Choosing a domain name for your small business

What makes a good domain name

A good domain is easy to say, easy to spell and easy to remember. Test it out loud: if you have to spell it every time you say it on the phone, keep looking.

• Short enough to type on a phone. Fewer words usually beats a full description.
• No hyphens where you can avoid them. People forget them, and they are awkward to say.
• No numbers that could be spelt out. "4" or "four" causes confusion.
• No doubled letters across word joins. Two words where one ends and the next starts with the same letter are easy to mistype.
• Close to your business name. Customers will try your name first.

Choosing the ending

The ending, or top-level domain, matters more than people expect in Europe.

Your country's ending

If you mainly serve customers in one country, its own ending, such as .nl, .de, .fr or .be, signals that you are local. Many customers trust it and try it first. Some country endings have their own registration rules, so check them.

.eu

A good choice if you serve customers in several EU countries. It is generally available to residents and businesses in the EU and certain other European countries, under the registry's eligibility rules.

.com

Widely recognised everywhere. It suits businesses with international customers, but the best short names are often taken.

Newer endings

Endings such as .shop or .studio can work, but some customers still type .com or their country ending out of habit. If you use one, consider registering your country version too and redirecting it.

Keywords in domains

You do not need your main service or town in your domain to be found on Google. What you write on your pages, your page titles and your Google Business Profile matter far more. A brandable name you can grow into is often better than "cheapplumberrotterdam". If you later add services or move area, a descriptive domain can feel wrong. Our guide on getting found on Google explains what really helps.

Practical checks before you register

1. Search the name to see whether another business already uses something similar, especially in your sector.
2. Check trademark registers if you plan to grow the brand.
3. Check social media handles are available in a matching form.
4. Say it to a friend over the phone and ask them to type it.
5. Look at how it reads in lower case with no spaces. Some word combinations read badly.

Ownership: the part people get wrong

• Register the domain in your business's name, not a designer's or a former employee's.
• Use an email address you will always control as the contact.
• Turn on automatic renewal. Expired domains can be lost to someone else.
• Keep a note of where it is registered and how to log in.

If you already have a domain and an older site, changing platform does not mean changing domain. See how to move a website without losing rankings.

Email on your domain

An email address at your own domain looks more professional than a free webmail address and keeps working if you change provider. Plan your addresses early, for example a general one for enquiries and personal ones for each person.

If the name you want is taken

Do not give up on your brand straight away. Try these alternatives, in roughly this order:

• The same name with a different ending, such as your country ending instead of .com.
• Your name plus your trade, for example adding "bakery" or "garage".
• Your name plus your town, if you only work locally.
• A shorter form of your name that customers already use.

Avoid names that are only one letter different from an established business. Customers will end up at the wrong site, and you may face a dispute.

Your domain, set up for you

Our builder works with your own domain, and the security certificate is handled automatically, so your site loads securely from the start. If you have no domain yet, we register one for you. A real person helps with setup at no extra charge, including connecting a domain you already own. The builder costs €29.95 a month, cancel any month. Start with the builder or read the frequently asked questions.

Frequently asked