How To Choose A Domain Name For Your Personal Website

How do I choose my own domain name?

I remember when I was trying to decide a name for my business. I considered using my own name, but it didn’t feel right for the kind of business that I wanted to build.

So in the end, I decided that I was going to choose a business name (with a corresponding domain name), that had to fit these requirements:

• Short and easy to remember.
• Easy to type (some people from your audience may remember your website domain and type it directly, instead of searching for it on search engines).
• A name with a message, or that referred to the kind of community that I wanted to build. (This isn’t necessary, but in my opinion, it may lead to catchy names. Play with this option and see what you come up with.)
• A .com extension, for two reasons: many people assume that a website extension is generally .com, and it’s also my personal preference (but you can choose whatever you want. It’s your choice).
• Unpopular opinion: A name that would allow me to expand my business, and even pivot if I wanted to. Some people may tell you to include mostly SEO keywords (that is, words that people type when they search information on search engines). That feels limiting for me. Again, this is my opinion. You do you. If you want to add mostly keywords in your domain name, do it.

I never intended to have a gazillion websites (honestly, I don’t know how others do it, but they have all my respect). Behind the scenes, it’s just me designing this website, writing these blog posts, creating digital products for my shop, writing emails for my subscribers, and ahem, having a life outside of my laptop.

My intention was always to have only two websites: this one, and one for fiction writing (that I haven’t built yet, LOL).

So when I decided the name of my business, Soulful Girls, I focused on the message, the community, and the possibilities of expansion.

After all, this website started as a brand photography website. Then I rebranded my website, called it Soulful Girls Studio, and pivoted to offering styled stock images. Then Canva templates. Then Flodesk templates. And recently, printables. All of this with the same domain name.

More recommendations for choosing your domain name:

• Once you find a couple of possible domain names, search for them on search engines. You may find that some of them are already taken (and maybe they fall under the same business category, or they are trademarked). In that case, think of other possible names.
• Some names may be trademarked. You can search your country’s trademark database, or the world trademark database.
• Make sure that the handles are available on social media.

Is it necessary to buy a domain name?

If you want your website to be found easily on search engines, look more professional, and be recognized as a personal brand, then you should buy a domain name.

Also, if you intend to get a professional email address for your business, you need a domain name. In that way, you’ll be able to get an email address like this: “hello@yourwebsite.com”, instead of using a free email address.

Important: If you plan to manage your own email list, getting a professional email is a must to avoid having your emails in the SPAM folder of your subscribers.

Can I use my name as a domain?

Yes, you can! For example, if you’re a writer, an author, or a professional, you’ll probably want to get a domain name with your own name.

Now, this isn’t a must: if you don’t feel comfortable using your name as a domain name, then you can select another name. It’s up to you. It’s your own business, and you can run it however you like.

For example, if you’re an independent author, you can choose a domain name for your own “publishing house” (after all, you’re your own publisher) instead of getting a domain with your own name.

If that’s the case, you can use your website’s about page to guide the people who search for your name on search engines. For example, you can write your full name on the title and description of your about page. So you could have a title like this: “About Full Name | Website Name”.

Examples:

“About Jacqueline Garcia | Starlight Publishing”.

“About Vanessa Briggs | Ethereal House”.

How do I find a catchy domain name?

Namecheap is a domain name registrar that has a domain name generator. You can use this generator to play with different name combinations for your website, and find a catchy domain name.