number:
- Domain names with numbers are harder to remember compared to simpler names with just words
- Numbers in domain names make it seem like a website is not original if it has to use a number because the original name was not available
- Using numbers does not provide as much SEO benefit as keywords do
How to Avoid?
If your brand name doesn’t have a number in it, avoid using a number in your domain name.
If you absolutely must use a number in your domain name, then reserve the spelled-out version of the website as well. This will ensure that competitors can’t claim it to steal traffic by leveraging your brand name.
2. Adding Words with Double Letters
Wondering why adding double letters is one of the most common domain name mistakes?
The simple reason is that it makes your domain name difficult to spell. This is especially true if your brand name is unique and not a common word that people know how to spell.
It’s also applicable in cases where you combine two words to form your domain name, where the second begins with the letter that the first ends with. Consider the following hypothetical examples:
- Success Story: successstory.com
- Traveler Retreat: travelerretreat.com
When written in the URL form, it’s difficult to instantly see how many Ss and Rs each name contains.
This may be confusing when people try to search for your website. Misspelling your domain name could also lead them to another website, causing frustration.
How to Avoid?
When choosing your brand name, avoid such combinations that may lead to confusing domain names later. For example, instead of Traveler Retreat, you can opt for “Traveler’s Retreat.”
Since it’s a good practice to use a domain name that matches your brand name, it’s best to avoid this problem right from the start. Once you register your business name, it will be harder to avoid this issue.
3. Spelling Common Words Differently
Many entrepreneurs go overboard when choosing brand names and use different spellings for common words to make them look unique and catchy. However, this practice is not good for domain names and is one of the biggest domain name mistakes you can make.
This is because people will not remember which spelling to use when searching for your website, causing confusion and even lost traffic.
How to Avoid?
If you use common words in your brand and domain names, make sure you use the correct spelling. Also, if your brand name is not a common word but a made-up word, ensure that you make it as easy to spell as possible.
4. Adding Hyphens
Many people add long keywords to domain names and use hyphens to separate them. That, however, is a mistake, as non-hyphenated keywords are more easily recognizable.
Moreover, adding hyphens poses the same challenge as numbers—making it difficult for people to remember and spell your website domain. This makes it one of the most common domain name mistakes that can be easily avoided.
Another reason not to use hyphens in domain names is that non-hyphenated domains look more professional and trustworthy than hyphenated ones.
How to Avoid?
Avoid hyphens or any other unnecessary characters in domain names, to give them a clean and professional look. Even if your brand name contains a hyphen, use a non-hyphenated version in your domain name to keep it simple.
5. Making it Long and Complex
Domain names should be easy to remember, which is why using long and complex names is one of the biggest domain name mistakes.
Another problem with longer names is that they’re harder to spell, so anyone searching for your website may mistakenly end up somewhere else if they make a typo.
How to Avoid?
Choose domain names that are short, memorable, and easy to spell. If your brand name is long, then shorten your domain name by using short forms of words.
For example, instead of heatingventilationandairconditioning.com you can use hvac.com, which is much easier to remember.
6. Not Checking for Trademark Infringement
Neither your brand name nor your domain name should be closely similar to that used by another brand. If you do, it may cause trademark infringement issues later on and land you in legal trouble.
Just because a domain is available for use doesn’t mean it’s ethical for you to use it, especially if it represents another brand.
Amazon, for instance, is a well-known global brand. Yet, if you try, you will find domain names that match the brand’s domain (www.amazon.com).
If you use a domain that closely matches the brand and run a similar website, the chances are high that you will face legal issues.
How to Avoid?
While registering your business name, you will likely check the state database to ensure any other business does not use it. That, however, is not enough.
You should also check the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) database to find any potential trademark issues.
7. Choosing a Name That’s Too Niche or Limiting
This is one of the more common domain name mistakes, and many new entrepreneurs fall into this trap.
When you start a new business, you would want to choose a business name that perfectly represents your brand. Many entrepreneurs, however, lack the foresight to consider future business expansion.
If you choose business and domain names that are too niche, then they will not align with your brand if you decide to expand your business later.
How to Avoid?
Think about ways in which your business could organically expand in the future. Even if you start by selling a single product, there are chances that you’d want to include more related products in your portfolio as your business grows.
Instead of using domain names with a product, go broader and use category names.
Let’s say you want to sell fresh homemade hummus and select a domain name that specifies that, such as besthummus.com.
Later, if you want to expand your business and sell other products, your domain name will be limiting. Instead, it’s better to choose a name that represents your current business but also supports future business expansion, such as “bestdips.com.”
If you’re not sure how your business will expand or don’t want to limit it to a category, then choose a unique brand and domain name that’s short and memorable.
Apple sells electronic devices, Nike is a shoe brand, and Gucci is a fashion brand. All are a testament to the fact that your brand and domain names don’t necessarily need to mention what your business sells.
8. Not Checking Social Media Username Availability
Anyone running a business in today’s digital world should have an online presence, which includes a website and social media profiles. As such, your business name, domain name, and social media profile names should match closely, if not perfectly.
While securing a domain name that matches your business name is a priority, it is a huge mistake not to check for matching social media usernames.
Imagine starting a business and securing your domain name, only to later realize that someone else is using the social media username you want.
You wouldn’t want someone else to use your brand name on social media, right?
It could have several legal and business consequences, which is why this is one mistake you should avoid.
How to Avoid?
When selecting a business name, ensure that matching social media usernames and website domain names are also available.
Once you register your business with a chosen name, it’s too late to change it. That’s why it’s important to check for name availability on all platforms before legally registering your business name.
Also, when you’re ready to build your online presence, you should secure these names for your business to ensure no one else can take it later. Invest in a domain name and create social media profiles on all important platforms you may leverage later,
9. Choosing the Wrong Extension
Even if you do everything right and choose the perfect domain name, it will not matter if you choose the wrong extension.
This is because some extensions are more trusted than others, lending credibility to your business and website.
Moreover, different domain extensions have different purposes. For example, a .gov domain extension is reserved only for government agencies. Similarly, country-specific domain extensions can only be used by companies within those countries.
Your website’s domain extension tells people a lot about the kind of website and business you run. Choosing the wrong domain extension can mislead people or reduce their trust in your website.
How to Avoid?
For most businesses, using the .com domain is the safest bet. Websites with a .com domain extension are trusted and let people know that it’s a commercial business website.
As such, if you want to launch a website for a commercial business, then opt for a .com domain. However, note that these premium domains are generally more expensive than the other options. Still, given the credibility they provide, it’s worth the investment.
Also, if you run a local business and serve only one geography, then country-specific domains, such as.uk, are also acceptable.
10. Picking a Domain Similar to That of a Competitor
When choosing your business name and domain name, it’s important to ensure that you don’t make them similar to that of your competitors.
You may think piggybacking on an established competitor’s name might get you some traction, but it will do more harm than good. Copying a competitor’s name may cause you to lose consumer trust and they may think of your business as fake, distrusting it.
Not just that, if your domain name is too similar to that of a competitor, you may lose traffic to them if someone types your name wrong and lands on their website.
That’s why it’s a big mistake to choose a domain name that matches closely with that of a competitor.
How to Avoid?
When starting a new business, research all potential competitors and ensure that your business name and domain name aren’t similar to theirs.
Check the state and federal business databases to check for name availability and ensure that your chosen business name is unique and not similar to that used by any other business.
11. Using Keyword-Rich Domain Names
Many people use domain names that contain a primary keyword related to the products or services they offer. This is because keywords in domain names are perceived to have an SEO benefit.
That, however, is a mistake because there’s no proof that it has any SEO benefit, and it makes domain names longer.
How to Avoid?
Choose a short, unique, and memorable domain name that represents your brand. You can always optimize your web page URLs with keywords to get an SEO benefit, but your domain name need not be keyword-optimized.
Best Practices for Registering a Domain Name
We’ve already discussed what not to do when choosing a domain name for your business website. In this section, we’ll take you through a couple of best practices or things to do for domain registration.
Follow these to avoid any potential domain-related issues later.
1. Use a Trusted Registrar to Secure a Domain Name
You should buy a domain from a reliable and trusted domain registrar to ensure there are no security or other issues. This will protect your website from fraudulent activities, such as domain name hijacking.
You will also get fair prices when you use a trusted registrar that doesn’t follow unethical pricing tactics. You can, of course, conduct domain name valuation to ensure that.
Reliable domain registrars also offer great customer support and DNS services, ensuring you have support even after you purchase a domain.
BigRock, for instance, offers Domain Protect+, which is a service that secures you from the following security issues.
It also offers 24/7 support, including live chat and phone support options, so you will get quick issue resolution in case of any problems.
2. Reserve Your Domain Name for Longer Periods
When you buy a domain for your business website, it’s a good practice to do so for longer periods. This reduces the risk of your domain being suspended and you losing it if you forget to renew it on time.
It’s also less of a hassle if you don’t have to worry about renewing your domain frequently.
Another great idea is to set up autopay to ensure that your domain is automatically renewed. This ensures that you will not lose it.
BigRock, for instance, offers unbelievably low prices for the first year when you register a domain for three years. This reduces your overall domain costs and you also get services like domain theft protection for free.
The best part is that you may get better prices if you reserve your domain for longer periods, making it the best option for you.
Wrapping Up
When it comes to selecting a domain name, the process involves more than simply choosing a name that aligns with your business.
Avoiding common domain name mistakes is crucial to ensuring your online identity is strong, memorable, and trustworthy. By following best practices, such as avoiding complex or misleading names, checking for trademark issues, and securing the appropriate domain extension, you can lay a solid foundation for your online presence.
If you need a trusted domain registrar to get additional services and competent customer support, then use BigRock to register your domain. With our expertise and advanced technologies, we can help you secure the perfect domain name for your business.
Contact us now!
