Choosing a domain name is a key step toward getting your own #IndieWeb site. Like choosing an account name (chat, email, Mastodon) but global, feels more personal, and like more of a commitment. Six tips: 1. Use some form of your name (given & family), so you have a chance of having your site and posts show up when people search for you 2. Or a made-up nickname that fits you now and into the future 3. Something easily memorable, speakable, & spellable to better tell people in-person or on the phone (i.e. avoid "cute" or "weird" spellings like dropping vowels) 4. Use https://domai.nr/ to quickly try variants 5. Try to get a .com .net or .org, which are still seen as more legitimate. A .me is ok, as is your country/region (e.g. .us .uk .eu etc. see https://indieweb.org/ccTLD for more examples) 6. Shorter is better for many reasons: https://indieweb.org/short-domains Once you find an available name, choose a domain registrar, which is like choosing a phone company, except there are more of them. Some recommendations: https://indieweb.org/personal-domain#Domain_Registrars Got questions, or want more tips & opinions? Ask in https://chat.indieweb.org/ — you’ll get a lot of sympathy & support as nearly everyone there has gone through this process, and many are eager to share their experiences to make it easier for new folks. https://indieweb.org/naming is hard, it’s ok to ask for help. This is day 4 of #100DaysOfIndieWeb #100Days ← Day 3: https://tantek.com/2023/003/t1/indieweb-path-chosen-why → Day 5: https://tantek.com/2023/005/t3/indieweb-simpler-approach

Choosing a domain name is a key step toward getting your own #IndieWeb site. Like choosing an account name (chat, email, Mastodon) but global, feels more personal, and like more of a commitment. Six tips:

1. Use some form of your name (given & family), so you have a chance of having your site and posts show up when people search for you
2. Or a made-up nickname that fits you now and into the future
3. Something easily memorable, speakable, & spellable to better tell people in-person or on the phone (i.e. avoid "cute" or "weird" spellings like dropping vowels)
4. Use https://domai.nr/ to quickly try variants
5. Try to get a .com .net or .org, which are still seen as more legitimate. A .me is ok, as is your country/region (e.g. .us .uk .eu etc. see https://indieweb.org/ccTLD for more examples)
6. Shorter is better for many reasons: https://indieweb.org/short-domains

Once you find an available name, choose a domain registrar, which is like choosing a phone company, except there are more of them. Some recommendations: https://indieweb.org/personal-domain#Domain_Registrars

Got questions, or want more tips & opinions?

Ask in https://chat.indieweb.org/ — you’ll get a lot of sympathy & support as nearly everyone there has gone through this process, and many are eager to share their experiences to make it easier for new folks.

https://indieweb.org/naming is hard, it’s ok to ask for help.

This is day 4 of #100DaysOfIndieWeb #100Days

← Day 3: https://tantek.com/2023/003/t1/indieweb-path-chosen-why
→ Day 5: https://tantek.com/2023/005/t3/indieweb-simpler-approach