Choosing a domain name is one of the most important decisions when starting a blog. Your domain name is your online identity and what people will type in to find your content. A good domain name needs to be short, memorable, easy to spell, and relevant to your niche.
With millions of blogs already online, finding an available domain name that also ticks all the right boxes can be challenging. This article will provide tips and strategies to help you brainstorm and select a domain name for your blog that will stand out and be remembered.
Keep it Short
Shorter domain names are easier to remember and faster to type. Try to keep your domain under 15 characters, with 8-10 characters being ideal. For example, “healthyRecipes.com” is a concise, easy to remember domain name for a food blog.
Extended TLDs like .blog, .site, and .space allow you to have a shorter main name while still being descriptive. For example, “foodBlog.space” is concise at 11 characters.
Stay away from buying a domain name with many dashes or numbers, like “my-awesome-recipes-blog-123.com”, as these are difficult to recall.
Using made up words or abbreviations can help you get a shorter domain name, but avoid being too obscure. For example, “tasteezc.com” uses a made up word but may be confusing to visitors.
Be Memorable
Your domain name should be memorable and stick in your audience’s minds. Some strategies for making it more memorable include:
- Using alliteration – repeating consonant sounds and syllables. For example, “SavvySocialMedia.com”.
- Rhyming words – “twogreenpeas.com” – easy to remember.
- Evocative words – choose words that evoke emotion and imagery about your blog theme. For example, “playfulparenthood.com” for a parenting blog.
- Avoid hard to spell or pronounce names – these will lead to mistakes and frustrations.
You can also base your domain name on your blog title or tagline to reinforce your brand. For example, if your blog is called “Baking Adventures”, get the domain “bakingadventuresblog.com”.
Be Relevant
Your domain should clearly communicate the subject of your blog. Include keywords that relate to your niche in the name so visitors immediately understand what your blog is about.
For example, names like “catcaretips.com” or “travelbloggersdaily.com” are self-explanatory. Generic names like “blog123site.com” fail to tell visitors anything about the content.
Consider adding your main keywords or descriptive terms to a domain name like:
- Your niche or industry – gadgetreviews.com, momhealth.com
- Location or region you cover – midwestgardening.com, canadahomedecor.com
- Type of content – bookreviewsdaily.com
Just be sure not to stuff your domain with too many descriptive terms or keywords, as this looks spammy. Find a balance between brevity and relevance.
Research Availability
Once you’ve brainstormed domain name options, the next step is to thoroughly research availability. Your ideal .com domain name may have already been taken.
Use domain registration sites to search availability of .com, .net, .org options. Consider alternatives like .blog, .site if your ideal is unavailable.
Search for trademarks or existing brands with similar names to avoid conflicts. You don’t want to accidentally use a trademarked term.
Ideally, you can secure a domain name that matches your first choice brand. But you may need to tweak spelling, abbreviate words, or try different TLDs to find an available option. The key is finding a domain closely matching your initial name that aligns with the criteria in this article.
Use Domain Name Generators
If you’re struggling to find an available, relevant domain name, try using an online domain generator tool. These use keywords, suffixes, prefixes and random words to create unique domain name variations.
While you likely won’t find your perfect domain name, generators can help jumpstart your brainstorming and produce possibilities you may not have considered. Look for names that are catchy, descriptive of your blog, and memorable.
Test out generators from services like DomainWheel, Shopify’s Business Name Generator, and Domain Name Generator. Start with your main keyword or blog title for the most relevant results.
Get Feedback on Options
Before registering your domain, get feedback from peers and your target audience on the best options. Ask which name they find catchiest or most memorable.
You can survey friends through social media, run polls on options, or ask for feedback on blog forums related to your niche. Listen to the consensus on which domains would appeal most to visitors.
Getting outside opinions can reveal considerations you may have overlooked. Plus it builds buzz and engages potential readers early on.
Use Your Own Name
If your blog centers around your personal brand, expertise or experiences, using your own name in the domain can be a good option.
For example, “janegreer.com” is an easy to remember domain based on your name. This builds authority and helps visitors connect you with your content.
Just be sure your name is reasonably short and simple to spell. Avoid complex last names or hyphenations that may trip people up.
You can pair your name with niche terms to make it more distinctive – for example “johnthereviewer.com” or “marysfoodblog.com”.
Add Local Appeal
If you’re blogging about news, events, businesses or issues in a specific local area, city or region, adding location identifiers to your domain can help attract local readers.
For example, SyracuseNews.com, HoustonFoodBlogger.com, CarolinaGardeningTips.com use location names to engage nearby audiences.
Local domains work especially well with service businesses like restaurants, shops, realtors and more who want to rank high in local search results. Target nearby customers with geo-specific domain names.
Just don’t stuff your domain with unnecessary location details. Stick to your country code abbreviation or major city names.
Use Your Brand Name
If you already have an established brand, product line or company, incorporating this into your domain can boost visibility. Visitors already know your brand and will recognize it in the name.
For example, Apple uses Apple.com, Lego uses Lego.com. Your brand name is likely already short, catchy and memorable.
Just be sure you have proper trademark rights if using a brand name in your domain. Check that no competitors own similar branded domains.
Pair your brand name with niche descriptors like your product category or location to make it more unique. For example, SeattleCoffeeCo.com.
Add “.blog” to the End
A simple way to create a descriptive, easy to remember blog domain is to add .blog to the end of your main keyword or title. For example:
- FoodieRecipes.blog
- BookReviewsGalore.blog
- ParentingTipsAndTricks.blog
This quickly tells visitors “this is a blog about food recipes” or “this is a blog about book reviews”. The .blog extension reinforces that the site will have blog content.
Just be wary of going overboard on long keywords in your domain. Try to keep it under 20 characters. And check availability – .blog is a common extension now.
Use a Domain Hack
Domain “hacks” substitute words, letters or numbers for symbols to spell something pronounceable. For example:
- pett.ee – pet tee
- deli.ci.ous – delicious
- blo.gs – blogs
This allows you to get creative and spell short blog names even when .com versions are taken. Just be sure your domain hack is easy to decipher at a glance.
Avoid obscure domain hacks with complicated characters or all numbers like 3142.jij which are confusing. Stick to simple letter substitutions and short hacks.
Buy a Premium Domain
If budget allows, consider purchasing a “premium domain” – a short, generic, catchy domain name like Books.com. These are in high demand.
Premium domains can be expensive but come with great brand recognition. Visitors instantly understand what the site is about while being easy to remember.
Use domain marketplaces like Sedo, Afternic or GoDaddy Auctions to find premium domains for sale in your niche. Be prepared to make offers in the thousands.
For a newer blog with less traffic, a premium domain may not be worth the high pricetag. But for established sites bringing in revenue, investing in a catchy domain can pay off long-term.
Avoid Numbers and Hyphens
In general, domains with numbers and hyphens are harder to remember. For example:
- myblog2023.com
- my-blog-site.com
Readers won’t know if 2023 is a year, random number, or has other meaning. And hyphens break up word recognition.
Exceptions are domains like 123MainStreet.com for a local business address which is logical.
For blogs, try to avoid numbers and hyphens in the domain name. Opt for full words like MyBlogWebsite.com instead of my-blog-123.com. Easier recall.
Be Consistent Across Channels
After purchasing your domain name, be sure to consistently use it on all platforms – your website, business cards, email, social media profiles, etc.
Uniformity in your domain name across channels helps reinforce it for visitors and search engines. People will start to automatically associate it with your brand.
Don’t use different domains like myblog.net on Twitter but mykillerrecipes.com on your site. This causes confusion and dilutes branding. Keep it consistent.
Claim matching social media handles when available. Set up branded email like hello@savvysocialmedia.com. Every touchpoint helps memorability.
Conclusion
Choosing the perfect domain name for a new blog can seem challenging, but following criteria like brevity, memorability, descriptiveness and availability will lead to great options. Spend time brainstorming keywords and word combinations that capture your blog’s theme before researching availability.
Adding elements like alliteration, rhymes, evocative words, your name, location, or brand name can make your domain stand out. Be consistent across channels and get feedback from objective sources. The ideal domain name effectively communicates your blog niche while being catchy and easy to remember. This will pay dividends in building your brand and audience.
With strategic planning and research, you can craft a winning blog domain name that visitors will find and recall. A memorable domain boosts traffic, engagement, and subscriber growth. Use these tips to find a domain name perfect for your blog’s brand and niche.