Your startup is coming along well. Now, you must come up with a domain name.
That should be easy. After all, a name is merely a name.
Wrong.
Many startups make disastrous mistakes when it comes to domain names for their businesses. Choosing a domain name takes time, thought, and research.
Below are 5 domain name mistakes your startup needs to avoid:
1. They Don’t Think Carefully About the Name
While you want a domain name that captures the essence, personality, and location of your business, avoid being too unique.
Here are some mistakes startups make when concerning the domain name themselves:
A) Choose a hard-to-spell or, say, domain name:
If your domain name is hard to spell or say, then it is hard to remember and explain it in front of someone else.
For example: “otoorhinolaryngologist.com” is not a registered domain but it is hard to spell. However, the length of the domain doesn’t matter here for example “gyzygy.com” is also a hard-to-spell domain name but short.
B) Choose a domain name that includes hyphens, numbers, or abbreviations:
If your business name is more than 1 word you should keep it together without including hyphens, numbers, or abbreviations for example:
- ✅ mydomainname.com
- ❌ my-domain-name.com
If someone wants to search for your brand or business on the internet which consists 2 or more words, they would probably type the whole name together without any hyphens and if you are using hypphens in your domain name you may loose on organic traffic.
Same goes with numbers you should only use numbers when it is part of your brand name or any event name for example:
- ✅ IPL2025.com (Fact around 9 million which includes numers are currently active, and it is extremely popular in China)
- ❌ example4freedomains.com
Untill unless you have built a well recoganized brand, you should not use abbreviations in your domain name let’s understand it from an example:
- ✅ IBM.com
- ❌ IntlClthngStre.com (An abbreviation like “Intl” for “International” and “Clthng” for “Clothing” makes it harder to read and remember.)
C) The domain name isn’t catchy, memorable, or easy to remember:
The 3 traits of a good domain is it should me catchy, memorable, and easy to remember for example.
- ✅ FitFuel.com (Short, simple, and memorable)
- ❌ HealthyNutritionSupplementsForYou.com (Too long and forgettable)
D) The domain doesn’t include a location or keywords:
If your domain name doesn’t include location or keywords, and you are a startup it will be difficult for you initial audience to guess what the business is all about and where you operate from.
Let’s say you opening a local pizza outlet in new york city city then your domain name idley should be.
✅ NYCPizzaHub.com (Indicates location and business type)
❌ TastyHub.com (Vague and lacks a clear niche)
E) Choose a domain name that limits business growth by being too specific:
Don’t be too niche it can restrict your future growth expansion, means if you are a business which provides technical services and you started with smartphone repairing but your plans are to expand your services in the future then you should choose:
- ✅ SmartTechSolutions.com (Flexible enough for multiple tech services)
- ❌ SmartphoneRepairsNYC.com (Limits expansion beyond smartphone repairs and NYC)
F) The domain name doesn’t have any meaning
A domain should communicate something about your business and industry for example:
- ✅ EcoWear.com (Clearly suggests sustainable fashion)
- ❌ Xyloq.com (Has no obvious meaning)
2. They Don’t Get Feedback on The Domain Name
It is easy to come up with a domain name that you like, and that sounds good to you.
Nevertheless, it is important to get feedback from others, including trusted business colleagues, the general public, and potential customers.
There are so many domain name myths, and you may find that your perfect domain name has negative connotations in another language or does not sound pleasant when spoken aloud.
There are a number of sites that can help you brainstorm names, including:
- VisualThesaurus.com: This resource gives visuals around your targeted keywords.
- Shopify Business Name Generator: This resource generates business names and checks the availability of the corresponding business name at the same time.
- NameMesh.com: This source generates business name ideas for startups.
- Naminum.com: With this resource, domain names based on a theme are generated.
3. They Don’t Register Their Domain Names
Many startup owners outsource their internet marketing, web design, and development to outside agencies like DevGraphiq.
While this allows the owner to focus on building his or her business, it can be a disaster if the working relationship between the agency and the startup is severed.
While web development may seem foreign to business owners, they should register the domain name themselves and, therefore, become the sole owner of it.
The owner should also have admin access to the startup’s web properties. This way, when or if a contracted SEO company bails, the owner can retain the ownership and login credentials to the domain name and website.
4. They Let Their Domain Name Expire
Domain names have a finite lifespan. Most domain names last between 1 and 10 years before expiring.
Business owners can purchase a domain and choose how long they want to own it.
It is recommended that they choose a longer ownership period, as an expired domain name can be difficult to recover.
Sometimes, businesses can get busy, and some startups forget to re-register their domain names. While domain name servers give multiple chances and additional time allotments for domain owners to regain their expired domain names, many domain names expire.
Once a domain expires, it becomes available again for others to claim. If a domain name is popular, it will be bought quickly, and it will be nearly impossible for the old owner to get it back from the new owner.
If unsuccessful, the former owner will have to select a new domain name and wait until the new owner decides to sell it.
It is best not to let a domain name expire in the first place to avoid this headache and possibly spending a fortune to re-acquire it.
5. They Don’t Research The Domain Name Prior to Purchase
Just because your ideal domain name is available doesn’t mean you’re good to go.
There could be good reasons it is available. When you select a domain name, you’ll be stuck with it until the end of your contract, which will likely be a couple of years.
Unsuccessful SEO, bad business, and the inevitable need to re-brand and rename the business in the future are all possible outcomes of a domain name with a dark history.
Make sure to consider the following when researching the history of a domain name:
- Check the domain name at www.whois.net
- Check the domain name on social media channels
- Conduct a trademark search using the domain name USPTO.gov.
- Conduct a Secretary of State search on the domain to make sure the name isn’t similar to one that is already registered.
Your domain name is nothing to take seriously. It represents your startup online. It would be best if you were careful about which one you choose.
Your startup will be off to a good start if you avoid these five major domain name mistakes that many entrepreneurs make.
Conclusion
Choosing a domain name for your firm entails more than just picking something catchy; it necessitates consideration and study.
Avoid typical blunders such as using a difficult-to-spell or too-precise name, ignoring comments, or failing to include vital keywords.
Check out our Marketing Tips for New Businesses For more insights on crafting effective marketing strategies for your business or startup.
Always register the domain yourself to maintain control, and don’t let it expire because regaining it can be costly. Investigate the domain’s history to avoid potential branding difficulties. Use tools such as VisualThesaurus to generate ideas.
Your domain symbolizes your company’s online presence, so make an informed decision. Avoiding these pitfalls can help your startup get off to a good, professional start.
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