Back in the day of early blogging, picking the best domain for your blog wasn’t an issue. For example, for me picking Blondish.net, it wasn’t about keywords, but about branding. However, today, for a lot of website owners or people who are new to having a website, there are a lot of things to consider.
Tips to Pick the Best Domain for Your Blog
There are quite a few things to consider when you pick the best domain for your blog. It isn’t about who you register your domain with, but what your website will be about. Once you know what your site’s focus is, you really need to decide whether you want to have a domain name that focuses on a main keyword, your name, or your brand.
Keyword
Keywords in your domain are really handy in helping you rank It also is a key indicator to your visitors or those who fall upon your site in he search engine on what your site is focused around. If your site is about blogging and your domain has something about “blogging” within it, then people will know that you are probably trying to cultivate a website geared to educating bloggers about blogging.
Don’t always rely on keywords. Some websites that have the keyword in their URL still fail to rank because of poorly written content. Now, poorly written content extends to not having unique and quality content, as compared to the other websites existing in the Internet.
Your Name
If you plan to put your name out there, your name is a good start. I even have NileFlores.com because I am a public speaker. I am also a published poet (which is not very common knowledge.) If you want people to know you, then it’s quite fine to choose a domain with your name in it. It’s not conceited… it’s just saying who the domain is with.
Frankly, it’s probably best that if you choose to have your own name as your domain name, that you will need to make sure when you have your website created, that you mention: who you are, why your site matters, and what you offer… otherwise people won’t care.
Your Brand
Branding is a favorite of mine to talk about. As I said earlier, I also have NileFlores.com aside from Blondish.net. I registered Blondish.net way back in early 2006. It’s because I’m blonde and I am fun. Now, for some, that may mean a negative connotation because of “dumb blonde jokes”, but I’m extremely smart. It’s not bragging… it’s the truth, especially when people want to test me.
In branding and choosing a domain name, you need to find a medium of what suits you. Whether it’s a catchy name, something in regards to yourself, a color, a place, or even an idea, once you choose the name… you really have to stick to it. Tell people somewhere why you chose the domain.
For example, Yoast.com is pronounced like Toast, with a Y, because the CEO and founder of that website, Joost de Valk’s name kinda sounds like “Yoast.” He’s stuck with that brand and it works excellently. For me, even though I dye my hair golden blonde, I’m a dark blonde, and yes, sometimes I’m silly and fun, but Blondish worked for me. People will often ask me at WordCamps – “Oh, you’re Blondish? or “You’re or Nile?”
The point of branding… to make you remember.
More tips
With there being millions of websites already existing out there, it’s sometimes hard to pick the best domain for your blog. That’s quite alright. You might have to consider some alternative choices like a combination of similar phrases closest to your first choice in a domain, using hyphens, or even choosing a domain name that reflects you the best, much like the branding section in this article.
It’s alright to use hyphenated domains, but remember, in Google, only so many characters of the domain URL are seen, so you want to make sure that the content you create, and the URL itself will show as much as possible.
It’s important to also be as unique as possible. While using keywords in your domain is great, you still can rank well when you brand yourself and have… once again… unique and quality content that can’t be found ANYWHERE else online.
How have you picked your domain for your blog? Any tools? Any tips?
very interesting blog and nice it so thanks for sharing.
I think about starting a blog. so this blog is very informative for me and help me to choosing the domain..
In the past, I chose domains based on keywords and/or branding. But then I switched directions and had to change everything. I went with my name so that I won’t have to start from scratch again . . . not that I’m changing directions again, but if I do, it’s all good :).
Thanks for the tips Nile!
Unfortunately (or maybe) I was fortunate (just depending) on how you look at it, but by the time
I came online and started trying to market, my first and last name were already taken.
Of course I might still be able to get some hyphenated version of I add something in front or back of
last etc.
I simply decided not to pursue that particular course of act.
Besides, as you pointed out, as long I put out fresh helpful content for my particular niche, it really doesn’t matter so much what my particular domain name is.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Nile!
Selecting Domain name is a task. First, is because you can never get the domain name of your choice. Let’s say you get the name of your choice, chances are low that you will also find the social media profiles/Twitter handle of that name. So, rather than choosing conventional name, go for branding. Choose a name, which has no literal meaning and brand it. Very much like ‘Blondish’ or ‘Beebom’.
Amazing post, btw! Keep them coming.
Regards
Devinder
I honestly had a hard time deciding what domain name I wanted to use and ended up settling for using my name precisely because I am my own brand if you will… moving forward I have ideas for information products that I think I will most definitively be buying a domain name specifically for them… and yes… that is oftentimes one of the most difficult parts…buying a domain name that is available and matches the name of your business, product, or service.
When I started blogging for business, it was with a mentoring group where we were taught always to brand ourselves, and therefore use our own name. My full name is too long — 17 letters and 7 syllables — so I opted for my first initial and my last name. I regretted that decision almost from day 1, but I didn’t want to scrap everything and start all over.
Well, now I am back to my pre-business days, wanting to have a blog that reflects me as a writer. I’ve finally got my full name as my blog URL, and now I have only to develop it as an actual functioning blog that has more to offer than just a few of my short stories and essays.
I’ve thought long and hard about a different domain name, which would reflect what kind of writing I’ll be doing. But that, as everything else in my life right now, it seems, is in transition. So I am glad I opted for my full name, under which I will be published.
Thanks for the article Nile. Nicely compiled one. I generally select domains after doing a small amount of keyword research using the google tool. Usually I settle with a high or medium competition keyword with more than 4k search. Still, that depends on the geo location that I plan to target.
It’s really helpful if we use main keywords of our desired blog into the domain name as it helps to rank those keywords in search engine. Though I am not very interested to put my name in domain. By the way thanks for sharing nice article
Hello Nile,
Thanks for this nice piece.
I agree with all your points. And for keywords in domain name, this is helpful. Although Google has said Exact Match Domain (EMD) won’t work for sites with low quality content, it still works well for sites with valuable content.
Nile,
I can relate to finding the proper name for our blog. That was the hardest item in getting myself online noticeable. Something, I felt that would be easy, was not.
Most people will not give it a thought. Yet, preparing and working through various names that match your brand you are in agreement with. That is vital to your whole purpose.
Thank you for making us relive these hard starting times.
Nile, just wanted to revisit this article.
I have worked with beginners and love it. We take a whole week or more on this on area. This is the first business they are getting involved in. I love it!
Their focus is finding something that matches who they are and what they want to help others with as a service. Not selling someone’s items. They understand their name must be their identity for the rest of their lives.
I just wanted to share this with your readers. It is important to take this first step with a focused mind. Once you choose there is not going back. It will follow you. I believe we only have our names and that is who we want others to remember us by. So, knowing we are actually the products. Choose wisely.
Thank you Nile, for giving us a chance to brainstorm with you.
Thanks for the tips. I only have one blog and I choose my full name as my domain. I have been online for 2 years and most of training videos I watched says to build your brand around your name and that’s what I did
Choosing a domain name can be a difficult task especially when you are just starting online. But thank you for the great tips, very helpful.
Hey Nile, I prefer to keep my domains all about branding. Since keywords are no longer helpful in the domain names.
Hello Nile.
Great tips! This is one subject I’ve grappled with over the years! Most of the domain names I have chosen are based on key words. My current site, Well Gal, is all about wellness and my experiences with holistic health modalities, so I hope the name evokes that.
I have also considered getting a domain with my name in it. I think it’s a good idea to do so even if it’s not used immediately….Hmm. I need to check to see if it’s available!
Karen
Hello, It’s really useful if we use our main keyword in our website domain. This will will us in ranking our posts, also helps our site in branding purposes. By the way thanks for sharing nice article, keep publishing such useful stuff.