How to choose a domain so that Google shows you and customers remember you

Why a domain name matters

A domain is the address where people find you. If your domain name is long, complicated, or confusing, it will be difficult for people to remember and for search engines to index correctly.

The right domain name helps create a recognisable brand, just like a beautifully designed coffee shop sign: if it's memorable, people will come back.

It is also important to consider whether the domain has a negative history. If it has already been in use, it may have been subject to Google sanctions or involved in spam campaigns — and this could harm your website even before it launches. Therefore, it is worth checking the domain's history using special services (e.g. WebArchive).

What to look for when choosing a domain name

For a domain to really help develop your website, it is not enough to simply find an available name — it is important to choose it according to principles that have long proven their effectiveness.

1.Simplicity and readability.

Forget about complex words, hyphens, numbers, or special symbols. Names such as best-coffee-shop-in-kyiv123.net or xj39-8shop.com are too long and contain numbers, making them difficult to remember. The recommended domain length is up to 15 characters. This reduces the risk of errors and improves memorability, especially when the customer enters the address manually.

2.Relevance to the business and promotion.

If you need a domain for a commercial project, choose one that does not contain obscure words and is easy to understand. Consider whether the name of the site sounds good and forms the right association with your product or service. For example: smarttools.ua would be appropriate for an online tool store, happypets.com for a pet store or pet service, and freshbox.store for a food delivery service.

3.Brand name in the domain.

From an image perspective, it is effective to use the brand name in the domain name, as a specific brand is easier to remember. Many well-known brands rely on branding: for example, the domains spotify.com, tesla.com, and adobe.com work well for recognition without using thematic phrases.

4.Choosing a domain zone and domain level.

In addition to the name itself, it is important to consider which domain zone and domain level you choose for the address.

Domain zones (.com, .ua, .net, etc.) influence the perception of a website. They represent your virtual space style.

• For local companies, domains with local ties (.ua, .lviv.ua, .kharkiv.ua) are appropriate, as they emphasise the regional nature of the business.
• Global brands are better suited to universal domain zones (.com, .net), which are perceived as international and are not tied to a specific location.
• Thematic domains (e.g. .tech, .shop, .cafe) help to strengthen brand positioning.

Remember about domain levels: second-level domains (e.g., mybrand.ua or company.com) are the most «clean» type. Third-level domains (or subdomains) are often used to structure individual services, areas or regions (e.g. shop.mybrand.ua, blog.company.com or mybusiness.lviv.ua), but they are usually less memorable.

Before registering, it is also worth checking the availability of related names on social media. For example, if you plan to register the domain greenfit.com, but the names @greenfit, @greenfitofficial and @greenfitstore are already taken by other companies on social media, this will prevent you from creating a cohesive brand image.

How a domain affects promotion

A well-chosen domain name not only makes it easier to remember, but also improves search visibility. Here's why:

• Simplicity. When a domain is short and simple, users are less likely to enter it incorrectly in a search. Such domains are also more likely to be shared, as they are easy to write down by hand or pass on verbally. This stimulates word-of-mouth advertising, which is important for promotion, and as a result attracts more direct traffic.
• Relevant subject matter. If the domain name immediately indicates the subject matter or essence of the business, it helps search engines to correctly interpret the content of the site. It also makes it easier to attract your target audience: if the name partially matches the search query, the user is more likely to understand that the site has exactly what they are looking for.
• Keywords. In the past, having a keyword in your domain name was considered an added bonus for SEO. However, this strategy has been deemed ineffective by Google search advocate John Mueller. On the contrary, filling your domain with keywords (e.g., buy-smartphones-in-kyiv.com) may appear to Google as spam, which will negatively affect your SEO.
• History. If a domain has a «clean history» (it has not been mentioned in spam, does not have a «black reputation»), this inspires greater trust from both search engines and users. Visitors stay on the site, return, share it with others, which gives you a better chance of increasing the site's popularity.
• Age. Domain age is not a direct ranking factor. Instead, priority is given to content, E-E-A-T (Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), backlinks, technical optimisation, and user experience. Older domains may appear to be «better» due to cumulative signals (such as backlinks or content history), but age alone does not provide a boost.

Rules for choosing a domain name that works

In the table below, we have compiled the key rules to consider so that your domain works for you, not against you.

The role of the hosting provider in website ranking

Although Google does not rank websites «by hosting», the technical parameters of the hosting provider directly affect the key Core Web Vitals metrics that Google uses to evaluate page quality. These include:

1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). Shows how quickly the main visible element of the page (header, banner, image) loads. The faster the server responds, the faster the user sees the main content.
2. Interaction to Next Paint (INP). This is a metric for website response speed. It shows how quickly the website responds to user actions (clicks, text input, button presses). If there are no delays, the website runs smoothly and responds instantly.
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). The so-called visual stability indicator assesses how much the page elements will «jump» during loading. Fast and correct delivery of resources guarantees that there will be no content displacement.
4. Uptime (website availability). Shows the percentage of time when the website works without failures. Higher availability means better Google indexing, because the robot can always access the pages.
5. IP reputation. Characterises the trust of search engines in the IP address from which the site operates. A clean IP means that it has not been spotted in spam or infected resources, and Google trusts it more.
6. HTTPS (HyperText Transfer Protocol Secure) / SSL (Secure Sockets Layer). Guarantees a secure connection and safe data exchange. Stable and correctly configured HTTPS improves the user experience and increases the trust of search engines.
7. DNS (Domain Name System). The speed of the DNS server directly affects the first stage of page loading (TTFB — Time to First Byte). The faster the DNS server works, the faster the website starts to load.

If you have already decided that it is time to register a domain, we are ready to help you. At Maxnet, you can buy a domain right now through the interface. When registering, it is easy to choose a domain name for your website and the corresponding domain zone, as well as check whether the domain is available.

With us, you can quickly and easily create the optimal domain for your website, which will work reliably and be ready for promotion and memorisation by customers. Choose your domain wisely, and your website will be easy to find, easy to remember, and pleasant to visit.