A domain name feels like a significant decision.
It sits at the top of every email you send, every link you share, every page you publish.
So people spend weeks agonising over it, and then launch six months late because they couldn’t decide.
The domain matters less than you think.
What matters is having one and starting.
That said, there are a few things worth getting right.
Keep It Simple
Short, easy to spell, and hard to mishear.
That’s the brief.
If you have to explain the spelling when you tell someone your URL, it’s too complicated.
If it sounds like three other domains when you say it aloud, it will cause confusion.
Avoid hyphens.
Avoid numbers.
Avoid creative spellings that require explanation.
The domain is not the place to be clever.
.com Is Still the Default
Other extensions, .blog, .co, .au, are perfectly functional.
If you’re writing primarily for an Australian audience, .com.au is entirely reasonable.
In every other case, .com is what people reach for by default.
If someone forgets your domain and types it from memory, they’ll add .com.
That’s not a hard rule.
It’s just how most people think.
Brand or Keyword?
A keyword domain, something like veganrecipeblog.com, tells the search engine what you’re about.
A brand domain, something like your name, or a coined term, gives you more flexibility as your content evolves.
For a beginner, a brand domain is almost always the better call.
Keyword domains age badly the moment your content shifts.
A name or a phrase you own can grow with you.
What to Do When Your First Choice Is Taken
It usually is.
The domain you want most is probably parked, already in use, or being sold for more than it’s worth.
Work with that constraint rather than around it.
Adjust the name slightly.
Try a different structure.
Add a word.
You’re not naming a company, you’re choosing a web address.
It doesn’t have to be perfect.
Register it.
Start writing.
The domain becomes memorable because of the content, not the other way around.
Cameron Blewett is an independent thinker, writer, and advocate for ethical living, with a passion for exploring the intersections of stoicism, veganism, and everyday life.
A former meat eater and hunter turned ethical vegan, Cameron writes across multiple platforms where he challenges the status quo and shares insights from personal experience.
He is the founder and lead writer at:
- VeganStoic.com – where stoic philosophy meets compassionate living
- GreyBeardedVegan.blog – reflective essays on ethics, age, and activism
- MillPark.blog – a hyperlocal blog covering news, events, and issues in Mill Park, Victoria
- FoodSafety.ist – an independent newsletter and blog focused on food safety in Australia
- CameronBlewett.blog – a personal blog with commentary, essays, and book reviews
When he’s not writing, Cameron can be found advocating for transparency in food systems, spending time with his family, or volunteering in the local community.