How to define the best domain?

Ground zero, the base, is the domain for the digital universe. There is no professional digital presence without a domain. Linked to the importance of having a domain, is the difficulty of getting a good name. Only in the period from 12/31/2020 to 01/31/2021, 126,979 domains were registered in Brazil (source: Registro.br). Approximately 3 domains are registered per minute! And this scenario will not be less competitive in the coming years, on the contrary, the tendency is for this dispute to become even more intense. But after all, what defines a good domain? That is what we will deal with in this content, teaching some research techniques and tips to facilitate the choice of the best domain.

Let’s start by defining what a domain is:
Domain is the name given to your company or project on the internet. It is everything that appears after the “www” in the case of web addresses, and after the “@” in the case of emails.

Now, what is extension:
The extension is everything that comes after the domain name. They can indicate the country of origin of the domain, the segment of activity or even an even more specific reference to the industry. Exemplifying this, we cite the following situations: “gk2.com.br” (.com represents commerce, and .br specifies to be a Brazilian domain), “gk2.com” (.com is a generalized North American extension, a of the oldest, known and used in the world) and “gk2.cloud” (the extension .cloud refers to the branch of activity).

That done, let’s move on to the practical part, which we separate into 4 steps. Regardless of whether the company or project is new or not, as the execution is identical for both cases.

First step: define a name

Do not be fooled by the apparent ease that this stage conveys. Deciding the domain name goes beyond relying on the name of the company or industry. It is necessary to think of a clear / direct name, as short as possible, that allows quick reading, pronunciation and writing, as well as ease in typing the domain in the browser or commanding your voice assistant to perform the search.

Avoid using characters such as the hyphen or accented characters. Analyze the most searched keywords in the segment, and if possible, fit this in the domain name. The rule regarding the character limit, for national domains, ranges from 2 to 26, without including the extension. Speaking of which, focus on extensions that facilitate the search, or that are part of the name or segment of the company, or that fit with any keyword.

Second step: research the availability of national domains

With the definition of the name and extension, we set out to research the feasibility of the registration, that is, check if the desired domain is available for purchase. Start this search with national domains. You can use the search tool on our website gk2.cloud/domains.

If the survey points to record availability, great, let’s move on to the next step! Otherwise, perform a new search keeping the name, however, looking for other extension options. Some sites offer suggestions for domains that are released for registration when this happens. If this second search does not provide good options for registration, change the domain name, and redo the entire process. In this situation, you will be able to cross the new name possibilities with the extension possibilities.

Third step: research the availability of international and special domains

The search process is the same as the national domains, with only one significant change: the number of extensions. For international domains, these options are more numerous and more likely. Our domain search tool works simultaneously for international, national and special.

Usually, search and registration companies for international domains perform the search and present, together with the result, the possible options for extensions that are available for registration, including special extensions. Among the numerous extensions, we cite some to exemplify: “.online”, “.market”, “.delivery” and “.digital”.

Fourth step: registration and payment

We have reached the last practical step. Everything went well in the previous steps, now just register the domain and make the payment. Remembering that the process will be completed, and the domain released for use, only after payment confirmation. Regardless of whether it is a national, international or special domain, the billing cycle is annual, being possible to opt for cycles of 2 to 10 consecutive years, but with a single payment. Payment methods are basically payment slips and credit card. As it is still very new, the PIX will possibly be incorporated soon.

Other valuable tips:

Have you been in doubt between one domain and another? Register them all! Registering a domain is very easy. This facility, coupled with the low cost of registration, generally encourages people to buy domains indefinitely, even without having a prospect for their use.

Be strategic! Search and register domains that will guarantee a more complete performance for the company or the project. This more complete performance means that you must protect your company’s assets, registering all possible domains related to your brand. Example: xyzstore.com.br, xyzstore.com, xyz.store, xyzstore.digital and xyzstore.online.

Stay tuned to Registro.br, the body responsible for the registration and maintenance of “.br” domains, since annually, domains that are not renewed (paid), are offered to the market again through a release process. Anyone (PJ or PF) can dispute the purchase of these domains.

Caution!! Unfortunately, domain registration is a constant target of scams. Do not pay any boleto that has not been sent by your data center, or downloaded directly from the website whose domain purchase / registration has been made. In case of doubts, access your profile on the respective website, or contact your data center support.

The domain is the start of the digital presence, with it you can have your own website, blog, virtual store, app or system, and also, the so-called professional or personalized emails, which are emails that use your domain, for example contato@gk2.com.br. But for that, it is necessary in addition to a domain, to have a hosting provider. We created content to help you define for yourself, which is the best hosting plan for your company or project. Access this content by clicking here. Or if you prefer to become a GK2 Cloud customer, click here.