With nearly half a billion domains already in use and thousands more being registered daily, the competition for catchy and memorable domain names is exceedingly intensifying. So how can you find a great business domain?
Well, DomainWheel has tried to help by developing a free domain name generator for domain research. The tool taps into existing registries and then uses AI to suggest available business domain names across various Top-Level Domains (TLDs).
It’s worth noting, though, that just like any AI-based engine, the DomainWheel’s output depends on the creativity of the input provided. If you want business domain name suggestions that capture the brand’s essence and leave a lasting impression, we recommend pushing your 💡 brainstorming process beyond conventional boundaries.
In this article, we’ll explore ten innovative strategies you can use to establish and refine your ideas.
📚 Table of contents:
Top 10 business domain hacks
1. Use industry-specific keywords ⌨️
Incorporating industry-specific keywords into your business domain name is a strategic approach to standing out in a crowded digital marketplace. You basically embed terms that are directly associated with your business sector. The result is a domain that offers immediate clarity about your services or products, boosts brand discoverability, and enhances search engine optimization (SEO).
Consider autotrader.co.uk, a leading UK marketplace for new and used cars. The keyword “Autotrader” clearly defines the company’s services and is easily discoverable on Google.
You can identify such industry-specific terms for your domain through thorough keyword research. Consider using tools like Google Keyword Planner to explore the most relevant options.
Focus particularly on keywords that reflect your brand’s core offerings and values.
While at it, avoid the trap of overusing generic keywords, as they could make your domain name bland and unremarkable. Opt for strategic pairings of distinctive and descriptive keywords.
For example, instead of a common term like “tech”, consider more unique options like “TechInsight” or “InnovateTech”.
Also, consider the longevity and adaptability of your selected keywords. They should be broad enough to cover future business expansions while remaining specific and relevant to your core offerings.
🎯 When to use this strategy: Before using DomainWheel. You can then feed the most appropriate keywords into the domain name generator for suggestions on available domains.
2. Regional references 🌏
You could also try weaving in the name of a city, region, or country into your domain to establish a strong connection with that geographical area.
This strategy works especially well for businesses primarily serving local markets or those with a distinct regional identity, as it fosters community connection and increases website visibility in local search results.
That said, we recommend including the geographical reference in a way that complements your business’s core identity. Instead of just adding a city name, use local landmarks, slang, or cultural references that resonate with your audience.
For example, a New York bakery might go for something like “BigAppleBakery.com” – which is an integration of the city’s nickname and the company’s business description. A Silicon Valley tech startup, on the other hand, could choose “ValleyTechInnovations.com”.
On the flip side, a business domain name that is heavily tied to a particular location might limit appeal to a global audience. As such, you should avoid being too geographically specific if you hope to expand your business in the future.
🎯 When to use this strategy: Before your DomainWheel search. Come up with relevant geographical references and the domain name generator will show you the available domains.
3. Abbreviations and acronyms 💡
An abbreviation is a shortened form of a word or phrase, while an acronym is formed from the initial letters of a compound expression. These techniques can shorten lengthy business names into snappier, easily recognizable web addresses.
When selecting abbreviations or acronyms, you ought to prioritize relevance and recognizability. The resulting short forms should intuitively link to your brand, allowing customers to easily associate it with your business.
Take IBM.com as an example, which is short for International Business Machines. The three-letter acronym has grown to become the most widely recognizable representation of the company’s brand.
HM.com is another prominent example – whose brand name stands for “Hennes & Mauritz”, a multi-national fashion company.
When brainstorming such business domain ideas, keep in mind that some abbreviations can be ambiguous or convey unintended meanings. So, to avoid any misunderstandings, you might want to conduct market research beforehand, and maybe use online tools to gauge the perception of your potential abbreviations.
🎯 When to use this strategy: Before your DomainWheel search. Find suitable abbreviations and the free domain name generator will point out the available domains.
4. Portmanteaus and neologisms ⌛
By merging concepts in a way that resonates with the audience, portmanteaus and neologisms allow for the creation of business domain names that are unique yet familiar. A portmanteau blends parts of two or more words to create a new term, while a neologism introduces a completely new word or phrase.
Consider, for instance, Netflix.com. By fusing “internet” and “flicks”, the domain name aptly describes the company’s online streaming service.
The same principle was applied to Pinterest.com, which merges “pin” and “interest” to convey the website’s concept of pinning interesting items.
To achieve the same, experiment with words related to your business’ core ideas or values. Here are a couple of suggestions I got from the Portmanteaur tool after entering the words “Coffee”, “Bakery”, “Brew”, and “Roast”.
Seek seamless blends that convey your message, and are easy to understand and pronounce. Complex terms might otherwise be counterproductive, as they can be difficult for customers to remember or search for.
🎯 When to use this strategy: During your DomainWheel search. Enter two or more words that represent your business and the underlying AI engine will combine them contextually.
5. Rhymes and alliteration 🦆
Rhymes use repeating sounds, typically at the end of words, to create a musical effect. Alliteration, on the other hand, is the repetition of sounds or letters at the beginning of adjacent words. Both of these linguistic techniques tap into the natural human affinity for patterns and rhythms. Therefore, if you use these concepts, it will make your business domain name more catchy, and thus, more memorable.
For rhymes, focus on finding words that end with similar sounds and are relevant to your business. For example, “Paws and Claws” would be a melodic yet descriptive domain name for a pet store.
When it comes to alliteration, look for words that start with the same sound and combine them logically. A bakery may, for instance, settle for “Bread and Butter” or something of the sort.
“Coca-Cola” and “PayPal” are two of the many globally recognized companies that have used that same approach to create rhythmic and memorable domains. “Dunkin’ Donuts” is another, boasting a melodic brand name that is catchy and descriptive.
🎯 When to use this strategy: During your DomainWheel search. Enter any term and then explore the rhymes and alliterations suggested by the system.
6. Intentional misspellings 🔠
This is where you alter the spelling of common words to form a domain name that is both distinctive and engaging. Such intentional misspellings are great at capturing attention and piquing interest.
The trick is to be inventive while ensuring that the domain name remains recognizable and easy to remember. You can achieve that by following these basic strategies:
- Subtle alterations: Opt for minor changes that retain the essence of the original word. The misspelling should be intuitive enough for the audience to link it back to the familiar word it represents.
- Brand relevance: Select misspellings related to your business or industry. The connection should be clear, so the domain name resonates with your target audience and accurately reflects brand identity.
- Phonetic consistency: Retain the original word’s phonetic sound. This helps in retaining the word’s recognizability while adding a creative flair.
If the misspelling is overly obscure or strays too far from the original word, it might confuse your audience or make it harder for them to recall.
A good reference here would be Flickr.com, a photo-sharing website that uses a misspelling of “flicker” to create a unique business domain name that is still phonetically similar to the original word.
You could also borrow ideas from Lyft.com, a ride-sharing service that offers a creative take on the word “lift”.
🎯 When to use this strategy: Before your DomainWheel search. You can come up with your own misspellings to feed into the domain name generator.
7. Double entendres ⚙️
Double entendres infuse wit and creativity into your online identity. You get to create the domain from a word or phrase that has two interpretations, one of which is often humorous or suggestive. When used effectively, such double entendres can make visitors smile or think twice, thus increasing the likelihood of the domain name sticking in their minds.
To generate ideas, consider your business’s key aspects and how they might lend themselves to playful interpretations.
Look for words or phrases related to your industry that have multiple meanings or can be interpreted in a fun, light-hearted way. Your double entendre should also be clear to the intended audience, but subtle enough to maintain professionalism and brand integrity.
For instance, with a business domain name like “Grape Expectations”, a wine retailer would cleverly play on the title of the famous novel while also hinting at their product quality. Similarly, a gardening blog titled Thyme to Garden has used a pun to create a catchy and thematic domain name. Another example is eyewear stores registered under domains like “Clearly” or “SunStop”.
🎯 When to use this strategy: Before your DomainWheel search. Come up with playful descriptions of your business and the domain name generator will reveal the combinations available for registration.
8. Non-traditional domain extensions 🌐
With the .com TLD making up 37.1% of the global market share [1], securing a trendy .com domain has become exceedingly challenging. Businesses are now exploring alternatives from non-traditional domain extensions, which offer a wealth of creative and less competitive options.
The range of TLDs extends far beyond the standard .com alternatives like .net and .org. They include industry-specific options like .tech, .food, .travel, .fashion, and .ai, as well as versatile choices like .club, .io, .online, .store, and .me. Each offers a different flavor and context, allowing businesses to match their industry, target audience, and brand personality.
For example, a creative studio could use a .design domain to identify itself with the creative industry, while an ecommerce site might register under .store or .shop TLDs.
Take the Emirates.store website, for instance. Whereas Emirates.com is dedicated to flight bookings, the .store domain allows people to purchase travel accessories directly from the airline company.
Remember, though, that some non-traditional TLDs may not yet have the same level of universal acceptance as .com. This could negatively influence your audience’s perceptions of site credibility. So, you might want to do your research well when considering the extension options.
🎯 When to use this strategy: During your DomainWheel search. Just enter a term or phrase and the system will contextually suggest various domain extensions available for registration.
9. Merging domain extensions 🔀
This method merges the main part of the business domain name with the TLD extension to form a single, coherent word or phrase.
A classic example is last.fm, a music streaming service that uses “.fm” to imply a radio-like experience.
When taking this route, consider your business’s nature, offerings, and how different extensions can enhance your brand name. The extension should naturally complement the name, adding value and relevance without feeling forced.
🎯 When to use this strategy: During your DomainWheel search. Enter relevant terms and then develop merged domain names from the suggested TLDs.
10. Multilingual wordplay 💬
Multilingual wordplay in business domain names offers the opportunity to showcase an international outlook and cultural inclusivity. When executed with relevance, respect, and sensitivity, this can potentially broaden a brand’s appeal and establish a strong, multicultural online presence.
You should select a language that corresponds with the regions where your business operates or intends to expand. For example, a luxury brand targeting the European market might use French or Italian words that are associated with fashion and elegance.
Consider the example of Vino.com, an online wine retailer. The business domain name cleverly adopts “vino”, the Spanish and Italian word for “wine”, as a way of appealing to enthusiasts across the two languages. It’s simple, memorable, and perfectly aligned with the product offering.
🎯 When to use this strategy: Before your DomainWheel search. Describe your business in different languages, then run the terms through the domain name generator to find the available options.
How to piece it all together 🧐
Instead of relying on a single approach, consider blending in multiple creative techniques for a more dynamic and impactful result.
You can start with keyword research tools to identify relevant industry-specific terms.
Then bring your shortlisted ideas over to DomainWheel, where you can explore how to innovatively combine them with rhymes, portmanteaus, neologisms, and various domain extensions.
Once you’ve got a list of possibilities, check out our explanation on how to choose a domain name to further refine your options and select the perfect domain.
