Millions of domain names have already been registered in the Netherlands. Coming up with a new domain name can therefore be difficult. Of course, you want to come up with a relevant and catchy domain name. In addition, it is also important that this name is still free. To help you with this, here are information and tips for coming up with a strong domain name.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is actually the address of a website. With a domain name you can indicate the address of your website in an easy way. A domain name is always unique. This means that no two identical domain names can exist. You will see the domain name of your website in the URL. For your own website you can come up with a domain name yourself, as long as it is still ‘free’ and complies with the rules.
There are a number of rules that you have to take into account. The domain name can contain letters, numbers, and a dash, but no other characters. The domain name must also be at least 2 characters long and a maximum of 60 characters. When these rules have been observed, you can come up with a domain name yourself.
What is a strong domain name?
Choosing a strong domain name is very important. It is the name of the web address of your website. This makes it immediately a kind of business card. You therefore want to come up with a strong and catchy name that people can remember well. Ensure that visitors can immediately recognize your company, brand or website by the domain name.
What is a strong domain name? There are a number of unwritten rules that you can take into account when coming up with a domain name. For example, it is important that a domain name is not too long. This makes it harder for visitors to remember. When a domain name is easy to remember, visitors will return to it faster.
In addition, do not use the hyphen too often. The hyphen can be very useful because there should be no spaces in the domain name. With the hyphen you make it clear that the domain name, for example, consists of two words. However, only use the hyphen once, otherwise it will become cluttered. Also make sure that the name is clear to read when you use two words. Otherwise, the domain name may be misinterpreted.
How do you come up with a strong domain name?
Coming up with a strong domain name can still be quite difficult. There are many options to choose from.
Choose a brand name
When you have a business or organization, you can use that name as a domain name. Many companies also do this. This is also very useful for visitors because they only have to type in the brand name. They do not have to remember an extra domain name. In this way, the brand name is also consistent with the domain name.
Using a brand name as a domain name can be tricky when the brand name is an existing word. There is then a good chance that the domain name is already in use. You can then choose to still process the brand name in the domain name. For example, you can come up with a variation on the brand name or add a word to it. When the brand name is a non-existent word, there is a greater chance that the domain name is still free.
Own name as domain name
It is also possible to use your own name as a domain name. This is very useful if, for example, you have your own company or work as a freelancer. In this way, visitors to the site immediately see who the site belongs to. A personal name as a domain name is also often used for personal websites or blogs.
Domain extension type
It’s also important to think about the type of domain extension. In the Netherlands, most people choose a .nl domain extension. However, it is also possible to choose .com or .net. When you launch a website that is intended for another country, you can also use the extension of that country.
Choose a brand-oriented or generic domain name?
Is it better to choose a branded domain name or a generic domain name? With a brand-oriented name, you create the brand name in the domain name. This ensures more consistency. Visitors immediately know that this website belongs to a certain brand. When you have a catchy brand name, visitors will also remember the domain name faster and easier. If you have a clear brand identity and also want to convey it, it is best to opt for a brand-oriented domain name.
With a generic domain name, no names of brands or persons are mentioned. The domain name then describes the content on the website. In this way, visitors know exactly what the website is intended for and what they can do there. For example, if you have a business where you sell cheap shoes, you could opt for goedkopeschoenen.nl. Visitors then immediately know what can be found on the website. In addition, the website will then be quickly found in search engines because people often look up terms such as ‘cheap shoes’.
Domain name tips
To choose the best domain name, a few useful tips will be mentioned here.
- Choose a domain name in which the product is clearly present. When you choose a descriptive or generic domain name, you immediately want to make clear what your product or service is. You want your specialties to come out as clearly as possible here. Therefore, do not choose a domain name that is too broad, but make it more specific. For example, the domain name schoenen.nl is very broad and does not say much about your company. Therefore, choose something more specific such as goedkopeschoenenoutlet.nl.
- Choose a domain name with a combination of nouns and verbs. This means, for example: schoenenkopen.nl or vakantieboeken.nl. This makes it immediately clear what the purpose of the website is and what the visitor can do on the website. In addition, many people in search engines will also use the combination of a noun with a verb. This way, your website will come up sooner.
- Choose a domain name with a combination of brand name and description. If your brand is not yet well known, visitors will not yet know exactly what it means. Then you can choose to combine the brand name with a description, product or service. For example, when you offer holidays, you can choose brand name + holidays.
- Choose a domain name with numbers. More and more brand names nowadays use numbers. For example, you can use 2 for ‘to’ and 4 for ‘for’. By using numbers, you immediately create a unique brand name. It’s also a good way to make a multi-word domain name clearer.
Where to choose a free domain name
When you have chosen a strong domain name, you first want to check whether it is still available. You can check this with different types of hosting websites. You can register the domain name here. You will therefore need a hosting package to really launch the website. You can do this, for example, with handy hosting websites such as Savvii. When this is arranged, you are the owner of the domain name!
If you want to move your current WordPress website to another hosting, we can help you with that as well. Read it in our blog ‘ WordPress website moving to other hosting‘.
