Online presence
Choosing a Business Name and Domain
Create a professional, memorable identity clients can easily find, spell, and trust.
5 min read
Choose a name that can grow with you
A strong name is easy to say, spell, and remember. It should make sense to the people you serve without limiting you to one neighborhood or service unless that focus is intentional.
- Search your state business-name database
- Search the web and major social platforms for similar names
- Check for trademark conflicts before investing in branding
- Avoid language that implies a government office or legal services
Select a clear domain
Prefer a short domain that closely matches your business name. If the exact name is unavailable, add a useful service or location word instead of extra punctuation or confusing spelling.
- Keep it short enough to say over the phone
- Avoid hyphens and numbers when possible
- Choose a familiar extension such as .com when available
- Turn on automatic renewal and account security
Connect the domain to your website
After purchasing a domain, your website provider will give you DNS records to add at the registrar. DNS updates can take time to spread. Keep the registrar login secure and do not remove unrelated email records.
Use the same business name, logo, phone number, and website address across your website, Google Business Profile, social pages, and printed materials.