Why Choose A Llc Domain
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Register a domain that matches your existing business or secure the name of your future business idea ahead of time by taking advantage of this new namespace.
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Use a domain ending that is an exact match for your brands name by registering a domain like yourcompany.llc.
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.LLC domains are available for anyone, so you can register yours right away without having to fill out paperwork or go through any special processes.
If you ever started a business, you probably recognize the letters “LLC”. Limited Liability Corporations are a very popular business structure that is favored by millions of small to medium sized business all over the world. An integral part of starting any new business is establishing a web presence. The .LLC domain space will help businesses of all sizes continue to grow.
What Is A Dba Name
A DBA or Doing Business As, is a name that a business entity is operating under and is different from the legal name of the business.
DBAs are most commonly used by sole proprietorships and general partnerships as most states require the use of a DBA when the business operates under a name that is different from the owners full first and last name. The DBA filing commonly takes place at the county level through the County Clerks Office. There is often a requirement to run a legal notice in a local newspaper that has circulation in the county where the business is located.
LLCs and corporations register a business name when the entity is formed, but there are occasions when they will want to legally operate under a fictitious name. Registration takes place at the state level with the Secretary of State .
Related: When Do I Need to Register a DBA?
Buying A Domain Name With An Uncommon Extension
You might have purchased a domain name with an uncommon extension such as .biz or .us because .com was already taken. In this case, I would say to you, dont settle for sloppy seconds, get a dot-com. Why dot-com? Because this is the most recognized domain name extension visitors often assume a website will end with. So go with the flow, dont cause them to stumble to your competitors site because they had dot-com and you had dot-something-else.
My advice is: if someone has your dot-com, get something unique, perhaps a keyword rich domain name, as Ill talk about later. For others, depending on what you do, alternative extensions are a good idea. The following are some great options if you fit the category:
- .gov for government entities
- something that cant easily be misspelled
- a name without hyphens
Even though some successful companies have misspelled domain names, it doesnt mean it works for everyone. Youre taking a risk when you purposely misspell your name.
Also Check: Squarespace With Godaddy
Llcs: Do You Always Need To Add The Word Llc To Your Company Name
This article is not a legal advice, and was written for general informational purposes only. If you have questions or comments about the article or are interested in learning more about this topic, feel free to contact its author, Arina Shulga. Ms. Shulga is the founder of Shulga Law Firm, P.C., a New York-based boutique law firm specializing in advising individual and corporate clients on aspects of business, corporate, securities, and intellectual property law.4:17 PM
Do You Need An Llc For Your Domain Registration Business
It is recommended that most businesses form an LLC, though each business is different.
With the increased importance of having a website for your businesses , it has never been more important to register your website with a domain name.
Domain registration businesses are involved in the process of doling out and maintaining website domain names for their clients.
Domain registration business owners should consider the following factors when deciding if an LLC is the right choice:
- Level of risk
- Credibility and consumer trust
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Domain Seo Case Study: Highervisibility Finds Majority Of Top Page Results Include Keywords
In response to these questions, HigherVisibility conducted a domain SEO study and found some interesting and surprising results. They first hypothesized that the importance of keywords in domain names for SEO differs depending on industry. Then, using WordStream, they identified the top 10 keywords for 10 major industries. From there, a variety of SEO tools were used to analyze the URLs and top page results across industries.
Do’s And Don’ts Of Securing A Domain Name
Consider these six tips from small-business owners and experts before deciding on a website name.
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Navigating the world of domain names can be a daunting task if you’re not up to speed on how to get one. With countless caveats and hosting companies out there, it’s easy to be overwhelmed or worse, make a mistake that could ultimately cripple your business.Consider these do’s and don’ts from small-business owners and experts to help secure your company’s domain name.Do: Include a location or keywords in your domain name, if you can.
If your business focuses on a geographic region, try to put the location into the name of your domain, says Jean Bedord, a Silicon Valley-based search consultant and author of the book I’ve Got a Domain Name–Now What??? When Mikalai Krivenko needed a domain for his painting business in Hoboken, N.J., in 2009, his son Yuriy, a Jersey City, N.J.-based search-optimization specialist, suggested he put “Hoboken” in the name. For $11, Krivenko bought hobokenpainter.com, which shows up at the top of keyword searches that include “Hoboken” and “painter.” Whether it’s location, or what your company does, Krivenko advises: “Put the most important keyword for your industry in the domain name.”
Related:
Related: Protecting Your Business with a Trademark
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What Do I Do With The Assignment Do I Need To Send It Anywhere
You dont need to send the Assignment anywhere. Meaning, you dont need to send it to your domain name registrar, the state, the IRS, or anywhere else.
You simply need to keep a copy with your business records. Itll serve as proof of the transfer of ownership if there was ever a dispute or audit in the future.
We recommend keeping a digital copy on your computer and printing out a physical copy as well.
Should You Register A Business Name Or Domain First
Before you register a business name you should search which domain names that you like are available or if they are on sale at a good price. If the website is a crucial part of your business then you should register the domain name right away since it is the easier part.
Registering a business name and open your new company should be more time-consuming than getting a domain name in most countries. There is no paperwork or face to face interaction when you register a new domain.
You can bulk check multiple domains at once since almost all the websites that sell domains have a tool like that. Dont search one by one because you will probably see the message that domain is taken and this is discouraging. Create a list with many domains before you actually check if they are available.
If you rely mostly on the mouth to mouth marketing and referrals then a website is not so crucial for your revenue. For example, if you run a small coffee shop then probably people around your area are your main clients. You dont rely on your website to attract new customers.
For those that are not sure about the value of a domain name, lets see what Mark Zuckerberg mentioned some years ago for a mistake he did:
*This part is from an old interview at Startup School
They ended up paying 200,000$ for facebook.com but if they had purchased in the beginning the price would be significantly cheaper. Facebook is an online business so a domain name is really crucial.
Also Check: How Much Do Domains Cost Per Year
How To Buy An Llc Name
Want to reserve your name before someone else grabs it?
Lets say youve come up with a fabulous name, and you cant see your business running under any other name. Youve done your homework and confirmed its up for grabs for now.
To make sure someone doesnt swoop in and snatch up the name before youre ready to register your LLC, you can reserve the name with your state. You can do that by filing a name reservation request form with your states Office of the Secretary.
You usually have to pay a fee to make such a reservation. In many states, the fee is quite small as little as $10. In some states, you can file the reservation request online in others, you have to mail or hand deliver it.
Depending on the state, the Secretary of State will reserve the name for anywhere from 60 to 120 days, and in many states, you can renew the reservation. During the reservation period, youre the only one who can file articles of organization under that name.
Other than the filing fee to reserve a name, you shouldnt have to pay to use an LLC name. Itll simply be included in the articles of organization for your company, which come with their own filing fees.
You may have to pay a fee if you want to protect your businesss name with a registered trademark.
Keywords Broken Down By Industry
The study was broken down by each individual industry to show the most common domain name keywords in the top page results, as well as which websites ranked the best domain names included. The percentages following the keywords refer to how many of the top businesses used that specific keyword in their URL:
This information is invaluable for your company if you fall within one of the industries that show its valuable for your SEO to include keywords in your website domain name.
Instead of relying on trial and error to determine which keyword might be worth including, HigherVisibility has provided extensively researched information that takes the guesswork out of domain name construction for SEO.
Put study results into practice to choose a domain name for SEO
Using the list of 10 high-performing keywords provided by the study, all you have to do is figure out which one relate to your website content the best. You can also use the list of top page results to see how other successful companies have gone about incorporating keywords into their domain names.
Start your domain name search here:
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Which Domain Name Registrars To Use
It makes a lot of sense to both register your domains and host your website in the country you are doing business in. This ensures that you will adhere to applicable rules in that country and that you will also use the correct top level domain registrar for that country.
Likewise, there usually is no good reason to register a domain name overseas. This particularly applies to U.S.-based com and org domains. Prices and service are competitive within the U.S., and it may be more difficult to transfer your domain to another register if it is registered overseas.
There are a large number of domain registrars, and you need to be very selective when choosing a domain registrar. Here are a few pitfalls:
ECS will research available domain names and will work with you to select the best domain names for your organization. Our experience is invaluable – check with us before you register a domain name on your own. ECS has been retained to regain control of lost and stolen domain names. As a service, ECS registers most of our clients’ domains – correctly, under the client’s ownership. Contact Elbel Consulting Services for more information about registering your domain name.
Should You Trademark Your Domain Name
For legal issues, you need always to consult a legal professional and the government entities responsible for each regulation. I will summarize here what I read on uspto.gov . A similar approach is followed in every country with small differences.
1.) A domain name and a trademark are different things.
2.) A trademark identifies goods or services as being from a particular source .
3.) Use of a domain name only as part of a web addressdoes not qualify as source-indicating trademark use, though other prominent use apart from the web address may qualify as trademark use.
4.)When you register a domain name with a domain name registrar does not give you any trademark rights instantly.
5.) Even if a domain is available you should always check if there is an existing trademark that relates to it. **For example, adidas-nice-shoes.comis available to register but if Adidas finds out that you use it then they can get it from you legally.
**Source: uspto.gov Basic Facts About Trademarks
Final Words
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How To Name Your Llc: Legal Regulations & Rules
Every US State has slightly different rules regarding LLC names, however, these legal regulations and rules are common to the majority of States.
State differences tend to be slight such as allowing different abbreviations for LLC such as L.L.C. or L.C. Some states list more disallowed professional terms if unrelated including Underwriters, Surety, Trust, Insurance, Realtor and Attorney.
Wondering if your domain name and business name should match?
Should I Put Llc In My Domain Name
Lets say your business is called Haverford Dog Walking and you form an LLC called Haverford Dog Walking, LLC.
Now youre wondering what your domain name should be:
Should it be www.HaverfordDogWalking.com?
Or should it be www.HaverfordDogWalkingLLC.com?
Check out our Business Domain Name Guide for tips on picking a domain name and a step-by-step guide to buying the domain name through GoDaddy.
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