Back to Basics Part 3: Domain Names

A domain name is simply the address of your website – for example, our domain name is www.esterling.co.uk.

You will need to buy a domain name for your new website if you don’t already have one and there are a number of options to consider:

1. Type of domain name. For a UK business, a domain name ending .co.uk is the best option. If you trade worldwide, you may choose a .com name. If you are a charitable organisation you may choose .org and so on.
2. Should I use my company name? A lot of businesses use their company name as their web address, including eSterling. If you have a very long or complicated company name you may want to abbreviate it in some way. Think about how you will use your domain name. If you are going to be mentioning it to customers over the phone, make sure you have one that is easy to understand.
3. What are the other options? Some websites very successfully use their product names or slogans as web addresses. The likes of webuyanycar.com or. diy.com (as used by B&Q) spring to mind. This type of domain name can be easier to remember than a company name and can also help with your SEO (Search Engine Optimisation). For example, if you sell motorboats and you have a domain that contains this ‘motorboats’, you are more likely to get good results for this product in a Google search.

What else should I think about?

• Who is your web site aimed at? Other businesses? Consumers?
• Will you be printing your domain name on stationary or advertising it elsewhere?
• Is your company name too long or too complicated? Or is it already taken?
• Could you use a domain name which relates to one or more of your products or services?

To find a suitable domain name for your website, simply use the eSterling domain checker www.esterling.co.uk/tools/whois

This tool will show you which domains are available to buy. Then simply give us a call to get started.