People use Google to find your company’s website.
So why stress about domain names and extensions?
Because it builds trust, and it changes how people perceive you.
A clean name, related to your brand with a .com extension, is the ultimate goal.
Don’t overthink it. This is how you choose a domain name and extension 👇🏽
Part 1: The actual name
What makes a strong domain name?
- Short, memorable, easy to say + spell
- Should match your brand name (or be close enough)
- Avoid hyphens, numbers, and weird spellings
- If your name is taken, try these hacks: Add verbs (getbrand, usebrand, trybrand)
- Add your niche or product (brandhq, brandapp)
- Add your location (brandnyc, brandil)
Quick tip: Say it out loud. If you wouldn’t tell a friend the URL without needing to spell it, it’s not good enough.
Part 2: The extension (.com or not?)
.com is important for building trust - it’s what people default to.
Some businesses pay 6 figures to get the .com of their domain name (theirbrand.com).
But, when you are starting out, don’t stress over it. Use one of these alternatives:
- .io - popular in tech/SaaS
- .ai - trending in AI startups
- .co - clean, common alternative
- .xyz - cheap and short, but not very credible
- Niche/country related - like .dev, .studio, .il
If you can get the .com, do it. If not, pick the an alternative and upgrade later.
Conclusion
- **Your domain is important, but not urgent.**Don’t let the domain block your website launch.
- Your domain name should be your company’s name, or very similar to it. Pick something clean and simple. The extension can be anything at this point (io, ai, XYZ)
- When you start, great copy, clear messaging, and a useful product matter more.
- As you scale, and when you can afford it, definitely get that .com domain.