A long time ago, I wrote a post on domain
name selection that's sorely in need of an update. Time to deliver...

For 99% of the projects we take on, a domain is already part of the
equation. However, in some circumstances, we've been called on to
provice advice for naming a domain, either for a new blog, a company
launch or even just a friend's website. Below, I've listed 12 tips I
find indispensable when helping people select a great domain name.

1. Brainstorm 5 Top Keywords
   When you first begin your domain name search, it helps to have 5
   terms or phrases in mind that best describe the domain you're seeking.
   Once you have this list, you can start to pair them or add prefixes
   & suffixes to create good domain ideas. For example, if you're
   launching a mortgage related domain, you might start with words like
   "mortage, finance, home equity, interest rate, house payment" then play
   around until you can find a good match.
2. Make the Domain Unique
   Having your website confused with a popular site already owned by
   someone else is a recipe for disaster. Thus, I never choose domains that
   are simply the plural, hyphenated or misspelled version of an already
   established domain. I still believe that Flickr desperately needs to buy
   Flicker.com - I hear kids in their 20's tell parents in their 40's and
   50's to see photos on Flickr and always envision that traffic going
   straight to the wrong domain.
3. Only Choose Dot-Com Available Domains
   If you're not concerned with type-in traffic, branding or name
   recognition, you don't need to worry about this one. However, if you're
   at all serious about building a successful website over the long-term,
   you should be worried about all of these elements, and while directing
   traffic to a .net or .org (as SEOmoz does) is fine, owning and 301'ing
   the .com is critical. With the exception of the very tech-savvy, most
   people who use the web still make the automatic assumption that .com is
   all that's out there - don't make the mistake of locking out or losing
   traffic to these folks.
4. Make it Easy to Type
   If a domain name requires considerable attention to type correctly,
   due to spelling, length or the use of un-memorable words or sounds,
   you've lost a good portion of your branding and marketing value. I've
   even heard usability folks toute the value of having the letters include
   easy-to-type letters (which I interpret as avoiding "q," "z," "x," "c,"
   and "p").
5. Make it Easy to Remember
   Remember that word-of-mouth and SERPs dominance marketing (where
   your domain consistently comes up for industry-related searches) both
   rely on the ease with which the domain can be called to mind. You don't
   want to be the company with the terrific website that no one can ever
   remember to tell their friends about because they can't remember the
   domain name.
6. Keep the Name as Short as Possible
   Short names are easy to type and easy to remember (the previous two
   rules). They also allow for more characters in the URL in the SERPs and a
   better fit on business cards and other offline media.
7. Create and Fulfill Expectations
   When someone hears about your domain name for the first time, they
   should be able to instantly and accurately guess at the type of content
   that might be found there. That's why I love domain names like
   Hotmail.com, CareerBuilder.com, AutoTrader.com and WebMD.com. Domains
   like Monster.com, Amazon.com and Zillow.com (whom I usually praise)
   required far more branding because of their un-intuitive names.
8. Avoid Copyright Infringement
   This is a mistake that isn't made too often, but can kill a great
   domain and a great company when it does. To be sure you're not
   infringing on anyone's copyright with your site's name, visit copyright.gov
   and search before you buy.
9. Set Yourself Apart with a Brand
   Using a unique moniker is a great way to build additional value with
   your domain name. A "brand" is more than just a combination of words,
   which is why names like mortgageforyourhome.com or shoesandboots.com
   aren't as compelling as branded names like bankrate.com or
   lendingtree.com. SEOmoz itself is a good example - "SEO" does a good job
   of explaining the industry we're in and creating expectations, while
   "moz" gives a web association, and an association with being free, open,
   and community-driven.
10. Reject Hyphens and Numbers
    Both hyphens and numbers make it hard to give your domain name
    verbally and falls down on being easy to remember or type. I'd suggest
    not using spelled-out or roman numerals in domains, as both can be
    confusing and mistaken for the other.
11. Don't Follow the Latest Trends
    Website names that rely on odd mis-spellings (like many Web 2.0
    style sites), multiple hyphens (like the SEO-optimized domains of the
    early 2000's), or uninspiring short adjectives (like "top...x,"
    "best...x," "hot...x") aren't always the best choice. This isn't a hard
    and fast rule, but in the world of naming conventions in general, if
    everyone else is doing it, that doesn't mean it's a surefire strategy.
    Just look at all the people who named their businesses "AAA... x" over
    the last 50 years to be first in the phone book; how many Fortune 2000's
    are named "AAA company?"
12. Use an Ajax Domain Selection Tool
    Websites like AJAXWhois and Domjax make
    it exceptionally easy to determine availability of a domain name - just
    remember that you don't have to buy through these services. You can find
    a name you like that's available, then go to your registrar of choice.

Screenshot of Domjax (and an unregistered domain
that fulfills many of these criteria)

Any other suggestions you'd offer for selecting domain names in an
era when so few good ones are available?

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