Choose a domain you can say once and type with letters only. Match the business name, or a short brand you can still use if the offer changes. Prefer .com, or .in when the audience is in India. Pay only after the name is free and it is not someone else's trademark.
How do you test a domain name before you search it?
Say the name once to someone who has not seen it written down. If they can type it, it is short enough. If they ask you to spell it, it is the wrong name. Aim for one to three words, and stay under about fifteen characters when you can.
Use letters only. A hyphen, a number, or the same letter twice is where people mistype the name and land on nothing. If three clean names will not come, use the domain name generator and throw away any result you cannot say.
- Write three names you can say once. Drop any name the other person has to spell.
- Strike names with a hyphen, a number, or a doubled letter.
- Keep the business name, or a brand that still works if you add a second product. A search keyword can sit inside the brand. It should not be the whole name.
- Choose .com for a wide audience, or .in or .co.in when buyers are in India. Leave a city out of the name unless the business will never leave that city.
- Search the favourite. Keep it only if it is free, it is not a trademark, and you can get the social handle.
- Register it for at least a year. The confirmation must show the exact name and the expiry date. That is how you know it worked.
Should the domain be your brand or a keyword?
Use the brand as the default. The brand is the business name, or a short word you can own. A keyword name is words people already type, such as a product plus a place. It explains the offer on day one and boxes you in on year five.
| Brand name | Keyword name | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | The business name, or a short word you can own | Words people already search |
| If the offer changes | The name can stay | The name describes a product you may leave |
| Trademark | Easier when the word is distinctive | Harder when the words are generic |
| Use it as | The name you register and print | A spare that redirects, not the main name |
A keyword is fine as a spare name that redirects to the brand. It is a poor primary name when you may sell a second product or serve more than one city.
Should the ending be .com, .in, or something else?
The ending is the part after the dot. .com is what many people type without thinking. .in and .co.in tell an Indian buyer the business is here. A newer ending, such as .shop or .store, works only when your buyers already expect it.
| Ending | Use it when | Skip it when |
|---|---|---|
| .com | People may type the name from anywhere | The only way to get it is a hyphen or a number |
| .in | The buyers are in India | You need a government name |
| .co.in | You want the India company-style ending | You already own the matching .in and do not need a second bill |
| .shop or .store | Buyers already expect that ending | People will add .com by habit and miss you |
Do not buy a government name. gov.in is a separate namespace with its own rules, and WebJi® does not sell it. If .com is taken, take .in for an India audience. Do not invent a hyphen just to keep .com.
A catalogue of seven domain types is a different question. For this choice, you only need the ending your buyers will actually type.
What do you check before you pay for the name?
Search the exact name on check domain availability. Available means the registry will still sell it. Taken means stop, unless you already control that registration.
Then search the same words as a trademark and as a business already on the web. A risky name copies a trademark, looks like a typo of a known brand, or hides a hyphen or a number. If a live business owns the words, pick another name. A lawsuit is more expensive than a second idea.
Check the social handle you will actually post on. If it is taken, people will confuse the two accounts. For a name that expired and came back, run a whois lookup and read who held it before. A dropped name can carry an old brand.
How do you register the name once it passes?
Register the winner for at least one year on domain registration in India. Read the yearly figure and the renewal on that page before you pay. They are not the same number.
An ending that page does not list is quoted by email at support@webji.services, in Hindi or English, before you pay. Invoices add 18% GST. You order online. WebJi® has been in business since 2005, and the office phone is not a support line.
You know it worked when the confirmation email shows the exact name and the expiry date. Turn on auto-renew only if the order screen offers it. Hosting is a separate product. You can point the name at a host later.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I choose a domain name?
Say it once, keep letters only, and match the business name or a brand you can grow. Prefer .com or .in. Pay only after it is free and it is not a trademark. The confirmation email should show the name and the expiry date.
Should I pick .com or .in?
Pick .com when people outside India may type the name. Pick .in or .co.in when the buyers are in India. If .com is taken, use .in rather than a hyphen. gov.in is not a normal business registration.
How long should a domain name be?
One to three words, and under about fifteen characters when the brand allows it. If the other person has to ask you to spell it, the name is too long.
Is a keyword domain better than a brand name?
No. A keyword explains the offer today and traps you if the product changes. Use the brand as the domain. A keyword name can redirect to the brand. It should not be the name you print.
What if the domain I want is already taken?
Do not add a hyphen, a number, or a misspelling of a known brand. Change a real word, or use .in when the audience is in India and .com is gone. If the words are already a trademark, pick a different name.
Can I buy a domain for one rupee?
No. The first year and the renewal are different bills, and a one-rupee teaser is not a price to trust. Read both figures on the domain registration page before you pay. If that page does not list the ending, the price is quoted by email before you pay.