You have put some thought into naming your business. But, have you given any thought about your domain name? Basically, it pays off to put some thoughts into selecting a domain name. Below is the list of tips you could possibly use to select an appropriate domain name. However, it may be impossible to consider all the criteria I present below. In the end, I will tell where to you register your domain if you clueless about the process. So, here we go.

Just so we're straight:
• Domain = mycompanyname.com
• URL = https://mycompanyname.com

Alright here we go...

1. Go with .com
Most of the time internet users assume .com when browsing. Having a .net, .info, .tv or any other extension puts another potential roadblock in the process of finding you. Having said that, there are plenty of successful sites that use a .net extension (or something else), but a .com is ideal. If your business is localized in Australia, going with .au can be a better deal.

2. Short and sweet
The shorter the better. It is always a good idea to find a short alternative to your company if it's too confusing. Enough said.

3. Easy to say and spell
The goal is for your domain name to be passed along easily by you and by others. This is more likely to happen if people don't have to stop and think about how to say or spell it. Do not include words that are commonly misspelled or tricky to spell.

4. No hyphens
It's not very smooth or punchy to specify a hyphen. Example: "Hi, my name is Jane and my domain is fly hyphen fishing dot com."

5. Use keywords
Have you read my post What is SEO? Your domain is one of the best places to use a keyword or two. And the more compact and closer to the beginning of your domain, the better. For example, if "fly fishing" is your keyword, FlyFishingAdventures.com is better than AdventuresInFlyFishing.com.

6. Consider using your name
I highly recommend registering your name as a domain even if you have no plans to do anything with it. Why? Because you never know if you just might become a household name in the future. And then you'll be glad you have it.
If you plan on using your blog to sell a service you provide or if you hope to speak or become a published writer, your name might be perfect.
If you have a really difficult name to say or spell, consider using your first and middle, or a nickname, or make up a new name altogether (yes, people really do that).

7. Make it expandable
You never know how your business might expand, so avoid names that box you in. Example: FlyFishing Lures.com is nice, but what if you decide to sell fishing poles later? I also recommend avoiding life-stage-specific names like AllAboutMyWildAnd CrazyToddlers.com. It's good now, but they're toddler years will be over so fast!

8. Avoid strings of words
If you have a wide range of interests and you also want to incorporate keywords in your domain, you might be tempted to string them all together. I recommend against this simply because it's confusing. Example: Lures Rods LinesPoles.com is a recipe for major confusion when a visitor is trying to remember the correct order.

9. Avoid obscure terms
If you are trying to appeal to a wide audience, avoid using niche-specific terms in your domain that someone outside your niche would be unfamiliar with.

10. But all the good names are taken!
Be creative. It's very possible (and in many cases probable) you'll come up with the perfect domain only to find it's already taken when you try to register it. Don't be afraid to go back to the drawing board. Try looking up similar words in the thesaurus. Ask others for ideas. Mix words up or around. Use a tagline, a nickname or a phrase you say all the time.

11. Make sure the name is available on other social media sites
When picking your domain, check other social media sites to make sure it's available on those sites too. If you use the same name on your blog and on Twitter, Facebook, etc., it solidifies your brand and makes it more memorable. My favorite tool to check your name across all networks at once is Namechk. Another tool is called knowem? but as of this writing, they don't check Instagram for you which these days, is a must.

12. Don't overthink it
I hear from a lot of people who get stuck at this point because they're afraid of making the wrong choice. The most common problem is that they can't find an available .com. If this is you, just make your best guess and move on. A not-quite-perfect domain name is better than no domain name at all. Just do your best and own it! Alright, you've convinced me. How do I register a domain?
Well, you have some choices:
1. If you want a website, follow the instructions in this post and your domain will be baked right in.
2. If you are confused, talk to one of your reps to find a perfect domain for you.