Rank Your Domain

How good is your domain? Take the test and find out!

How Short is the Domain?

Give yourself one point if it’s 16 characters or less (excluding the TLD), two points if it’s 10 characters or less, and three if it’s under 7 characters.

Got .Com?

If your domain has a .com TLD, you score another point.

Is it Brandable?

Does your domain sound like a brand name, like Yahoo or Toyota, or is it an unwieldy mess like “ExpertWebProDesignServices.com”? Take three points if you’ve got a brandable domain.

Uh Oh, You Don’t Have Numbers or Hyphens, Do You?

If you have a hyphen or number, subtract one point. If you have both, remove two points. The reason to avoid numbers is because it can be hard for people tell whether they should put a “3” or a “three” when they type your domain. Hyphens aren’t quite as bad, but they still cause problems. It’s hard to remember the hyphen, and it makes it a little harder to pronounce (visit “webmaster-dash-source-dot-com!”). Don’t beat yourself up over it, though. Sometimes numbers and dashes are unavoidable.

Is it Easy to Spell?

Give yourself a point if your domain is easy to spell. NOTE: If your domain is intentionally misspelled, ala Flickr or Digg, I would still classify it as “easy to spell,” as well as brandable.

Is it Memorable?

Add on another two points if your domain is memorable. Is it funny? Is it interesting? Use all the branding tricks up your sleeve to pick a domain that people will remember after seeing it once, and you’ve got a good domain.

And the Score is…

8 Points or greater – Excellent

5 to 7 Points – Good

4 Points or Less – :(

  • http://www.most-searched.com Shaun

    I scored low on your system, but I quite like my new domain acquisition. :( *click my name to see

  • swahili

    Uhu… and where is the link to the test??

  • http://www.camerainsurance.org.uk Freddie Foto

    Nice article & a lot of it highly agreeable! Are you happy with your (hyphenated) domain? I know this is an old article though if the current stuff is of similar quality I’ll take an rss subscription … Many thanks

    • http://www.webmaster-source.com Matt

      Yes, I’m happy with my hyphenated domain. It is a bit long, but I think it doesn’t matter quite as much in my niche. Between RSS subscribers, and the fact that a large amount of my traffic comes from search engines and social media sites, the domain isn’t as important as if I were running a more mainstream site.