Your domain name is one of the few permanent decisions in business. Social media platforms change, marketing strategies evolve, but your domain stays with you. Choose wisely.
Domain Name Best Practices
- Keep it short: Under 15 characters is ideal. Shorter domains are easier to remember, type, and fit on business cards.
- Make it memorable: Can someone hear it once and remember it? Can they spell it without asking?
- Avoid hyphens and numbers: They create confusion when spoken. "is that dash or no dash?" "is that the number 4 or the word four?"
- Include a keyword if natural: "michiganwebdesign.com" tells visitors and search engines what you do. But do not force it -- brand name domains work just as well.
- Check for trademark conflicts: Search the USPTO trademark database before committing. A trademark conflict can force you to give up the domain.
Domain Registration Tips
- Register for multiple years (shows search engines you are committed)
- Enable auto-renewal (expired domains get snatched by squatters)
- Use domain privacy (prevents your personal info from being public)
- Register common misspellings and redirect them to your main domain
- Keep registrar login credentials in a secure password manager
What to Avoid
- Trademarked terms (legal liability)
- Obscure extensions that customers will not recognize
- Domains that sound like established brands (confusion and legal risk)
- Excessively long domains (hard to type, hard to remember)
Need help choosing or setting up a domain? Contact us.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a domain name cost?
Standard .com domains: $10-$15/year for registration. Premium domains (short, common words): $500-$50,000+. Domain registration is an annual fee. Use a reputable registrar like Namecheap, Google Domains, or Cloudflare Registrar for transparent pricing.
Should I use .com or another extension?
For US businesses, .com is strongly preferred. Customers assume .com by default. If your .com is taken, consider a slight variation rather than switching to .net or .io. Local businesses can also benefit from .us domain extensions.
Can I change my domain name later?
Technically yes, but it is costly. You lose accumulated SEO value, need to redirect all old URLs, must update all marketing materials, and risk confusing customers. Choose carefully the first time -- your domain is a long-term investment.
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