Key facts
- Short, sayable and spellable beats clever
- Avoid hyphens, numbers and ambiguous spellings
- Check the name against registered companies and trade marks
- UK businesses usually take .co.uk and .uk together
- The extension alone doesn't make a site rank better
- Search and register at clients.dijitul.uk
The phone test
Say your proposed domain to someone over the phone and ask them to type it. If they ask "is that with a hyphen?" or "how do you spell that?", it will cost you visitors and emails. A good domain survives being said once, aloud, with no explanation.
- Short: fewer characters, fewer typos.
- No hyphens: people forget them.
- No numbers: "4" or "four"?
- No doubled letters at word joins if you can help it.
Try the test with two or three people, ideally ones who don't already know the business name. Their first attempt at spelling it is what your customers will type.
Read it run together
Domains have no spaces, so words run into each other. Write the name out in lower case and read it as a stranger would. Some perfectly innocent business names form unfortunate words when joined. If yours does, try a different word order or add a word.
Capitals can help on printed material, but domains aren't case-sensitive and most people type in lower case, so judge the lower-case version.
Match the business, not a keyword
Your domain becomes your email address and appears on everything you print. Using your business name builds recognition. Stuffing in a keyword, such as a town and a trade, makes a long address that's hard to remember and offers little search benefit on its own. The extension doesn't make you rank better either; your content does.
Think about email too. You'll type name@yourdomain into forms and say it over the phone many times a week. A long or awkward domain gets tiring quickly and leads to mistyped addresses and lost replies.
Which extension?
For a business trading mainly in the UK, register the .co.uk and the matching .uk, use one and redirect the other. Add the .com if you sell abroad or your name is distinctive enough to protect. Charities and clubs often prefer .org.uk. Compare the options in .uk vs .com and multiple domains for one business.
If your first choice is taken in .co.uk but free in .uk, think carefully before using the .uk alone. Customers may type .co.uk out of habit and land on someone else's site.
Check it's clear to use
Before you commit, check that the name doesn't clash with an existing company in the same field or a registered trade mark, and look at whether the matching social media handles are free. Owning a domain doesn't give you rights to a name someone else already trades under. If in doubt, take advice before printing anything.
Also check how the name looks on a small screen and in a logo. A name that works on a phone, an invoice and a van is a name you can keep for decades.
How dijitul helps
Search for your shortlist in the dijitul client portal, which shows availability and live prices across extensions. Register it in your business's name. If your site will be on dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT, one registration a year is included on common extensions. Our guide to registering a UK domain covers the steps.
Have a second and third choice ready in case your favourite is taken, and register quickly once you decide.
How it works and what it costs
Domains are priced live in the client portal. DNS management and 10 mailboxes are included with dijihost Complete Hosting at £1 a day + VAT. On their own, DNS and email set-up is £45 an hour + VAT or a fixed quote.
Tell us what you have
Your domains, who they are registered with, where your DNS and email live today, and what you want to change.
Plan the change
We list every DNS record and mailbox first, so nothing is forgotten, and agree a time to switch.
Make the switch
Transfers, nameserver changes, DNS records and mailbox moves, done carefully with low TTLs and a rollback plan.
Check it works
We test the website, email delivery, SPF, DKIM and DMARC from the outside before calling it done.
Look after it
Renewals, records and email stay looked after, and you can call a person when something changes.
Frequently asked questions
What makes a good business domain name?
A good domain is short, easy to say aloud and easy to spell, with no hyphens or numbers. It usually matches your business name, so it works as your email address and on printed materials. Test it by saying it to someone over the phone.
Should I put keywords in my domain name?
Not usually. A keyword domain is often long and forgettable, and the domain alone gives little search benefit. Use your business name and earn rankings with good content. Keywords belong on your pages, not crammed into the address.
Is a hyphen in a domain name bad?
It is a nuisance rather than a disaster. People forget hyphens when typing and you have to explain them every time you say the address. If the unhyphenated version is taken, consider a different name before settling for a hyphen.
Does owning a domain give me rights to the name?
No. Registering a domain gives you the use of that address, not rights to the name itself. If another business already trades under it, or holds a trade mark, you could face a dispute. Check before you commit.
Which extension should I choose?
For a UK business, start with .co.uk and the matching .uk, using one as the main address. Add .com if you sell abroad. Charities and clubs often prefer .org.uk. Check availability and prices in the dijitul client portal.
Related
Find and register your domain
Live prices, registration and renewals in the dijitul client portal. Or call us and we will do it for you.