A Simple Guide to Choosing and Buying a Domain Name

One of the very first things you’ll buy when you start a business is a domain name. But knowing where to get one, what to choose, and what actually matters isn’t always obvious. In this guide, I’ll walk you through:

• What a domain name is
• How to choose the right one for you and your business
• The best places (in my web-developer opinion) to buy them

What is a domain name?

A domain name is the address you type into your browser to visit a website.
Think: google.com, nike.com, canva.com — you get the idea.

Your domain is what connects potential clients or users to your website, so choosing the right one makes a big difference in how easy it is for people to find you.

Here’s a quick breakdown of a full domain (URL).

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When you buy a domain name you only need to worry about the root domain and the top level domain parts.

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Choosing the Best Domain for Your Business

Best practices for your root domain

1. Make it memorable (this is the most important thing!)
2. Make it short if possible
3. Make it easy to spell
4. Avoid using hyphens or anything that complicates it

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Choosing the right top-level domain (ending)

There are loads of domain endings available now — some cheaper, some more niche. They all serve different purposes. I’ve put together a data sheet below to help you compare them.

But generally speaking…

So which one do I use?

It depends, but let's go with an assumption that you are a small business owner based in the UK.

If your clients are mostly UK based go with .co.uk

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If you want strong brand and to look modern then go with something more specific like .coach / .creative / .agency

• These give you a clean, modern feel and immediately tell people what you do.

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The Best Places to Buy Domain Names (Ranked)

I’ve worked in web development for over 10 years and have used more domain providers than I can count. Here’s my honest ranking — best (1) to worst (6):

1. Fast hosts - Great starter deals, simple DNS updates, and excellent support. Usually very quick to resolve any issues.
2. Krystal - A little more expensive, but brilliant if you want your business to be more environmentally conscious.
3. Names.co.uk - Good for beginners. Decent deals, straightforward DNS updates, and minimal fuss.
4. 123 reg - They’ve been around forever. Very easy for developers, but the user experience isn’t the most friendly for new users.
5. IONIS -They often have amazing starter deals and can save you money.However, I struggled updating their nameservers — support eventually fixed it, but it added an unnecessary extra step.
6. Go Daddy - Not my favourite. They’re more expensive, the interface makes simple tasks harder than they need to be, and I’ve waited far too long on support multiple times. Once issues were fixed, it was fine — but the process wasn’t smooth.

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Can't I just keep my free url from wix/webflow etc

Yes — you can.
But here’s what you need to consider:

• You’ll be promoting their brand (e.g., .wixsite.com) not your own
• It looks less professional
• It’s longer and harder to remember
• It may reduce trust with potential clients

If you’re in your first year and keeping costs low, a free subdomain is totally fine. But once you’ve got some credibility, definitely invest in your own domain.

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Summary

Domain names connect you and your customers online. The best ones are:

• Memorable
• Easy to spell
• Relevant to your audience

For small UK-based businesses, I recommend .co.uk or a niche ending like .studio for a more modern brand feel.

My top provider is Fasthosts, and the one I recommend least is GoDaddy.