Domain Name: Answers to Top 15 Questions Coaches, Trainers & Consultants Need Today

Domain name dilemmas? My answers to the questions coaching pros ask and a big tip if your name dot com is already taken.

My promise to you… you’ll have everything you need to choose your domain name today.


Choosing a domain name…

1. “What’s the best domain name for my business?”
As a coach, trainer, consultant or independent service professional, your name dot com is a great domain for your business.

If you’re a Coaching Pro, you’re the creator in your business. You'll write many books, create many programs, courses, services. So your name is the best option, instead of trying to get a domain name for one of your books, for instance.

For example, let's say that Picasso needs a domain name for his business. What do you think he'd choose?

Don't worry about the “sale-ability” of your business. Many experts have built long-lasting businesses with their names, like Louise Hay, Chanel, Christian Dior, Gillette, and Calvin Klein.

Your business can be successful whether you choose your name or something else so don't stress out about this.


2. “I need to pick a URL for my website, and I can’t decide if I should choose my name or to another name, like the name of my brand.”
If you cannot decide, start with your own name and move forward with your website.

Having your website URL be your own name is useful, especially when people are checking you out. They’ve heard your name, been referred and now they are doing a Google background check on you.

Start with your name. You can always build your site with your name and buy later on other domain names and redirect them to your site.

Businesses evolve…

Brands evolve…

So if you’re only sure about your name, start there. It might very well happen that one day your brand name becomes super obvious to you. You can buy that domain then.

Yes, don’t force yourself to choose a brand name for your URL, if you’re not sure.

You’re not limited in any way. If you buy a brand name domain later, you can redirect it to your existing website.

If you want to build a global brand, you are US based or you work with American people, get a DOT COM domain. People are already used to .com and if you get any other extension, you might end up sending people somewhere else.

If you live in another country and you work with people from your country, get the URL most commonly used in your country.

I happen to be living in Germany at the time of this article. I don’t have a website in German but if I did, I would also have the .DE URL because this is what German people are used to.

Some people think that you need to wait to choose your name as a URL until you are “famous”. The truth is that you don’t. You can start with your name while you are getting “famous” in your space. You don’t want to wait to get your name as a URL, especially if it is available.

If your name is already taken, try some variation that shows your area of expertise. (Read on for my best strategies if your name is already taken).

One way of coming with a URL is to think of the core promise of your business. My definition of brand is a brand is a promise.

If you need help with a name that represents your brand promise, this is a great resource. How To Boost Your Brand To Attract High-Value Clients Even If Nobody Has Heard Of You. 

There is also a solid reason to choose 2 URLs (your name and your brand). If your name can be spelled in different ways, you can always say out loud the name of your brand and people get it right. This also applies when your name is difficult to spell.

There are advantages in choosing a URL that is not your name, too. Choosing a benefit oriented URL can do some heavy lifting for your business from a message or positioning perspective.

If you go that route, keep it short, clear and easy to spell.


3. “What if you want to choose a domain for your expert brand?”
Here you have solid strategies for your expert brand that we'll give you ideas for domain names.

How To Boost Your Brand To Attract High-Value Clients Even If Nobody Has Heard Of You - https://anarosenberg.com/brand-for-clients


4. “Should I use my full name or just my first name?”
It will be practically a miracle to get your first name dot com. Even though your first name is easy to remember, your full name will help with your brand identity.


5. “Should I use keywords in my domain name?”
Using relevant keywords can help with search engine optimization (SEO). I wouldn’t make this my primary reason to choose a domain name.

If you’re going to use a phrase for your domain name, make it about your brand.


Availability and cost…

6. “How do I know if the domain name I want is available?”
Go to a domain name registrar and type the domain name you want. If it’s available, you can buy it. If it isn’t available, they might suggest variations.

You can go with a short list of options ready, so you immediately make the best one available yours. (Sometimes, when you go back later, the one that was available is already taken).


7. “How much does a domain name cost?”
A domain name can range from $10-15 to $25-30 per year, depending the registrar you use. These prices are for the kind of extensions you’ll need, like dot com, dot org, dot net, dot co, dot me. (We’ll talk about extensions in a minute). There are more expensive extensions, like dot ai or dot io but they’re not relevant to us.


Technical considerations…

8. “What domain extension should I use?”
You want DOT COM (.com).

There might be a distance between what we want and what we can get.

If DOT COM is not available, you can go to the second and third most recognized extensions: DOT ORG (.org) or DOT NET (.net).

Another alternative: dot yourprofession. For example: yourname.coach.


9. “How do I buy a domain name?”
You need to find a domain registrar, search your domain for availability and purchase it.


10. “What domain registrar do you recommend?”
I buy all my domain names at NameCheap. I’ve always been able to rely on them. Plus, when you buy your domain from them, you get free Whois protection & private domain registration. It means free lifetime protection for your domain.


11. “What happens after I register a domain name?”
You’ll need to choose a hosting company and connect your domain to your hosting.

TIP – When you register your domain, the domain registrar will offer you a lot of other services, including hosting. You don’t need to take them on those offers. Just buy the domain.


More questions…

12. “Should I buy multiple domain variations?”
Let’s say that your name is available. Can your name be spelled in different ways? You might want to get the different variations.

For example, I could get…

AnaRosenberg.com
And
AnnaRosenberg.com

Getting different variations can also be helpful to prevent “typo squatting” (where someone registers a similar domain name with a typo).

Personally, I don’t buy variations. I only have my name dotcom.

Once you start playing the “variation” game, it can quickly bloat your budget.

TIP – When you register your domain name, you’ll get a lot of suggestions with different extensions. You don’t need that.


13. “Can I change my domain name later?”
Technically, yes, but it can be a hassle and might affect your website's SEO. It's best to choose a domain name you can stick with.

So if you want to expand your brand and not hurt your website, you can do this: Buy your name as your domain and build your website there. You know that’s a solid choice. If you come up with the perfect domain name for your brand later, buy it and redirect it to your existing website.


14. “How important is it for my website and social media handles to match?”
You want a perfect match: your brand name as your website domain, Instagram handle, and everything else.

But, if your name is already taken on social platforms, you can try this instead…

For personal brands, try adding one word to the beginning or end of your name.

For example, if “AnaRosenberg” was taken, I could try…
TheAnaRosenberg
AnaRosenbergOfficial
AnaRosenbergInternational
AnaRosenbergOriginal
byAnaRosenberg

You can also use this formula…
your brand + name of the platform.

For example…
AnaRosenbergInstagram
AnaRosenbergPinterest


15. “What if the domain name I want isn’t available?”
It’s easy to get down this creative rabbit hole. Instead, make a good choice and keep making progress.

So your name dot com is a great choice.

Your brand dot com is another great choice.

Here is what you can do if your name dot com is not available…

Try “by your name dot com” or “the your name dot com”.

For example: if I couldn’t get AnaRosenberg.com, I could have tried byAnaRosenberg.com or theAnaRosenberg.com.

For most businesses, the best domain extension is .com. It’s the most common and easy for customers to remember.

If the domain name you want for your brand isn’t available as a .com, see if you can get creative with it.

There are 2 recognized alternative domain extensions after .com: .org and .net.

Other extensions like .co are becoming more common, but research their uses before you choose. Some have specific meanings or signals you work in a certain industry, like ai, .io, and .co for tech).


Next Step

Now that you have your domain name, you need a website. And not any website. It needs to be a website that can attract your best clients.

If you want the complete system to a successful website, you might want to check this out…

Brilliant Website is ideal for coaches, trainers, consultants and independent service professionals who need a website that can create their best clients. You might want to check it out here…

Till next time, remember… your brilliance is portable. You can take it with you anywhere and everywhere, including creating your brilliant website.

With all my love,

Ana