Build a Website that Sells Your Service Online So You Can Transform Lives, and Create Impact
Updated March, 2024.
Choosing and buying the domain name for your service business is one of the first steps to take when starting your online journey. It’s a pretty straightforward step, but somehow there’s enough to say about it to fill a page. 😶
The domain name for your business website is tied to your brand name. When possible, use your brand name as your domain name. Not possible? We’ll figure it out, keep reading.
Once you know what domain you’d like to use for your business, buy it, even if you’re not yet ready to set up your website or start working on your online presence.
Should you get the domain name for your business if you’re not yet ready to set up your website?
Yes, yes you should. Here’s why. Here are 3 reasons you should buy your domain name even if you're not ready to launch your website just yet:
1. Guaranties that you have it when you need it - By claiming your domain early on, you protect your business name and brand identity from being snatched up by someone else. This simple act can save you headaches and potential legal battles in the future.
2. You can use the domain name for your professional email - getting your domain name early allows you to start using it for email correspondence. Yes, you'll have to pay for your professional email provider (like Google Workplace), but it'll add credibility for your brand when communicating with potential customers and peers and when sharing your email address at networking events and referrals.
3. It's cheap and simple - getting your domain name costs around $15 a year. So, why not?
Another reason to get your domain name early: you can get a very simple website almost right away
TBH, you can set up a Google Site on your brand new domain name in less than an hour. Yeah, it won’t be perfect and it won’t do much, but it’s a start and it’ll get you on the right side of the Google anti spam lords.
What Should Your Domain Name Be?
Your business domain name needs to reflect your brand. If possible, make it the same as your brand name which may be the same as your full name or not.
Many online service businesses, especially those of solopreneurs, are personal brands that use their solopreneur’s name as their brand name.
Others choose a made up brand name. Some use a unique, catchy brand name that they are known by. Some use a brand name that will allow them to introduce a partner or sell the business in the future. Some pick a brand name to improve their SEO. Some want to make their business sound like a bigger company. Some choose a made up brand name because their full name is too common (which will make finding them online difficult) or because it’s difficult to pronounce or spell 👀.
No matter what you picked as your brand name, the priority is to use the same for your domain name. By the way, we’re talking about the domain name for your entire brand, later on you may buy more domain names for specific offers (events, courses, books, etc.).
When won’t you use your brand name as the domain name? One obvious situation where you’d use a domain name that’s different from your brand name is when your brand name dot com is not available. Other situations include brand names that are too common, too long, too difficult to spell, etc.
Checking Availability and Legal Considerations
Of course, so you can buy a domain, it has to be available (for a reasonable price). So, when picking a domain it’s best to use a tool that can help you check as you brainstorm ideas.
My favorite tool for checking domain availability is the search page on Instant Domains (at instantdomains.com/search). I’ve been using it for years, it’s free, and is super simple to use. It searches for domains as you type and you can type in the words separately (which helps in avoiding typos). This tool also shows you what domain extensions are available, as well as suggestions for alternatives related domain names.
Since I don’t buy my domains through Instant Domains (which connects to GoDaddy), I make sure not to click on domain names that come up in the search results, as it puts them under temporary hold. If you want to buy your domain through GoDaddy, then it’s not an issue for you.
When you search for available domains you may encounter domain names that are available for purchase but are priced higher than the standard $15ish a year. I normally consider these unavailable, but it’s totally up to you if it’s worth the price (could be thousands of dollars).
Also, there might be legal issues to consider. It’s important to consider potentially trademarked words or phrases within your chosen domain name. For example, you can’t use the word WordPress in your domain name. Consult with a legal professional specializing in intellectual property law to learn more.
Do I Need a .com Domain Or Can I Get Another Extension?
Your main consideration is how your domain extension will be perceived by potential clients and peers and how it aligns with your branding strategy.
The traditional .com extension is still the default choice for most service businesses. It’s what most people expect. So, if you're not using a .com, it might seem less familiar or credible to some folks.
Also, because most people assume a website ends in .com, if yours doesn't, there's a chance they'll forget your actual extension and end up somewhere else. Though we don’t often type in URLs these days.
There's some debate about SEO search engine optimization implications to using non dot com extensions (SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization). Generally, .com domains might have a slight edge in SEO. It's not a huge deal though.
However, if you’re outside of the US, geographical domain extensions such as .us or .uk can help target specific audiences in those regions, while also adding credibility and localized appeal to your website.
If you can’t get the .com of your brand and you don’t want to get creative with it (see ideas below), these are my two favorite alternatives:
1) .net: It's been around for a while and is pretty well-recognized. Good for tech or online services.
2) .co: It's becoming more popular, seen as a contemporary alternative to .com. Good for startups and modern businesses.
Other extensions can work too. I’d avoid the .org domain as it’s intended for and is normally used by nonprofit organizations so it can be misleading, confusing, and it may seem unprofessional.
What To Do If the Domain Name You Want Is Not Available?
OK. You searched for your ideal domain name and found that it’s already taken. Now what? Don't worry, it’s not a dead end!
Here are some ways to craft a unique and memorable domain name that will resonate with your audience and with the services you offer. For the purpose of this exercise, let's use the base brand name of Inigo Montoya.
If InigoMontoya.com is taken, we can try these for Inigo's brand.
Alternatives for Domain Names
These suggestions are designed to spark your creativity and help you find a domain name that's not only available but also aligns perfectly with your personal and professional brand identity. Below are examples of prefixes and suffixes that you can use. Click here to download a printable version of these lists.
More Domain Variations: 21 Creative Prefix Ideas
1. The: TheInigoMontoya.com - Classic and definitive.
2. My: MyInigoMontoya.com - Personal and engaging.
3. Get: GetInigoMontoya.com - Action-oriented and direct.
4. Meet: MeetInigoMontoya.com - Suggests personal interaction.
5. Ask: AskInigoMontoya.com - Great for experts and consultants.
6. Discover: DiscoverInigoMontoya.com - For explorative and educational services.
7. Go: GoInigoMontoya.com - Energetic and motivating.
8. Hello: HelloInigoMontoya.com - Welcoming and friendly.
9. Join: JoinInigoMontoya.com - Community-focused and inviting.
10. LearnWith: LearnWithInigoMontoya.com - Educational and informative.
11. TalkTo: TalkToInigoMontoya.com - Direct and engaging.
12. WorkWith: WorkWithInigoMontoya.com - Collaborative and professional.
13. Explore: ExploreInigoMontoya.com - For discovery and adventure.
14. Live: LiveInigoMontoya.com - Vivid and lifestyle-oriented.
15. Trust: TrustInigoMontoya.com - Confidence-inspiring and reliable.
16. PlanWith: PlanWithInigoMontoya.com - Strategic and thoughtful.
17. GrowWith: GrowWithInigoMontoya.com - Developmental and nurturing.
18. Think: ThinkInigoMontoya.com - Intellectual and reflective.
19. CreateWith: CreateWithInigoMontoya.com - Creative and artistic.
20. BuildWith: BuildWithInigoMontoya.com - Constructive and developmental.
21. StartWith: StartWithInigoMontoya.com - Encouraging and initiating.
More Domain Variations: 21 Creative Suffix Ideas
1. Solutions: InigoMontoyaSolutions.com - Problem-solving and practical.
2. Studio: InigoMontoyaStudio.com - Artistic and creative.
3. Works: InigoMontoyaWorks.com - Versatile and productive.
4. Insights: InigoMontoyaInsights.com - Analytical and thoughtful.
5. Advisory: InigoMontoyaAdvisory.com - Expert and consultative.
6. 360: InigoMontoya360.com - Comprehensive and all-encompassing.
7. Hub: InigoMontoyaHub.com - Central and connecting.
8. Network: InigoMontoyaNetwork.com - Community-oriented and expansive.
9. Academy: InigoMontoyaAcademy.com - Educational and developmental.
10. Group: InigoMontoyaGroup.com - Collective and teamwork-focused.
11. Collective: InigoMontoyaCollective.com - Collaborative and united.
12. Partners: InigoMontoyaPartners.com - Professional and cooperative.
13. Experts: InigoMontoyaExperts.com - Authoritative and knowledgeable.
14. Clinic: InigoMontoyaClinic.com - Health-focused and professional.
15. Ventures: InigoMontoyaVentures.com - Entrepreneurial and daring.
16. Concepts: InigoMontoyaConcepts.com - Innovative and original.
17. Insider: InigoMontoyaInsider.com - Exclusive and knowledgeable.
18. Path: InigoMontoyaPath.com - Guiding and directional.
19. Vault: InigoMontoyaVault.com - Secure and resource-rich.
20. Gateway: InigoMontoyaGateway.com - Entry to new experiences.
21. Journey: InigoMontoyaJourney.com - Personal, explorative and transformative.
Download a printable version of these lists
Want to print these lists to brainstorm domain name ideas? Download the PDF. You'll also be added to my email list for service-based solopreneurs. No spam (blugh) and you can unsubscribe anytime.
Some Tips for Picking Your Domain Name
👉 Run an online search for your brand name. If you get many results for brands (or things) with the same name, consider how difficult it’ll be to find your brand name in search results even if your domain was brandname.com. In this case, you can get creative with your domain name. Or, if you’re just starting out and your brand isn’t established yet, you have another option. You can go back to the drawing board and pick a different name for your brand, one that is more unique for online search and that has an available domain.
👉 Keep your domain name simple, memorable, easy to type in, and preferably short. You don’t want to have to explain it every time you mention it in a conversation. Imagine yourself saying it in a podcast or to a client on the phone. Something like “find us at MyBrand.com, that is My Brand dot com” or “download it on my website at FirstLast.com, that is my name, First Last, F-I-R-S-T L-A-S-T dot com.” Whether you need to spell it or not depends on the name. It may seem too much to have to spell out the name, but I think that many times it’s fine, because people have to know your name to do business with you, refer to you, etc. so if that’s how you identify yourself online, you’re going to have to get used to spelling it out.
👉 When deciding between alternatives, consider how you want your audience to perceive your business and what emotions or associations you aim to evoke. You want your domain name to increase credibility and reflect your brand to your clients, audience, and peers. Take into account the target market and demographics you serve as well as your audience's preferences, needs, and aspirations. For instance, if your service business caters to a younger demographic, a trendy or playful domain name may appeal more effectively compared to a formal or traditional one.
👉 When choosing your domain name give some thought (not too much thought) to potential expansion of your brand as well as potential change in scope. While you want to be very specific with your brand positioning, with your domain name you want versatility to allow room for growth into additional services or product lines without restricting your online presence. There are SEO implications for changing your domain name after years in business, not to mention admin implications (think updating print materials, freebies, and more).
👉 If you realize you have to add words to your domain name, then consider incorporating keywords related words which can improve your SEO and make your domain name more intuitive for potential clients.
👉 What shouldn’t you do? Avoid hyphens and numbers as they can be confusing and are often forgotten or mistyped.
👉 What could help? Get feedback - share your top choices with colleagues or your target audience to get their input.
👉 Most importantly - don’t get hung up on this step. If the reason you’re taking so long is that you’re just starting out and haven’t worked on your brand identity yet, pick the domain of your full name or a variation if it’s not available, and move on.
All Set? Here's How To Buy Your Domain.
When you’re ready to buy your domain name, you usually go to a domain registrar like NameCheap or GoDaddy.
I say usually, because sometimes you’ll buy your domain when you’re setting up your website or when setting up your professional email. In these cases, you may choose to buy the domain while setting up the site or email (domain registration may be included in the price of hosting for example).
You can always buy a domain from a domain registrar and connect it later to your professional email service provider or to your website’s hosting provider.
My preferred domain registrar is NameCheap, it’s also my second favorite place to go when searching for a domain. Here too, you can type in full words to see what’s available and get suggestions for available domain extensions and alternative names.
When you buy the domain from NameCheap it comes with free WHOIS Guard which is like a privacy shield for your website's registration info. If it’s not free where you buy your domain, I recommend that you get it even if you have to pay for it.
An Aside: What Is WHOIS Guard & Why You Should Get It
When you register a domain, your personal details like name, email, and address are typically listed in a public directory called WHOIS. WHOIS Guard steps in to keep your personal info private. It replaces your details with the info of a proxy service. So, if someone looks up your domain, they see the proxy's details, not yours.
WHOIS Guard helps keep your personal info private, reduces spam from unsolicited emails and calls, and reduces the risk of identity theft and domain hijacking
And that’s it - you have a domain for your service business - you are ready to go.
Choosing and purchasing a domain for your service business is an important step for your online presence. You need it. As you can see, finding a domain and buying it is usually straightforward, and even if your domain of choice isn’t available, there are many ways around it.
Consider the tips brought here, so you can save yourself some headaches later. And most importantly, get it done and move on. There are so many more important things that you can spend time on to grow your business.
What’s next? Setting up a professional email maybe?
Download a printable version of these lists
Want to print these lists to brainstorm domain name ideas? Download the PDF. You'll also be added to my email list for service-based solopreneurs. No spam (blugh) and you can unsubscribe anytime.
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