Do You Put Llc In Your Name
Legally you need to make people aware that you are an LLC, but do you place that in your logo or just append that to all of your legal naming items, Ie. TOS etc.Mark
I think putting it in your logo is entirely unnecessary.
To me it seems like most companies just shove it somewhere unnoticeable at the bottom of their site, while “new” ones that just got their LLC like to flaunt it everywhere possible
You might also want to think about how you want to portray yourself because flaunting LLC will definitely wave small business flag which could be good or bad for you.
Originally Posted by energizeditLegally you need to make people aware that you are an LLC, but do you place that in your logo or just append that to all of your legal naming items, Ie. TOS etc.MarkYou can do whatever you want. If you don’t want to include the entity type at the end of your name you may need to file for a fictitious name in the area you conduct business in. Originally Posted by Atelra-RobYou might also want to think about how you want to portray yourself because flaunting LLC will definitely wave small business flag which could be good or bad for you.There are plenty of large companies which are structured as an LLC. Chrysler comes to mind right away, I know there are others…
When Your Business Name And Domain Name Should Not Match
Listed below are situations where matching your domain name and business name are not recommended.
- Your company name is long or contains foreign words
- Your company name is difficult to remember, spell and pronounce
- Your business name is easily confused with other companies
- Your business is built around a brand name that is different than your legal company name
- You want to promote specific products or market topics keywords
FYI: If you want to change the name on an existing website it IS possible. Read my article showing you the steps on how to switch your domain name on all popular platforms such as Bluehost, GoDaddy, Shopify, Wix and Squarespace.
Wondering if your LLC name has to match your business name?Read my answer complete with tips on LLC names and links to all 50 States LLC name search lookups
Keep Your Domain Name And Website Up And Running
Domain names play a crucial on the virtual marketplace. Choosing a creative domain name is a time-consuming and important aspect of giving your business the tools to thrive. Such an investment is essential for success, which is why a domain name expiration can be a demoralizing and business-crippling issue, that is only made worse if a competitor manages to snatch up your domain name. All the time and effort spent on building that brand and linking it to the domain name might be all for naught.
The best way to prevent this issue is to do everything in your power to prevent such a disaster from occurring in the first place. This includes regularly checking your email and spam folders for renewal notices, setting personal alerts of expiration, always ensuring that your domains billing info is up to date, and setting your account to auto-renew. If you take the right steps, you can save yourself a serious headache, so, do not be anything less than proactive when it comes to one of your domain names possibly expiring. With the right infrastructure in place, this should never be an issue!
Domain.com has the tools you need to continue building your business into a success.
Kristin Crabb
Content Marketing Strategist working in the digital marketing industry. Skilled in SEO-focused content creation, keyword research and competitive analysis, interactive content, web content optimization, and landing page creation.
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Have An Authoritative Email Address
Buying a domain isn’t just about websitesyou can also use them for email addresses. This means, instead of an address that ends with gmail.com or outlook.com, email addresses can end with a domain owned by your company.
You can read about , but it boils down to a few key points.
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Branding. Emails look like they’re coming from your company, not from a free email service. This looks more professional.
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Control. You can give employees an address ending with @companyname.com, which you can take control of should they leave the company.
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Flexibility. You can point your domain to any email service, meaning you can switch email providers without having to inform all of your customers about a new email address.
Need an email host? Check out our list of .
Make It Easy For Customers To Find You
People have short memoriesthey aren’t going to remember a long web address. Try telling someone your company’s website is at yourbusiness.wix.com and you might have to explain that, yes, there’s a dot in the middle and, yes, Wix is spelled W-I-X. It’s an extra step you’ll have to take every time someone asks what your website is. Not to mention it’s not as pretty on a business card.
Buy a domain name, though, and you don’t have this problem. You can just tell people to head to yourbusiness.com, and you’re done. That alone is worth so much more than $15 a year.
Of course, buying a domain isn’t all you need to have a website the domain name is just the address. You’ll also need to buy so that your website can live on a computer somewhere, and a web host will end up costing you upwards of $100 a year. But here’s the catch: not everyone who runs a business has a website. You might only have a Facebook Page or Google Maps listing. Even if that’s the case, you should still get a domain name.
In the short term, this gives people an easy way to find your profile on those services. You can also use the domain name for a future website, if you think you might build one later. Domains are cheap, and redirects are easy to set up. Just buy the domain name, then look for the “Forward” option offered by your domain name service.
Also Check: How To Get A .io Domain
What To Do If Your Business Matching Domain Name Is Unavailable
Help, my business domain name is taken? What should I do?
These days it is hard to find a matching domain web name to your firms name because over 250 million domain site names are already registered! No worries. I have great tips on how to get an awesome domain name below:
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: Find Email Server For Domain
Get Help Forming Your Llc
At the end of the day, the business name you choose and how you use it is incredibly important. It can potentially save you from lawsuits, build your credibility and trust with consumers and allow you to stand out from competitors. Let Incfile help you form your LLC. We’ll provide guidance on business names and ensure you are legally compliant in all aspects of starting your business.
Lisa Crocco
Lisa Crocco is a marketer for an international food manufacturer by day and a freelance writer/marketer for startups and small businesses by night. She’s written for outlets like USA Today College, Career Contessa, CloudPeeps and Fairygodboss.
Avoid Hyphens And Numbers
Remember how your domain name should be easy to spell and pronounce? Hyphens and numbers make it more difficult.
Imagine explaining Facebook if it had a hyphen in there
Have you seen this new site Face-Book? Theres a hyphen in there by the way, between the Face and the Book.
Facebook might not have spread so quickly if that was the case.
The bottom line? Your domain name should be smooth and punchy hyphens and numbers get in the way of that.
Stick to the letters!
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Should I Start An Llc Faq
Which is better for my domain registration business an LLC or sole proprietorship?
Choosing the right business structure depends on your businesss unique circumstances and needs. However, unless your business is very low risk , an LLC is likely the better option.
Visit our LLC vs. Sole Proprietorship guide to learn more.
How much does an LLC cost for a domain registration business?
The cost of an LLC depends on which state you form your LLC in. The primary cost of forming an LLC for your domain registration business is the state filing fee. This fee ranges from $40 to $500 depending on your state. You can read more details in our How Much Does It Cost to Start an LLC guide.
How is an LLC taxed?
LLC taxation depends on if you operate a single-member or multi-member LLC as well as your LLC tax classification.
Read our LLC Tax Guide for more information.
How do I pay myself from my domain registration LLC?
How LLC owners pay themselves depends on how the LLC is taxed, the number of members, and any agreements regarding profit sharing and sweat equity.
Visit our How Do I Pay Myself From My LLC to learn more.
What is limited liability protection?
Limited liability protection is one of the benefits of an LLC. It means that the owners personal assets are protected if the company is sued or goes into debt.
Visit our corporate veil guide to learn more about maintaining your LLC’s limited liability protection.
Is an LLC good for a domain registration business?
Use Domain Name Generators When Stuck
At this point, you should have at least a general idea of some possible words to put in your domain. Some of those words may already be taken, trademarked, or just dont have the sound youre looking for.
Thats where domain name generators come into play. These generators can turn your ideas into fresh, available domains.
Here are some of our favorite domain name generators to try out:
Don’t Miss: Cost To Register Domain Name
Failure To Use Full Llc Name
Sometimes it may seem preferable to shorten the name of the company for marketing purposes, dropping the “LLC” or other reference to the form of business. However, doing so could place the owners in jeopardy. A judge may determine that this is evidence the business did not operate as an LLC. As a result, the members might be personally responsible for the debts or other liabilities of the business. The primary purpose of creation is to limit the liability of the members, but they must take steps to preserve that limited liability. It’s always best practice to use the full legal name.
State laws require the term LLC or a similar abbreviation to appear in the name of the business when filing the articles of organization. Check with the appropriate office, often the Secretary of State, to determine whether the name you would like to use for your business is available. Always use the full legal name of your company to ensure that a court can treat it as an LLC in any future lawsuit. This helps avoid personal liability for all members.
This portion of the site is for informational purposes only. The content is not legal advice. The statements and opinions are the expression of author, not LegalZoom, and have not been evaluated by LegalZoom for accuracy, completeness, or changes in the law.
Ready to start your LLC?
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.
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