Before you purchase a domain name, consider doing some proper investigation. After all, the name of your website is one of the first things that visitors will see. Here are some important tips to keep in mind:

1. Do your research. It’s important to study your niche and to know what the average user wants. Being aware of the most popular keywords and search terms will let you find a domain name that’s best suited to represent your project.

2. Make it catchy and easy to remember. Don’t go for something that is absurdly long or difficult to pronounce. A catchy and short domain name will greatly increase the chances of visitors remembering your website name.

3. Go with .com if possible. Currently, .com is taking a firm stand as the most popular domain name extension. Thus, it’s a good priority when buying a domain name, as most web users will easily recognize it.

4. Check for trademark infringement. To avoid any legal issues, it’s best not to register a domain similar to popular, well-established brands. You can use various online tools to look up trademark information and avoid such situations.

5. Avoid numbers and hyphens. While numbers and hyphens let you create more domain name variations, they can sometimes do more harm than good. For example, people can mistake the number zero (0) with the letter (o) or the number (2) for a word (two). Hence omitting numbers and hyphens may be a good idea.

6. Look for close alternatives. If you already have a domain name in mind, think of possible mistype variations to make sure all the potential traffic reaches you. A great example would be amzon.com which takes you the main Amazon website, or fb.com which goes directly to Facebook.

7. Research social media platforms. Once you have a rough draft of your domain name, look it up on popular social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, Instagram or Facebook. Even if you’re not planning to do anything with them at the start, reserving a page for your project will ensure it’s not taken by someone else.

8. Think future-proof. Websites and domains are a long-term investment. Hence revolving the name around the most overhyped thing at this very moment might not be the best approach in the long run. So don’t be afraid to think outside the box! Also, know that all the field is regualted by ICANN.

9. Discuss your ideas. If you feel like picking the right name for your website is the hardest choice of your life, perhaps you need some help. Present your ideas to friends, family, colleagues. Who knows, they might give you that golden nugget of advice that you’re looking for.

To learn more, you can check for example this how to register a domain name guide.