Our tips for choosing the best domain name

Choosing a domain name is a key stage for all web projects. Here are some tips to help you find the best domain name for your website.

What is a domain name?

The domain name is a website's address. It is made up of a name and an extension.

www.infomaniak.com

Subdomain

Last name

Extension

.COM .CH .FR? How to choose your domain name extension?

Here are two criteria that need to be taken into account when choosing your domain extension:

The coherence between the domain name, its extension, and your site content

A non-governmental organisation or an association, for example, will more often opt for extensions such as .ORG, .NGO, while a recruitment or accounting firm will be more likely to choose an extension such as .CONSULTING or .ACCOUNTANTS.

Your target audience or market

The .FLOWERS domain extension would, for example, be ideal for a florist while a .CH domain would be of interest to a SME whose clients are only in Switzerland.

The generic extensions (TLD)

Universally recognised, generic extensions are very popular and offer an international dimension. These include:

Initially, these extensions were linked to areas of activity or to topics. Now, their popularty makes them essential and they are open to more types of content. They are routine and it is actually common to complete the name of a business with .COM to go to its website. As a result, if you register a .CH domain and the .COM is free, we recommend that you register it in order to protect your brand and your name online. The aim is to prevent a third-party site from attracting, intentionally or otherwise, internet users who think they are visiting your site or would like to do so.

Extensions by country (ccTLD)

If you target the inhabitants of one country in particular, the choice of a national primary level domain extension is certainly indicated, as is the regional level. For example, you can choose the extension:

By region

.de

For Germany

.ch

For Switzerland

.fr

For France

By culture

.cymru

For Wales

.cat

For Catalonia

.vlaanderen

For Flanders

If you are targeting several countries at once, it is possible to choose a domain extension of first national level for each of the target countries, which will allow you to enhance the local aspect of your activities.

New generic extensions (New gTLD)

The new generic extensions offer an unprecedented chance to land the perfect domain name. They’re a unique opportunity to align your domain name (.archi, .fitness, .tattoo, .photography, .expert, etc.) more precisely with your role or activity.

.world

.club

.shop

.cloud

.agency

.top

.immo

.art

.online

.tech

.store

.email

.website

.link

.one

.bio

.xyz

.space

.company

.photos

.digital

autres

These new extensions allow you to enhance your positioning and to gain relevance while distinguishing yourself from others. Given their growing success, we recommend that you reserve the extensions which match your activity as soon as possible in order to protect your brand and your name.

The key to choosing the right extensions

Choose the extension based on the target audience in order to generate as many followers as possible.

Once the principal extension is found, register the extensions necessary for protecting your brand and your name. Ask yourself whether you want to find your competitors with your domain name on other extensions (for example yourdomain.net, yourdomain.co, yourdomain.com.co or yourdomain.cc). If the answer is no: reserve these extensions.

Browse the web to gain an overview of the competition and thus find a unique position so that you stand out from the crowd.

Be successful abroad sooner and reserve the extensions for the countries where you are planning to offer your services or products. Don't wait for significant growth to reserve different domain name or extension variants. Keep them in reserve ;)

Three tips to find your domain name

Easy to write and to say

A name that is too complicated leads to confusion and complicates searches for your website. In contrast, a name that is easy to write facilitates memorisation and word of mouth.

Easily remembered and intuitive

Make it easier to memorise and assimilate your domain name by giving priority to the meaning. You can do this by encouraging your activity to be deduced from your company name, with a generic extension or with the extension of the country your target would logically expect.

Like the name of your company, your domain will be easy to remember and intuitive thanks to a clever combination of keywords or worlds which will help you memorise it. If you make delicious pizzas, you could choose 'delipizza’ for example.

At Infomaniak, we are passionate about information technology. That is why we decided to express it in our name!

Use strategic keywords

Use keywords to specify what you are doing, refocus or expand your audience. For example, you can mention a geographical area next to your name to define your catchment area or, on the contrary, use a generic name to aim at a wider audience.

Include a keyword which is likely to respond to internet user queries in search engines in order to generate visits by people who are really interested in your services or what you are offering.

It’s time to transfer your domain name to Infomaniak

Included with every domain name

Show all extensions

1 Web page

1 email address

DNSSEC protection

Unlimited aliases and redirections

What should I do if the domain I want is already taken?

Adapt it to your business activity

Take the time to reflect on a less general and more striking domain name which is likely to better serve your objectives and to bring you closer to your audience. This reflection will lead to interesting results and will contribute to the enhancement of your brand image.

Use a less generic extension

Imagine your domain name with another extension. A new extension is probably well suited to your project. These new extensions offer considerable scope for expression by facilitating meaningful 'name-extension' combinations and smart hooks to stand out from the competition.

Take over the domain name

Finally, it is possible to take over a domain. To do this, find the contact information of the owner or the registrar of the domain using the Infomaniak Whois tool in order to negotiate the takeover.

The case of premium domain names

Deemed domains with high added value, these domain names are sold on the market by registers which have blocked them beforehand.

Registries are free to set the price of the domains they own. As these domains are often very strategic, competition to own them can be fierce and the price can be very high.

Case of cybersquatting

It is possible that the domain name of the brand you represent was registered by a third party for profit (page full of advertising, page aimed at promoting the sale of the domain name in question, illegal internet storefront forging the brand identity, or an owner did not want to get rid of the domain name without even using it).

Infomaniak is a Swiss registrar accredited by ICANN and the main registers

Reserving your domain name

The domain name registration tool from Infomaniak allows you to immediately check the price and availability of a domain name.

Once you’ve found your domain and its extensions, order them quickly before someone else gets hold of them! Generally speaking, waiting is not always a good idea. While you’re reading this, hundreds or even thousands of individuals, companies (and “domainers”) are busy registering domains. Desirable domains don’t remain available for long, so you’re advised to secure yours as soon as possible.