Choosing a domain name for your Shopify store is an important step, and it's not straightforward.
The name of your Shopify store will tell the world what your business is about. If it looks professional and is easy to remember, you are halfway there. You want people to find you easily, and the first step toward that goal is the right name for your store.
Your store name represents your brand and is important for the store's ranking on Google and other search engines.
If you choose to host your shop on Shopify’s domain, your store's URL will look something like this: MYSTORENAME.shopify.com.
It doesn't look as professional as the URL of an independent store. Register your domain with another host and then transfer it to Shopify.
It's recommended for Shopify shop owners to opt for the .Com Domain Extension rather than .net or .org. It is the most used extension, so if a person is looking for a store like yours online, they'll most like type .com in the URL.
Keep your domain name as short as possible, so it's easy to remember. Try not to use more than 16 characters. Think of the ones you know by heart – they are probably short and simple.
Choose a name that is easy on the tongue. You can even choose something with your name on it, which will help you build your brand. The point is, your name should help you stand out from the crowd.
Adding a keyword to your Shopify shop name is a great marketing ploy to let people know what your business is about. It is also great for SEO.
For example, if you want to sell keto recipes, you can name your store something like ketorecipies.com, which makes the purpose of your business clear.
It is notoriously difficult to find a domain name that is good and has not already been taken, so many people resort to adding a letter to a word to make the name unique.
For instance, ddenverquilts.com may be a unique name, but it will confuse people.
Don't use numbers or hyphens in your domain name. They are difficult to remember, and spammers tend to use them.
Since there are already 370 million domain names registered, you are in for an almost impossible task. Make use of a domain name generator to generate a domain name for you. Shopify also has one.
Once you have come up with a name, check if it's not already registered. If it isn't, register it as soon as possible before someone else takes it.
Changing your store's name is not a decision that you should take lightly. The step can cost you in Google ranking, customers, and sales.
However, sometimes there are legitimate reasons for changing a Shopify store name. Let's look at some of them.
This is a valid reason for changing a business name. Rebranding may be necessary when:
Store owners may need to rename their business when their offering has changed and grown.
For instance, if the store's name is Amanda's Socks, but you now also sell slippers and sleepwear, you might need to change the name, so it is a true representation of what you offer.
It's understandable that you might want to change a store's name when you become the owner since you probably want to put your own stamp on it.
If your shop has a similar name to another online store, it can cause endless problems for store owners and customers. In this case, it might be wise to change your store's name.
Keep in mind that you can only change your myshopify URL once. Also, make a note of your original myshopify.com URL, as you will still need it to log into your store. You will also need it when you need to work with the Shopify support team.
You can rename your Shopify store and change a myshopify.com store URL.
It is wise to choose your store name at the outset carefully, but if you find that you have to change it, the process is not complicated.
Are you planning to migrate your store? If you are planning a migration, consider the Cart2Cart Shopping Cart Migration tool for this purpose. Cart2Cart is an advanced automated migration tool that transfers all your data to another platform quickly, and securely.