Choosing a domain name may not seem like a big deal at first glance, and may even seem unimportant to some people, but the truth is that it is far from it. Once you have decided that you would like to have your own blog, one of the first decisions you need to make is what your domain name will be. On the web you can often see a comparison with choosing a name for a child. It is not really that important, but by making a good choice you can still influence the success or failure of your blog to a certain extent.

Given that there are quite a few online platforms where it is possible to set up a blog on a subdomain for free, let us first clarify why this is the wrong approach to take.

• The URL alone will not make your blog look credible and professional, and you will have to work much harder on visibility.
• In all likelihood, you will be limited by the choice and customisation of graphic templates.
• You will have no FTP access, no database access and no access to backups.
• You will not be able to create a domain-specific e-mail box.
• You will find it much harder to rank highly in search engines such as Google and Bing.
• You will never know what will happen to your blog in 1, 5 or maybe 10 years’ time, because the platform that hosts your blog may cease to exist.

What should you consider when choosing a domain name?

When deciding on a domain name to represent your blog, there are a number of factors to consider. If you don’t spend enough time and attention thinking about your choice of domain name, you may soon be looking for a new domain name and then have to move your entire blog to it, create redirects, inform your readers about the new address, etc. You should think carefully beforehand and register a domain from the start that you will be happy with in the long term.

Before registering a domain, ask yourself the following:

• What do you want to achieve with your blog? – Will you present yourself, your knowledge, maybe your experiences? Will you write about your favourite hobby? Will the blog serve as a support site for an existing business website? Will the primary goal of the blog be to serve ads or promote partner products?
• What will be the main topic of your blog? – In fact, the domain name is often linked to the topic that is discussed on the blog.
• What will be your writing style – Will you write in a friendly or professional style? Perhaps news or humour?
• Who will your target audience be? – Will your blog posts be aimed at experts in the field you will be writing about? Will you write mainly for young people? Do you expect your blog to be read mainly by older women?

Answering the above questions will give you a clearer picture of your long-term blog strategy. This will also help you take the first step in choosing the right domain name.

Keywords or building a “brand”?

If you’ve ever read advice online about choosing a domain name, you’ll have seen that there are basically two types of domain names. Those that contain a so-called keyword (or several of them) in their name, and those that want to build brand awareness with their name.

A few years ago, ZA’s opinions were mostly on the side of the former, but in the last few years, due to changes in Google’s search engine algorithm, many things have changed. In fact, the arguments in favour are now much more on the side of domain names that do not include keywords, but are focused on visibility in the medium to long term.

However, both types of domain names still have their advantages and disadvantages:

• Keyword-based domains (example: vegetable-garden.com) – as already mentioned, this used to be a very popular choice, as it was much easier to rank high in Google search and thus reach more visitors. Nowadays, a domain name no longer contributes much to ranking, as Google has recognized that many blog, traditional website or online shop owners have taken advantage of this. However, a domain name that includes keywords can still be a good choice in some cases, as it immediately lets visitors know what the blog is about (example: knitting.com).
• Domain names that build on name recognition or branding (example: husband.com) – these domain names often have a connection to the blog topic, but it is important that they are easy on the ear and easy to remember. If you choose this option and your blog is well visited, you can expect visitors to start coming to your website by typing the domain name directly into the URL bar of their browser, not just via search engines.

When choosing a domain name, think ahead!

Will you be writing about Android apps on your blog? Then androidmaster.com might not be a bad domain for you. But are you sure that’s all you’ll be writing about? But what if, in a year or two, you’re also interested in iOS? In that case, you have three options:

• You stick with androidmaster.com, which won’t look good from a visitor’s point of view.
• Buy another domain, iosmaster.com, and set up an independent blog.
• Register a new domain (e.g. androios.com) where you can easily write about both Android and iOS.

So, when choosing a domain name, think carefully about how things will work in the future. We recommend avoiding domains with names that reflect the times (e.g. blog2015.si), as they will soon be obsolete.

When choosing a domain name, also pay attention to …

When choosing a domain name for your blog in the near future, you should also take into account the factors listed below.

Name length – most TLDs allow you to register a domain with 2 to 63 characters. Visitors will remember your blog’s title much more easily if the domain name is shorter. Visually, shorter domains, for example less than 15 characters, are much more attractive than domains of 20 characters or more. So, if possible, register a short domain name – as a general rule, domains between 3 and 7 characters are best.

Domain extension – you can choose between generic (gTLD) and national (ccTLD) top-level domains. First, you need to ask yourself which country your visitors will be coming from. If you’re going to have a blog in Slovenian, we recommend registering a .si or .com domain, but if you’re going to write in English, a domain with a .com or .net extension is the best choice. .eu TLDs are also becoming increasingly popular, or you can opt for one of the newer domain extensions, especially .me and .guru. It’s also a great idea to register a domain that reflects the theme of your blog, e.g. a .bike top-level domain could be a blog about cycling, or a .dance top-level domain could be a blog about your achievements in the field of dance. Check out other interesting domain extensions!

Hyphen – there is also a lot of debate online about including hyphens or minus signs in a domain name. Especially from a web optimization point of view, as some argue that the dash has a negative impact on ranking, while others argue that this is not the case. We advise you to avoid using a hyphen in your domain name, as it makes the name a bit harder to remember and, above all, it causes communication problems. Just imagine that you are on the air on the radio and you want to inform the public about the web address of your blog.

Numbers – as with dashes in a domain, we advise you to avoid numbers. As there are a large number of low quality or ‘spammy‘ domains on the World Wide Web that include numbers, many web users do not trust such domains. When they see a domain with a number in a web search engine, they prefer not to click on the link at all.

Copyright infringement – before registering a domain, check if the web address you have chosen may contain a trademarked name. If you put your blog on such a domain, you can expect problems in the near or distant future. You may only have to move your blog to another domain, or you may even be fined.

Other people’s opinions – ask a few of your best friends who you know will give you an honest opinion about the domain name you have chosen. You can also come up with several names, and then ask your friends on social media which of these they think is the most suitable. Just make sure one of your ‘friends’ doesn’t steal your idea and register the domain for themselves.

Domain history – check the online archive to see if the domain you have chosen has been registered in the past. If it has had objectionable content, skip it as it probably has a high number of links from sites that Google has long since penalized. Your blog is also likely to be penalized from the outset and not be found in search engines at all. Although there is a tool called Google Search Console (better known as Google Webmaster Tools) where you can tell Google that you are the new owner of a domain, it is probably better to remember your new domain name rather than face any inconvenience.

Registering multiple domains – if you intend to make money from your blog (e.g. by advertising mountain bikes on a cycling blog), we recommend that you register multiple TLDs with the same name. Register .si, .com, .net and .eu TLDs to protect yourself from potential competitors or individuals who may want to make money from your blog in the same way as you do.

A good domain name contributes to long-term success

Choosing a great domain name is definitely the first step that can make your blog more successful, but you should be aware that the content is by far the most important. If you publish interesting posts that your visitors will be happy to read and possibly share on social media, you can be sure that your blog will attract a growing number of visitors. And that’s one of your primary purposes, isn’t it?

Got a great idea for a domain name? See if the domain is still available!