How to Choose a Domain Name: 9 Rules for a Name That Ranks and Sells
Your domain name is the one part of your website you can’t change later without pain. Change it after a year and you have to move every page and redirect every link, and you can lose rankings while Google catches up. So before you buy anything, here’s how to choose a domain name using the nine rules I follow for every site I launch.
A good domain name is short, easy to say and spell, has no hyphens or numbers, ends in .com (or your country’s extension, like .co.za, for a local site), is brandable rather than an exact keyword, and leaves room for the site to grow. Before you buy, check it isn’t a trademark, check its history and grab the matching social handles.
- Pick a brandable name over an exact-match keyword domain. Google’s 2012 exact-match domain update stopped keyword domains getting a free ride.
- Short and sayable beats clever. If you have to spell it out over the phone, it’s too hard.
- Skip hyphens and numbers. People forget them and type the competitor’s version instead.
- Use .com for a global site and .co.za (or your own country’s extension) for a local one.
- Check every name for trademarks and a dodgy past using the Wayback Machine and a backlink checker before you pay.
- You can have Claude brainstorm 50 names in a minute, then check which ones are still free.
Why your domain name matters more than you think
Your domain name matters because it’s your brand, your address and the first thing people judge in the search results, all at once. A clear, trustworthy name gets more clicks than a messy one sitting in the same position.
It also matters because it’s sticky. You’ll print it on business cards, put it in your social bios, get backlinks pointing at it and build email lists around it. Every month that passes makes it more expensive to change. I’ve moved sites between domains before and it is never as clean as the tutorials promise.
The good news: you’ve already done the hard part. If you’ve worked through the first four lessons, you have a niche with real search demand, and the niche is what decides the name. Now you just need a name that fits it and doesn’t box you in.
The 9 rules for choosing a domain name
These are the rules I run every domain name idea through. A name doesn’t need to be perfect on all nine, but if it fails more than one or two, keep looking.
1. Go brandable, not exact-match
A brandable name sounds like a business; an exact-match name is just your keyword with .com on the end (think bestcheapfloorlamps.com). In the early 2010s, exact-match domains ranked almost by default. In September 2012 Google rolled out its exact-match domain (EMD) update to stop low-quality sites ranking just because their name matched the search. Today a keyword in the domain is a tiny signal at best, and a brandable name is easier to trust, remember and link to.
2. Keep it short
Short names are easier to remember, type and fit on a logo. I aim for two words and roughly 6 to 15 characters. There’s no magic cut-off, but if you’re going past three words, the name is probably trying to do too much.
3. Make it easy to say and spell
Use the radio test: say the name out loud to a friend and ask them to type it. If they get it wrong, so will your visitors. Avoid odd spellings (“kwik” for “quick”), double letters where two words meet (“seoonline”) and words with several common spellings.
4. No hyphens or numbers
Hyphens and numbers make people ask, “Was that with a dash? Was it 4 or four?” Some of those people end up on someone else’s site. Hyphenated domains also tend to look spammy in the search results. If the clean version of your name is taken, pick a different name rather than adding a dash.
5. Use .com first, or your country’s extension for a local site
.com is still the extension people trust and type by default, so it’s my first choice for any site aimed at a global or US audience. If your site is for South Africans only, a .co.za is a strong signal that you’re local and is often what people here expect. If you’re building for a South African audience and want a .co.za, I register mine through 1-Grid, a South African domain registrar, where a .co.za costs R109 a year. Newer extensions like .online or .ai can work when they fit the brand, but you’ll have to work a little harder to make the name memorable.
6. Leave room to grow
Don’t name your site after one product or one year. “bestairfryer2026.com” is dead the moment you want to review blenders, or the moment 2027 arrives. Name the topic or the audience, not the single thing you’re writing about this month. A good test: could this name still work if the site were five times bigger?
7. Stay clear of trademarks
Never put someone else’s brand in your domain, like “canvatips.com” or “shopifyexperts.co.za”. Brand owners can and do file disputes to take those names, and affiliate programs often ban trademark domains in their terms. Search the trademark database for your country before you buy (the USPTO in the US, CIPC in South Africa) and do a plain Google search for the name too.
8. Check the domain’s history
A domain you’ve never heard of may still have a past. If it was used for spam, adult content or a link scheme, it can carry that baggage into your new site. Checking takes five minutes and I cover exactly how further down.
9. Grab the matching social handles
Before you buy, check that the name is free (or close to free) on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, X and LinkedIn. You’ll need those accounts in the promotion module of this course, and it looks far more professional when every profile matches your domain.
| Rule | Good example | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Brandable over exact-match | ranktoearn.com | bestaffiliatemarketingcourse.com |
| Short | tradepeek.com | theultimatetradingfirmreviewsite.com |
| Easy to say and spell | dailybudget.com | daylibudjit.com |
| No hyphens or numbers | budgetgear.com | budget-gear-4u.com |
| Room to grow | kitchenkit.com | bestairfryer2026.com |
| No trademarks | designbasics.com | canvatips.com |
The “good” examples other than ranktoearn.com are made-up illustrations of the pattern, not names I’m suggesting you buy. Many will already be taken.
Brandable vs keyword domains: three examples
A brandable domain is a name people remember; a keyword domain describes the topic. The sweet spot for most new sites is a brandable name with a hint of the topic in it. Here’s how three names land on that scale: my own ranktoearn.com and two made-up examples.
ranktoearn.com
Fully brandable. It doesn’t contain a search term anyone types, but it tells you the promise: rank on Google, earn from it. It works on YouTube, TikTok and a course name too.
tradepeek.com (example)
Brandable with a topic hint. “Trade” points at the topic, “peek” signals an inside look and reviews. Short, sayable and it can grow into any trading topic.
yogateacher.online (example)
Closer to a keyword domain, on a newer extension. It describes exactly who the site is for, and .online fits a site about teaching online. The trade-off is that people may default to typing .com.
| Brandable domain | Keyword (exact-match) domain | |
|---|---|---|
| Memorable | Yes, it sounds like a business | Often blends in with competitors |
| Room to grow | Lots | Locked to one keyword |
| SEO boost from the name | None directly | Very small since 2012 |
| Availability | Easier to find a free .com | Good ones are usually gone |
| My pick for a new site | Brandable, with a topic hint if you can manage it | |
If you’re going after a newer niche, like the AI and SaaS sub-niches I suggested earlier in the course, this matters even more. Those topics move fast, and a name like “chatgptpromptsguide.com” can age badly when the tools change. Something broader around the audience lasts longer. I talk about building in AI niches in how South Africans are making money with AI.
How to check a domain’s history before you buy
To check a domain’s history, look it up on the Wayback Machine to see what used to be on it, then run it through a backlink checker to see who links to it. If either shows spam, adult content, casinos or foreign-language pages unrelated to your niche, pick another name.
- Open the Wayback Machine and paste in the domain. If there are no snapshots, the name was probably never used, which is what you want for a brand-new name.
- Click through a few old snapshots from different years. You’re looking for anything you wouldn’t want your brand tied to: pills, gambling, adult sites or pages of spun text.
- Run the domain through Ahrefs’ free backlink checker. A fresh name should show zero or almost no backlinks. If it shows hundreds of links from unrelated or foreign-language sites, someone used it for spam.
- Search Google for
site:yourname.com. If old pages are still indexed, read them. If nothing comes up, that’s normal for an unused name.
A domain with a clean history and good links can be an asset rather than a risk. I’ve bought aged sites and domains and grown them, which I cover in how I run websites like a business and on my buying websites page. For your first site, though, a fresh brandable name is simpler and safer.
Domain name ideas: a Claude prompt to generate 50 names
The fastest way to get good domain name ideas is to give Claude your niche, audience and rules, and ask it for a long list grouped by style. You’ll throw most of them away, but you only need one. Copy this prompt into Claude and fill in the brackets.
Some tips to get better results from it:
- Ask for another 50 in the style of the names you liked. The second round is usually stronger.
- Read your shortlist out loud. Claude can’t hear how a name sounds, but you can.
- Check the top 10 for availability in one go (next section), then run the survivors through the history and trademark checks.
Prefer a tool? A domain name generator does a similar job, but it can’t follow your niche, audience and rules the way a prompt can. I use Claude for the ideas and the registrar’s search for the reality check.
How to check if your domain name is available
Type your shortlisted names into a registrar’s domain search and it’ll tell you instantly which ones are free and what they cost. I use Hostinger’s domain search, because it’s where I’ll buy the domain and hosting anyway. Hostinger says it adds free WHOIS privacy protection on supported extensions, which hides your personal details from the public domain records.
If your first choice is taken, don’t reach for a hyphen or a weird extension. Go back to your Claude list and try the next name. If the .com is taken but the .net or .co is free, check whether the .com is an active business in your niche. If it is, move on, because you’ll be fighting them for your own brand name forever.
Don’t buy just yet if you’re planning to use WordPress. In the next lesson I’ll show you how to buy a domain name properly, including how to get your domain free for the first year with an annual hosting plan, so you don’t pay twice. If you want to read ahead, my WordPress setup guide walks through the full setup.
- Run the Claude prompt above with your niche and get 50 domain name ideas.
- Shortlist your best 5 and say each one out loud to someone else.
- Check those 5 for availability on Hostinger (or 1-Grid for a .co.za), then check the free ones on the Wayback Machine and Ahrefs’ backlink checker.
- Check the matching social handles, pick your winner and write it down. You’ll buy it in lesson 6.
Once your domain’s sorted, this is where most people stall. Two ways to keep moving:
The One-Pager Strategy
- Build and launch a single monetised page with AI in days, not months
- Low effort: one focused page instead of a 50-post content plan
- Runs alongside your job, no big budget needed
The Full System
- Full video course on running websites as a real business
- A dedicated course ebook to follow along with
- Private student group: share wins, ask advice and collaborate with other students
- Mentorship from me, and you can reach out whenever you’re stuck
- Regular updates in the group on what’s changing in SEO and AI
Compare everything on the courses page.
Buy your domain the right way, and get it free for a year with annual hosting.
Previous← SEO tool free trialsSummary: how to choose a domain name
To choose a domain name, start from your niche and brainstorm brandable names, ideally with a hint of the topic. Keep it short, easy to say and spell, and free of hyphens, numbers and other companies’ trademarks. Use .com for a global site or your country’s extension for a local one, and make sure the name leaves room for the site to grow. Before you buy, check its history on the Wayback Machine and a backlink checker, confirm it’s available, and claim the matching social handles.
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- Meanwhile, carry on to lesson 6 and buy your domain.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose a good domain name?
Start from your niche and brainstorm brandable names with a hint of the topic. Keep the name short, easy to say and spell, and free of hyphens, numbers and trademarks. Use .com for a global site or your country’s extension for a local one, check the domain’s history, and make sure the matching social handles are free.
What makes a good domain name?
A good domain name is short, memorable and easy to spell after hearing it once. It sounds like a brand rather than a string of keywords, uses a trusted extension like .com, has no hyphens or numbers, and is broad enough for the site to grow into related topics.
Should my domain name include keywords?
It doesn’t need to. Since Google’s exact-match domain update in 2012, a keyword in the domain gives very little ranking benefit on its own. A brandable name with a small hint of your topic is usually the better choice, because it is easier to remember, trust and grow.
Is .com still the best domain extension?
For a site aimed at a global or US audience, yes. People trust .com and type it by default. For a site aimed only at South Africans, a .co.za works well and signals that you’re local. Newer extensions like .online or .ai can work when they fit the brand.
How long should a domain name be?
As short as you can make it while staying clear and brandable. I aim for one or two words and roughly 6 to 15 characters. There is no strict limit, but names longer than three words are harder to remember and type.
How do I check if a domain was used before?
Look the domain up on the Wayback Machine to see old snapshots of the site, then run it through a free backlink checker like Ahrefs’ to see who links to it. Spam, adult or casino content, or hundreds of unrelated links, are signs to pick another name.
Can I change my domain name later?
Yes, but it’s painful. You have to move the site, set up 301 redirects from every old page, update your social profiles and ask for links to be changed, and rankings can dip while Google processes the move. It’s far easier to choose the right name from the start.
About Eugene Madondo
Eugene is a Cape Town-based SEO specialist and digital entrepreneur who has been earning online since 2012. He has worked in SEO at a tech startup, an agency and in-house tech roles, ran a consulting business, and has generated over $1.4 million from his own affiliate websites since 2020. He teaches website operators through Rank to Earn.
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