A Comprehensive Guide to Selecting a Blog Domain Name for Your Side Hustle

Your blog’s domain name is more than just an address – it’s a crucial part of your brand identity and a gateway to your online presence.

A well-chosen domain name that reflects your brand can make your side hustle stand out from the crowd, in what is a very competitive market.

So too, it can help you attract your target audience, and set you up for long-term success.

In this guide, we’ll explore everything you need to know about selecting the perfect domain name for your blog, from the importance of niche relevance to the pitfalls of complex formats.

By the end, you’ll be equipped to choose a domain that represents your brand and supports your goals!

Why is a Good Domain Name Important?

Before we explore the dos and don’ts of selecting a domain name, it will help to clear up some of the reasons why choosing a good one is so important.

As we know, a domain name is more than just the web address for your blog; it’s a critical aspect of your online identity. A well-chosen domain name enhances credibility, helps attract the right audience, and ensures your blog is memorable.

In the crowded online space – where there are thousands upon thousands of other blogs competing for clicks and traffic – first impressions really do count.

A good domain name is often the first thing potential visitors see. And for side hustlers, a domain name represents the essence of their brand. It communicates your niche, values, and the tone of your blog.

Whether you’re blogging to generate passive income or support a business venture, selecting the right domain can be the difference between blending in and standing out.

Consider our domain name – SideHustleBlueprint.co.uk. Immediately, this conveys clarity and purpose. For anyone who is visiting our blog for the first time, they’re going to immediately know the subject of the blog – side hustles – and have some idea of what we want to achieve.

It’s this instant recognition that’s so important when it comes to brand names, as it can often be the determining factor of whether or not a reader will visit your blog.

Best Practices for Selecting a Domain Name

Now that we know why selecting the right domain name is so important, it’s time to look at the essential best practices of how you do this.

In the following section, we’re going to explore the importance of aligning with your niche, prioritising branding over keywords, avoiding numbers, and much more.

1. Ensure Niche and Blog Name Relevance

The domain name you select should reflect the topic or industry of your blog, giving potential readers an idea as to what content you’ll be posting.

This helps with both SEO and audience targeting, making it clear what your blog is about before visitors even land on your site.

For example, a fitness blog could include terms like fit, health, or wellness in its domain, such as WellnessJourney.com. A niche-relevant name improves your search engine rankings, as keywords within the domain can slightly boost visibility.

However, be cautious not to choose something too narrow if you plan to expand your content scope in the future. For instance, instead of VeganRecipesForTwo.com, you could go with PlantBasedKitchen.com to allow flexibility.

This will still communicate to your audience what the blog and its content will be about, but will also provide avenues for expansion and diversification of content later down the line.

2. Prioritise Branding Over Keywords

While keywords can help with SEO, a strong brand name is often more valuable in the long run. A memorable and unique domain is easier for readers to recall, increasing the likelihood of direct traffic and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Think of big names like BuzzFeed or HuffPost – these domains aren’t keyword-heavy, but their branding is powerful. Even if you’ve never visited those websites, you’ve more than likely heard of them. That’s the power of branding.

Your domain should evoke your blog’s tone and mission. For example, a playful side hustle blog might use a quirky name like QuirkySideHustles.co.uk, whereas a professional blog might favour a sleek option like ElevateHustle.co.uk.

BONUS: Instead of relying on your domain name to help with SEO, there are plenty of other things you can do. For help with this, check out our free, 25-point SEO checklist!

3. Keep It Short and Simple

It should go without saying, but shorter domain names are easier to type, remember, and share. This means that, ideally, your domain should be no more than two or three words long.

Complicated or lengthy domains increase the risk of typos, which could lead visitors to incorrect sites or discourage them from returning.

For example, MySideHustleJourneyToFinancialIndependence.com is unnecessarily long, whereas SideHustleBlueprint.co.uk is concise and memorable.

4. Avoid Numbers, Hyphens, and Uncommon Spellings in your Domain Name

Numbers and hyphens often confuse visitors. They can make your domain harder to verbalise and look much less professional in appearance. Additionally, uncommon spellings may seem creative but can lead to errors in search or typing.

You can get around this if you have an established brand, as people will already be aware of the unusual spelling. But, if you’re just starting out, and building a brand from scratch, your best approach is to stick with regular spellings that are going to be easy to understand.

This means sticking to standard, clean formats is by far the best option. For instance, TechTipsDaily.com is preferable to Tech-Tips-4U.com.

5. Choose the Right Extension (.co.uk, .com, etc.)

Your domain extension matters. While .com is the most recognised and trusted, .co.uk is ideal for UK-based blogs targeting a local audience. Other extensions like .org or .net can work, but they may dilute your brand if not used strategically.

For side hustlers, it’s often best to secure multiple extensions to prevent copycats and expand branding opportunities. For example, if you own SideHustlePlanner.co.uk, consider purchasing the .com and .net versions as well.

This isn’t essential to do right at the start of your blogging journey, but is something to consider once your brand starts growing.

6. Test for Availability and Uniqueness

Before you fall in love with a domain, ensure it’s available and not already trademarked. Use tools like GoDaddy or Namecheap to check domain availability. Also, research whether your desired name is already in use on social media platforms to avoid branding conflicts.

For example, if you’re set on a name, make sure to confirm that corresponding usernames are available for platforms like Instagram and X (FKA Twitter). Consistency across channels reinforces your brand identity.

7. Future-Proof Your Domain Name

Your side hustle might start as a small project, but it could grow into a significant business. Choose a domain that will scale with you. Avoid being overly specific or tied to trends that might lose relevance.

For example, 2024SideHustleIdeas.co.uk might work now but will become outdated quickly. Instead, a timeless domain like SideHustleBlueprint.co.uk ensures long-term appeal.

8. Use a Domain Name Generator for Inspiration

If you’re struggling to find the perfect domain name can use tools like NameMesh for inspiration. This type of tool combines keywords and topics to suggest creative combinations, helping you brainstorm unique options.

If you do use this option – which there’s absolutely nothing wrong with by the way – it’s important to consider all the things we’ve explored in this article. Whilst those tools may give you a domain name that you like the look of, they may not adhere to the best practices we’ve covered.

Conclusion

Choosing the right domain name is a crucial step in building a successful side hustle blog.

By focusing on niche relevance, branding, simplicity, and scalability, you can secure a domain that reflects your blog’s mission and resonates with your audience. Remember, the domain name is often the first thing people will see, so it needs to align with your mission, brand, and content.

If you’re serious about starting a blog, selecting a domain name is just one step. In our ultimate guide to starting a side hustle blog that will generate passive income, we explore each step in detail to help you get up and running!

Like this content? Pin it!

---