Whether you are a small business owner or content creator starting a website, finding a good name is a milestone accomplishment. A striking website name could boost brand awareness and marketing efforts. If you need help naming a website, here are practical tips and inspiration to help you get started.
Find a Potential Niche and Grow Demand for Your Business Online
Identifying niche target markets for your website is an excellent exercise to help with the name search. Here are three simple tips to follow.
Top 3 Tips for Finding a Potential Niche for Your Business or Content Website
Tip 1: Follow Your Passion When Brainstorming Names for a Website
First, sharing what you love is the initial critical step to maintaining the long-term success of your business website. This may sound obvious, but the passion and expertise that come through in the content will make your website interesting, unique, and exclusive. It is one of the most significant factors in making your content stand out amongst competitors and converting prospective visitors to customers.
Tip 2: Do Not Blindly Follow the Trend When Starting a Website
Following the trend or going after what makes more money may be tempting, but it can also propel you in the wrong direction. Trending topics that attract the media’s attention may sound lucrative today, but they can fall off the chart tomorrow. Chasing the shiny object leads to a game of constantly catching up with the latest and greatest, which doesn’t always pan out in the long run.
When choosing a niche for your website, always follow what you love and know how to do rather than follow what everyone else is doing. Being the subject matter expert allows you to grow steadily with a clear goal in mind.
Tip 3: Ditch the “Fast-Fashion Mentality” When Starting a Website
“Fast-fashion mentality” is the opposite of “follow your passion” when choosing topics and the right content niche for your online business. The bottom line is that if you don’t live, love, and breathe what your website is about, chances are that the topic of interest is not sustainable for you, much like the fast fashion trend.
When you feel like creating content is an obligation, it reflects in the output over time. Your content can appear disingenuous to the prospective audience and face burnout sooner than you think. Genuine interest motivates content creators and is the best asset to fuel your website’s long-term growth. So, spend time deciding the best niche for your online business.
Top 6 Tips on How to Brainstorm Domain Names for a Website
Now that you have a better idea and direction in naming your business website, follow these tips below to nail down a perfect website name.
#1. Go by the Books When Choosing Website Names
Consider names for a website that represent precisely what your content is about. For example, the best grammar and AI writing assistance tool, Grammarly, is named after what they do best – reviewing writing for grammar, spelling, engagement, clarity, and delivery mistakes.
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#2. Think Outside the Box for a Creative Website Name
Be creative with the business name, but remind visitors of your website’s primary goal. The top personal finance website Nerdwallet talks about everything from the best reward credit cards to how to get your first mortgage.
#3. Keep Options Open When Coming Up with Names for a Website
Have a few backup names in case someone else snatched your brilliant idea.
You can also change the domain extension from the commonly seen “.com” or “.co” to cool ones like those below. Check with a reputable domain service provider such as Google Domains for the availability of alternative domain extensions.
Top 3 Alternative Domain Name Extensions for Websites and Online Businesses
- .ly
- .ai
- .io
#4. Use Business Name Generator Tools to Brainstorm Names for a Website
Try using a business name generator if you feel stuck or need help to wordsmith a compelling website name. Input a few keywords and let AI create unique combinations of words for inspiration. Remember to do your due diligence and avoid infringing on other brands’ trademarks so that you can come up with a unique website name.
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#5. Consider the Brand Image When Starting a Website
A brand is not just a name or a logo. It represents a website’s core value and what it embodies. When defining your website’s brand image, think about the following questions.
4 Questions to Consider When Defining Brand Image
- What is your website’s persona, and what communication style best connects your content with your core audience? Scholarly, analytical, humorous, relatable, casual, etc.
- What is the mission statement and vision statement of your website?
- What message are you trying to convey through your brand?
- What value and purpose do you want to bring forward to your audience?
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#6. Check for Trademarks Before Starting a Website
When you finalize the domain name and are ready to commit, first verify that you are not infringing on any brand’s trademark to protect yourself from legal challenges in the future — research by going to the United States Patent and Trademark Office website.
De-risk early in the process by running through all your domain name ideas in the portal to ensure the name is unique. The last thing you want is to receive a cease and desist order from another brand’s attorney for violating trademark laws.
How to Run a USPTO Trademark Check
Navigate through the following steps on USPTO.gov to run trademark checks. Note that results may show trademarks and patents registered in the US only.
- From the main navigation, click on “Trademarks.”
- Go to “Search Trademarks” under “Application Process.”
- Click on the box “Search Our Trademark Database (TESS).”
- Under “Select a Search Option,” choose “Word and/or Design Mark Search (Free Form).”
- Enter your website or blog’s domain name to check for possible existing registered trademark matches.
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