Hi friends!
In this week’s blog post we are going to talk about domain names and how to come up with a catchy domain name. As most of you already know, domain names are used to identify one or more IP addresses. For instance, android.com, wiktionary.org, microsoft.com, etc.,
When it comes to choosing the best type of domain, having a personal domain name can be a great choice. Even if you still haven't decided on a domain name, there are different reasons to use your actual name. Firstly, you can redirect visitors very easily. For example, from JoshWillson.com to JoshWillsonPhotography.com. Secondly, it’s an excellent way to “brand yourself”.
What if my name is already taken?
Your name can be already taken. So you could try using a different extension or add some initials to your name. Think outside the box and be original.
Make your Domain Name easy to remember
Keep your Domain name short and simple. Even if you get about 63 characters, no one is going to remember something that long. According to me, you should try to avoid complex things that could be misspelled. Just choose a simpler domain.
Avoid Using Hyphens and Numbers
Don’t try to use complex or double characters in there, and also try to avoid having hyphens. They can be a big problem because if you do start introducing hyphens, people are just going to put them in the wrong places and that will lead to misspelling your domain and losing visitors.
As an example, let’s say you found the perfect domain name but unfortunately it is already taken. The domain is christy.translationsjobs.com and you decide to use chiristy-translationjobs.com. My advice is not to do this as it results in leading visitors to your competitors' websites. They can put the hyphens in the wrong place and end up on another website.
The same goes for numbers. It's harder to remember and share a domain name that has a space or a number. When someone hears one of these domains it's hard to know if a hyphen is required and if the numbers are numeric or not.
Avoid Domains that violate Copyrights or Trademarks
Make sure that you’re not violating any copyrights or trademarks. There is no point in doing so as in the best-case scenario, you are just going to waste your money. And in the worst case, you are going to be sued.
Which domain extension should I use?
As many of you probably know, a domain extension is the combination of characters following the period in a web address. For example, in Yclas.com, .com is the domain extension and it indicates that the website is for commerce use. Here is a list of the 3 most common domain extensions to consider using.
.com
.net
.org
The .com extension is the most popular. Numerous CEO enterprises claim that the .com extension can result in better search rankings. When it comes to backlinking, a domain with .com carries much more authority than one with an unknown extension.
According to many, your business should default to the .com when possible. At the same time, if the .com domain name is unavailable and you also intend to do most of your marketing online, a .net domain name is also a good choice. You should consider using a .net domain in case Google and other search engines have blacklisted the .com domain name. The .net domain extension is mainly used by Internet providers and is targeting networking and technology-based business. In addition, since the .org extension isn’t as popular as the .com, many domain names are still available.
The .org extension was created to represent not-profit-making institutions. This extension is a popular choice among online communities, non-governmental organizations, nonprofits, etc.,
Choosing an Extension in 2026: What Google and the Registry Actually Say
Many people still believe that a .com ranks better or that some extensions get "blacklisted" by search engines. Google's own documentation says otherwise, and this changes how you should choose.
The extension barely affects ranking. Google's SEO Starter Guide says the TLD (the ending such as .com or .guru) only matters if you target users in a specific country, and even then it is usually a low-impact signal. The same guide says keywords in the domain name alone have hardly any effect on ranking beyond appearing in breadcrumbs. A name like best-cheap-used-cars-classifieds.com does not help SEO. It only makes your brand harder to remember.
Country-code domains are the exception. Google's guide to multi-regional sites explains that ccTLDs such as .de or .co.uk are a strong signal that a site is meant for one country. A generic TLD (.com, .org, .net and the newer endings) has to show its target country in other ways. For a classified site that serves a single country, a local ccTLD is often the better choice: it tells both buyers and Google where you operate.
.com is still the default, and it costs more each year. According to Verisign's quarterly report filed with the SEC (July 23, 2026), there were 179.1 million .com and .net registrations at June 30, 2026. That is 5.1% more than a year earlier, with 12.7 million new registrations in the second quarter alone. Good short .com names are therefore scarce. The same filing shows that the .com wholesale fee rose from $9.59 to $10.26 on September 1, 2024, and will rise to $10.97 on November 1, 2026. Verisign's agreement allows increases of up to 7% a year in four of every six years, and registrars pass them on to buyers. Budget for this when you register for several years.
| Your situation | Sensible choice |
|---|---|
| Marketplace for one country | That country's ccTLD (for example .co.uk, .de, .com.au), plus the .com if it is available |
| International or not tied to a country | .com first, then a short .net, .co or relevant new gTLD |
| Community or non-profit exchange | .org works well and is still widely available |
| Exact name taken in .com | Change the brand name slightly rather than adding hyphens or numbers |
Quick checklist before you buy: say the name out loud once and check that someone can type it without asking how it is spelled. Search national trademark databases for the name. Check the renewal price, not just the first-year promotion. Register the name in your own account at the registrar, so you control it if you ever change providers. If you build your marketplace on Yclas, every paid plan lets you connect your own domain with SSL included.
How to create an SEO-friendly domain?
When you register a domain name with a large number of keywords in it or with particular keywords in it, for SEO purposes. If you want to create an SEO-friendly domain, you have to come up with a short and simple name. It doesn’t hurt if you use broad keywords when sensible. As I already mentioned, try to avoid hyphens and numbers. It would be great if you choose a pronounceable domain name.
Remember! WWW.
Your domain name does not have the WWW. That is a subdomain. If you buy yourdomain.com that’s the name of your domain name. www.yourdomain.com it’s a subdomain and it’s not a good practice to add unneeded WWW. Please redirect www.yourdomain.com to yourdomain.com just in case someone types www you do not lose the customer.
