Choosing a domain name for your blog is crucial to producing the desired results that will drive traffic to your web page. The wrong domain selection can get you into trouble and cause you much difficulty later on. Most importantly, a right domain name selection may increase your opportunities for getting better Search Engine Results Page (SERP) rankings. Taking time to research and learn the history of your domain will be imperative to your long-term success.
Make sure you adhere to the tips outline below, so you won’t have any regret afterwards.
1. Check Expired Domain names for problems
If you are preparing to buy a domain name, you really need to check domain names for a history of problems before you risk your online business future. Take a look at the Whois database, it will give you some basic information about the owner of the domain and where it is hosted. If the domain name isn’t currently registered you’ll simplify have the option to purchase it.
Tools to check the domain age, History and owned by whom:
- whois.com
- CheckDomain
- moonsy.com/domain_age
Also you can check backlinks of the domain at ahrefs.com to analyse backlinks. If there won’t be any backlinks that might be fresh domain with no penalty .
It’s much better to do your research and avoid used Domain names which have the potential to damage your online business and your brand.
2. Check If Domain is Blacklisted By Google
Most domain available for purchase might have been used before and in some cases, they might have been blacklisted by Google. It is therefore important to do this check before buying domain name.
Tools to check if domain is banned by Google or google adsense:
- bannedcheck.com
- isbanned.com
- iWebTool
3.Copyright And Trademark Check
Choosing a domain name that is same as or quite similar to another well-known trademark, may lead to legal action. And if it’s a big brand, you might face a big penalty or get sued. So it’s always recommended to check for existing Trademarks before choosing a domain name. You can check for trademark availability at the United States Patent and Trademark Office located at USPTO.gov
Tools to check for existing Trademark infringements:-
i) Namecheck
ii) Knowem
To be sure you’re not infringing on anyone’s copyright with your site’s name. You can check for copyright via copyright.gov.
4. Social Network username availability for your Domain name
When it comes to promoting your blog online, Social media is the best cost-effective way to begin creating a brand for yourself. It can generate a lot of traffic to your website. Ideally, it’s always great to have social media usernames to be the same as your domain name.
For example, if you owned the domain “example.com” you could try to see if “example” is available on social networking sites.
Tools to check domain name availability on social networks.
Keep in mind, your domain name is your internet identity, so don’t be in a hurry when choosing a domain name. Adhere to the above tips and you won’t make mistakes choosing the domain name for that your brand, company or blog.