So you decide to start your business (yay!), but with so many websites out there you often need to be creative with your domain name. Deciding on your domain should go hand in hand when naming your business, so try to start the brainstorming process as soon as you start thinking of what your business name will be. Here are 5 tips on how to choose the best domain name for your business:

01 / Be Memorable

Something short & catchy is ideal. A general rule is to keep it between 1-3 words. If you are thinking of using a longer domain name, think about how difficult it will be for your customers to remember and/or write it down. Thesaurus.com should be your friend as you start the brainstorming process.

02 / Your Name

There are many reasons to use your own name but this really depends on the business you are building. You may want to consider using your name if you agree with all three of the following: you are looking to establish yourself as an expert in your topic, your branding consists mainly of you and your personality, and your name won’t change. You probably don’t want to use your name if you say yes to the following: your name is difficult to spell and pronounce, or you plan on changing your name.

03 / The Dot.com

“.com” is the most popular domain and depending on what name you choose, can be difficult to find one available. Always try to favor a “.com” but if you will be location specific you may want to consider buying a country specific domain, ie. “.ca” for Canada. However, you can be really genius using an alternative to the “.com” that then works to enhance your brand, ie. bit.ly or unroll.me

04 / Be Creative

Most simple word domains are now taken so you might need to think outside the box to get a domain that is uniquely you. Try putting two words together (MySpace), use a phrase (Go Live), merging parts of two words together (Instagram), modifying a word (Tumblr) or create a new word altogether (Spotify). Remember it needs to be easy to spell and easy to remember, so don't complicate your word mod. Short, sweet (and catchy) – that's the perfect recipe!

05 / Use Tools

There are many domain generators and searches that will easily help you brainstorm the perfect domain based on initial idea you might have. They will also help you see what is available and what endings are possible. Check out some tools to help you brainstorm a domain name:

- Business Name Generator – tool to generate business name ideas

- Namestation – Generates a list of available domains based on a suggested word

- Domainr – type a word and it will find possible domains

With the amount of websites out there, it's likely that you won't get your first choice. Don’t let that frustrate you! With these tips and tools you will be able to find the perfect domain that suits your business and brand. Happy domain hunting!