How to Choose a Brandable Domain Name

It’s no wonder businesses today find it more and more difficult to discover a brand name and domain they can own. It’s increasingly more difficult with the proliferation of online businesses and online business presence. Being creative with your brand name likely makes it easier to find domain options that aren’t already registered, since most Exact Match Domains (EMDs) and even some unique domains are long-ago captured and buying one from squatters or prior owners can be very expensive.

Brand Names are a Long-Term Investment

Given how long we have to live with a domain registration company or brand name, it’s amazing how little thought most businesses give to them. Most look at a name as a personal choice rather than a brand or marketing strategy, or strictly as a legal necessity. Given the complexities added by consumer psychology, global search competition or confusion, potential legal infringement, unavailable domains, and the need for differentiation, it can be well worth your time to hire someone very familiar with brand and naming strategy to help you not just develop creative options, but help you objectively evaluate them and choose the best option.

What Makes a Domain Brandable?

There are many strategies to brand naming; multiple and differing name forms or types; as well as various ways to critique and evaluate them. It’s a pretty complex process even when the resulting name seems…well, simple. Usually the simpler the name, the more rigorous the process and strategy and the more options were explored.

Six Common Characteristics of Brandable Domains

Relevant. Through either complementary or implied meaning, they relate to your mission, purpose, product or service even if they don’t describe it.

Unique. They are distinctly different from your competition; they are intriguing in some way or express a unique personality.

Memorable. They are easy to remember and recall. (Note this is different than uniqueness.)

Credible. They sound trustworthy and professional, even if very creative and unusual. 

Brief. Ideally, they are short. One or two words are best.

User-friendly. Easy to spell; easy to say; no aural confusion (was that “eight” or “ate?”); no use of numbers as digits, random abbreviations, or inside jargon; obviously reads at a glance as multiple words rather than a letter jumble; non-repeating

Other Good Advice for Choosing Your Brand Name and Domain Combo

1. Your domain name should as closely approximate the main component of your trade name as possible.

2. Think like a customer when choosing your name and domain.

3. Make sure your brandable domain is also available as an official company handle on your primary social media platforms.

4. Look at the competition and learn from it; but then do something different. Ideally, drastically different.

5. If you want to incorporate a keyword in your name and domain, choose the most relevant keyword and work from there.

6. If you choose the keyword route, look for a “narrower,” more targeted keyword, if you can.

7. Stick to the standard domain suffixes

[Source: http://gistbrands.net/brandable-domain-name/]