In this article, you will discover:
why the domain name is important,
how to choose an extension suitable for your business,
best practices for defining an effective name,
how to check its availability and avoid common mistakes,
the next steps to set it up with CentralApp.
Why choosing the domain name is essential
The domain name corresponds to your site's address on the internet. It has a direct impact on:
your brand image: a clear and professional name inspires trust,
memorability for your customers: a simple name is easier to remember and share,
your visibility on search engines: a relevant name can support your SEO, especially locally.
Choosing the right extension for your domain name
The extension should be chosen based on your target audience and business:
Local businesses: favor a national extension (.fr, .be, .nl…). These extensions are suitable for local SEO and reassure customers about your area of operation.
International audience: opt for a generic extension like .com.
Other cases: depending on your sector, specific extensions may be relevant (.restaurant, .shop, .cafe…), provided they remain understandable to your customers.
Examples:
✔️ boulangerie-dupont.fr (clear, local, professional)
❌ boulangerie-dupont-75-paris-officiel.biz (too long and hard to remember)
Best practices for choosing your domain name
A good domain name should be:
professional and credible,
easy to read, recognize, and remember,
short,
without special characters, unnecessary numbers, or multiple hyphens.
Examples:
✔️ restaurantmartin.com
❌ resto-martin123-.com
Check availability and legal aspects
Before finalizing your choice, it is important to:
Check the availability of the domain name and its main variants (.fr, .com, etc.).
Ensure there is no existing brand or company with the same name, to avoid any legal risk.
Avoid names too close to well-known brands, even if they seem available.
These checks help avoid legal conflicts and costly name changes later on.
Finalize and set up your domain name
Once your domain name is chosen and validated (availability and compliance), you can proceed to the next step.
Contact your CentralApp account manager: they can confirm the final availability, advise you if necessary, and proceed with setting up your domain name under the best conditions.