Choosing the perfect name for your online business plays a huge part in whether you succeed or fail. If you choose something that means a lot to you but makes no sense to anybody else, or is irrelevant to what you're doing, then nobody will find you online. No visitors means no customers and no money.

Your name should be easy to remember and easy to distinguish from others. Avoid using generic names because they don't create the extra excitement when people read it. Anybody can be called "Tom's Painting Services" or "Gail's Graphics." Don't use place names either, because your business is online and the world is your marketplace.

Don't be too narrow or literal in the name you choose or it'll restrict future trade. Remember that most businesses start small but grow and end up with many different products or services on offer. Keep the name short but still descriptive. Make it easy to remember. Ensure it isn't already registered or you can get into legal trouble down the track and don't try to copy a well known name with only minor changes because many a legal battle has been fought over that as well.

While you're thinking about a domain name, also consider what sort of logo you'll use. Can the name be incorporated into it somehow? Whether its colors or shapes or some sort of character, a logo can be very powerful. One of the world's most well known logos is the "Golden Arches" of McDonalds. 

Have a short list of names that you think will be good and then test them out. Ask friends and family for their opinions. If you belong to any business forums, ask for opinions there too. See whether people have better ideas or if one of your choices seems to be a winner.

Using a search engine, check if any of the possible names appear or if anything appears that is too similar which indicates it may not be a good choice. Remember that once you have a name, you're stuck with it because that's what you'll use on your website, in emails, sales copy, on products maybe, in ebooks, etc. and you don't want people remembering a name for the wrong reasons.

Once you have the best name chosen, register the domain name. A dot com name is the best name to have, but if you want to be thorough, you can also register dot net, dot tv, dot info and whatever other names you like, and have them all pointing to your website. This blocks competitors trying to steal your customers. Choosing the perfect name for your online business is the first vital decision to make. Don't blow it.

Tags: choosing a domain name, domain name for online business, online business, online business domain name, registering a domain

posted by Chris Simpson