Do you need to check whether a domain name is available? What could be more normal when you know 367 million that domain names are already registered worldwide. .fr domains, for example, amount to over 3.4 million. Incredible, right?
Although it represents your identity on the web and plays an important role in your marketing strategy, finding a domain name related to your business can be difficult. Especially since most short, generic domain names are already taken.
So, how do you check if a domain name is available? What can you do if the one you want is already taken? We tell you everything!
Why check a domain name's availability?
As mentioned, the domain name constitutes your identity on the internet and it’s impossible to have the same URL as another website. Checking its availability helps you know whether you can use the chosen address… and if you can’t, be careful about trying to register a similar domain! That can expose you to many risks, such as:
Your website disappearing
Even if they aren’t protected by intellectual property rights, domain names sometimes include a trade name. As a result, they benefit from protection under general law.
If the domain name you choose corresponds to a registered trademark, its owner has the right to file a lawsuit… As a result, the court may order the outright deletion of all your URLs.
If your domain name is in .fr, AFNIC (the French Association for Internet Naming in Cooperation) can remove your site without going through the host or the website’s registry.
With .com sites, the owner can appeal to the World Intellectual Property Organization and launch a UDRP (Uniform Domain-Name Dispute Resolution) procedure to have your website removed.
Domain name transfer
Instead of seeing your domain name disappear, it may be transferred to another person. Think of all the traffic you will have acquired over time, the reputation gained in search engines… All of that will benefit someone else! AFNIC can, in fact, order its transfer to the holder of the rights over the company name or trade name.
A penalty that could make you lose credibility with your customers and negatively impact your sales.
Damages and compensation
In addition to the risks mentioned above, the owner of the trademark linked to your domain name can demand that you pay damages and interest. Worse, they can order the publication of the ruling in newspapers to restore their reputation.
In summary:
You must check the availability of the chosen domain name, but also make sure it does not refer to a registered trademark. If the domain name you want represents a brand or a company name that you own, the check will simply tell you whether it is available. If not, you’ll need to take action and change your approach! We’ll come back to this later in the article… 😉
How to check a domain name's availability?
Before you start checking a domain name, remember to follow these 3 steps:
1. List several options
Your brand, company name, or simply your desired name may not be available. To cover all possibilities, list several variations of your ideal domain name.
For example, if you run an e-commerce store specializing in tableware called "Vaisselle & co", you could define a list like:
- Vaisselleandco
- Tableware & Co.
- Tableware-and-co
- Store-vaisselleandco
2. Select the extension
Ideally, which extension do you want to obtain? .fr, .com, .shop or another? And how important is that extension?
Perhaps your ideal domain name won’t be available as .fr, but it will be as .com. It’s up to you to determine how important that is for your business.
3. Choose the right tool
There are several ways to find out if the chosen domain name is available. The simplest method is to type it into your search engine. You can also search the domain in Whois Lookup.
If you’ve already selected your host, they will surely offer a search tool to check whether your domain name is available.
But if you need more advanced features, go to the next paragraph!
Domain name checking tools
Do you want to check the different available extensions (.fr, .com, .org, etc.)? Get inspiration and ideas in case your perfect domain name is already taken?
It’s best to use one of these tools:
Domain.com
Domain.com represents one of the largest domain registrars on the market. Since its launch in 1998, it has registered more than a million websites!
Its search tool lets you check a domain name's availability very easily. Just go to the website and enter the keywords or phrase you want to reserve. Here is an example with the search 'organic muesli':
Apparently, an organic muesli brand could easily reserve the domain muesli-bio.com to host its website.
Bluehost
Bluehost is one of the largest web hosting companies in the world. It works like Domain.com, but offers an additional option to refine your search by the extension of your choice.
If your domain name is already taken, several suggestions are offered, like here:
Since domain names containing only the word 'dresses' are almost all taken, the tool suggests new ideas like 'robesboutique', 'robesstudio', 'creativerobes' or 'rob3s'.
NameWink
The main function of NameWink is to help you find a name for your brand or business. From a keyword or phrase, it generates new ideas while showing you the availability of the corresponding domain name. It's very handy, especially if you're out of ideas!
Name.com
On Name.comyou can filter the results of your search by manually entering a domain name.
But its strength is offering a list of domain names that are expiring and may become available for purchase within the next five days.
You can then monitor the domain names that interest you and try placing an initial offer before they hit the market!
What to do if your domain name is already taken?
You checked your domain name and found it's already taken? Don't panic — there are still ways to get a URL that represents your business.
Better describe your offering in the domain name
Did you know that until 2016, Tesla didn't own Tesla.com? Instead, they used TeslaMotor.com. By slightly modifying the domain name, the word "Motor" became a natural extension of their brand.
This approach has the advantage of preserving your URL's credibility. For example, if you sell software, you can add the word "app" to your domain name. The important thing is to find a keyword that matches your brand or the services you offer.
Another solution is to add your city or country name to the domain. That will also help you optimize your local SEO strategy!
Play with the spelling
A dash placed subtly in your domain name is enough to change an address that's already taken.
For example, if bonsplans.com is already registered, you can use bons-plans.com.
You can also use abbreviations in your domain name or simply use your brand's initials or acronym. This technique can increase your chances of finding an available extension, whether .fr or .com (the most sought-after in France).
Add a distinguishing word
Like the dash, a definite or indefinite article ("the" or "a/an") can make the difference in your domain name. Just add it at the beginning.
You can also append a verb like "buy", "discover", or "contact" to your URL. This technique works well if you sell a product or provide a specific service.
For example, "contact-plumber-paris" is a relevant domain name with strong SEO potential.
Change the extension
If the domain name you want isn't available with the preferred extension, you can simply change the extension. Opt for .net, for example.
There are popular extensions like .biz or .info, and newer ones like .club and .shop. Other extensions like .tech, .wine, .style are tied to specific industries and can help you secure your ideal domain name.
If necessary, you can also choose an extension specific to your country (e.g., .fr for France).
Monitor the availability of the desired domain name
If none of the techniques above convince you, you can always wait for your desired domain to expire. Check the WHOIS database to verify its expiration date.
However, you should know that if it's actively used by its owner, they will renew the registration. If it's a parked domain, though, you might be able to buy it right after the current registration expires.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee when you wait for a domain name to expire. You can never know the owner's plans. Two options are available to you: offer to buy it or choose a different name!
You now know how to check a domain name's availability to find the URL that will best represent your business!
