So, you are ready to start an online shop. You know what to sell and your website structure. Last, but not least: come up with a domain name for your site. It should be concise, comprehensible, and appealing… And, most importantly, unique.
What is a Domain and How to Buy It
A domain is the name of a site you see in the address bar of your browser. It is a unique address of your site on the Internet. A domain may include Latin letters, numbers, and a hyphen. There are first, second, and third level domains. Sometimes the numbering begins with zero. How are these levels different?
Level 1. A domain ending in, for example, .com, or .uk. Such domains cannot be bought: they are allocated by ICANN.
Level 2. Such a domain may also end in .com or .info. It is registered to the Level 1 domain and available for commercial use. A Level 2 domain can be registered (for example, also through ICANN) and annually renewed for a charge.
Level 3. Such domains are called subdomains. They are registered by the Level 2 domain owners. A Level 3 domain may look like this: myshop.my2can.com.
Your domain name directly affects the site ranking in search results. The more relevant the page (i. e., the better it matches the search engine query), the higher it is ranked in the search results.
Registering a domain is not like buying it for good. You rent it for a certain period.
The minimum domain registration period is 1 year. As your register a domain in your name or your business name, you temporarily rent it and become the domain administrator.
You can create a website or set up an email service, put it up for sale or renew the registration. However, the ultimate owner of all domains is ICANN, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers. It manages all domain names and IP addresses.
You can also buy and register a domain directly from ICANN. There are also ICANN agents like domain.com or bluehost.com.
Where to Start?
Clearly define the core product category of your online shop: clothing, cosmetics, art products, services… It helps narrow the range of options.
The more unusual the name of your online shop, the better. Your personal experience is unique, so try to rely on it when choosing a name.
You can start from just anything: your dog’s name, grandma’s name, or something associated with your favorite place or moment. The name should reflect the concept of your shop.
Ideally, the name should be immediately associated with your products. Still, it can be just a beautiful name that your customers will remember. True, such a site name is less efficient in terms of SEO. It will take more time to associate it with your product in the minds of your customers. Pros: your shop will be absolutely unique and unlike others.
Always check your domain name for uniqueness. Search the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office database on “Bust a Name” to check if the name is already registered as a trademark. It will prevent a lot of legal troubles. It is also advisable to check if the name is used on social media you are going to use for promotion.
For the final check, enter the name of your future domain in any search engine and check for sites with similar names. If they are, your prospects will confuse you with your competitors.
If the domain you came up with already exists, you can modify the shop name adding something like “shop”, “247”, “market” or “online” to it. You can also try to buy an existing domain.
Do not forget to save and analyze the names of your competitor sites. Which shop name attracts the largest audience? This information can stimulate your imagination: use an analogy or come from the opposite to arrive at a great idea.
Benefits of a Good Domain Name
The right domain name affects the SEO metrics of your site. If you sell footwear and your domain name contains the word “shoes”, then a search for the word would bring up your site.
Remember: the closer to the beginning of the domain name a keyword is, the higher rank your site would get as a user searches for appropriate category products.
Your domain zone also affects the search results ranking. If you sell locally, it is better to use your national domain (.uk, .fr…) instead of .com. If you sell worldwide, choose .com. Just note: it is much more expensive.
When adding keywords to the domain name know when enough is enough. If there are too many of them, search engines will give the lowest rank to your site.
Choosing Your Domain Name: Don’ts
Check what people may associate with the name. Check if it is easy to pronounce. Test the options with your family, friends, and friends of friends. Make a small Google Forms survey. Suggest several names to your audience and ask if each name is easy to memorize, whether it sounds good, and what associations it may invoke.
Your domain name shall not contain any third-party trademarks. The trademark owner may sue you and win the right to use a domain containing their trademark.
Some names are just impossible for you to register. For example, you cannot use words that may insult your competitors.
Level 2 and Level 3 Domains: What Is the Difference?
Your domain
Level 2 domain. Example: yourshop.com
- Paid
- You pay an annual subscription for the domain
- You also should pay for DNS hosting and attach your domain to it
- An independent site: its search ranking depends only on the region and relevance to the query
- When you register a domain, you manage it independently for any purpose allowed by the law
Domain at my2can.com
Level 3 domain. Based on the my2can.com domain. For example: yourshop.my2can.com
- Free
- 2can has already done all this for you.
- The subdomain is a part of its Level 2 domain. It inherits the parent domain search engine restrictions (up to complete blocking)
- A Level 3 domain inherits all rules of its parent Level 2 domain (such as advertising regulations)
Free Domain for Your Online Store
2can customers can register a Level 2 domain for free! The site will have a link to your shop (HTTPS certificate included). It will look like this: yourshop.my2can.com, where “yourshop” is the domain name of your shop.
The process is easy:
1. Create your 2can Shop at my2can.com.
2. Come up with a domain name for your online shop. It can contain 4 to 63 characters (Latin letters, numbers, and hyphens). This is your Level 3 domain. The Level 2 domain is always the same (my2can.com).
3. Check if your domain is available (use domain.com or another service).
4. Add your products to the shop catalog. Click the Select Products button.
5. Create a new product by clicking the Create New button. Populate your 2can Shop.
6. Add delivery options. 2can Shop supports two: delivery and pickup. At least one of them must be active.
How do I connect my existing domain to 2can Shop?
2can Shop can connect to your existing, unique domain name to make your online shop even more distinctive. Please refer to our Support Center for detailed guidelines on how to connect your existing domain.
