Like the initial branding and logo of a company, an appropriate domain name is a very import aspect of starting an e-business.

Your domain name is your first keyword that gets integrated into your website for the search engines to find. It also may determine how easily potential users will access your site. Further, it is a key ingredient in your company’s brand, image, and identity.

Here are some tips to consider when choosing an appropriate domain name:

Keep it brief 1 or 2 words is best. You can get away with three words if you use really short, one syllable words or if you are using an expression. (eg. ataboy.com )

Have easy spelling Try to avoid words that are commonly misspelled, have double letters, non-phonetic vowels, etc. Users may give up trying to write the domain name or accidentally end up on a competitor’s website. Instead of searchengineoptimization.com, try topranks.com.

Decide on an appropriate domain ending Should you use .ca or .com? .edu or .org? .com is global and stands for commercial, but not many .coms are available these days. Sometimes the ending .com may diminish credibility, like in the case of an organization or institution, making them sound too commercial. If you only plan to do business in Europe, why not go with .eu? Or .ca for Canada?

Get creative cars.com may be taken, but you can sometimes find catchy alternatives that are easy for people to remember such as fuzzydice.ca, mywheels.ca, or bestride.ca. Try and go for words that stick in people’s mind like a jingle, even if your company name is something as bland as Jo’s Cars.

Check the competition a little research into similar existing domain names, and their sites can inspire you with some ideas, as well as give you a sense of what your competition will be.

Finding the right domain name can be tricky, but with a little thought even the most generic of business names can claim its corner on the internet.