Choosing a domain
How to choose a domain name for a UK business
.co.uk or .com, brand or keyword, hyphens or not — the decisions that matter and the ones that do not.
Steady Editorial Team 7 min read Updated 16 July 2026beginner
Brandable beats keyword-stuffed
Domains such as cheap-plumbers-manchester-24h.co.uk once helped rankings. They now mostly signal a business that will not be around in five years, and they are painful to say over the phone. Choose a name you can build a brand on and let the pages do the keyword work.
.co.uk or .com?
| Extension | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .co.uk | UK-focused businesses | Strong local trust signal, widely recognised |
| .uk | Shorter alternative | Often taken by the .co.uk holder already |
| .com | International or online-first | Register defensively if affordable |
| Niche TLDs | Specific sectors | Fine, but check your audience will trust it |
The radio test
- Can you say it once and have it spelled correctly?
- Does it avoid awkward letter joins when written without spaces?
- Is it under about fifteen characters?
- Does it survive being read out on a voicemail?
Protect it once registered
After registration
- Turn on auto-renew and keep a card on file
- Enable transfer lock
- Keep the registrant email address current — expiry notices go there
- Register obvious misspellings only if the brand warrants it
- Keep the domain in the business's own account, not an agency's
Frequently asked questions
- Is .co.uk better than .com for UK businesses?
- For a business serving UK customers, .co.uk is usually the better primary domain: it is trusted locally and more likely to be available. Register the .com as well if you can.
- Do keywords in a domain help SEO?
- Barely. Google ranks pages on their content and relevance; an exact-match domain provides little advantage and can limit your brand.
- Can I change my domain later?
- Yes, with 301 redirects from every old URL to its new equivalent. Expect a temporary dip in visibility, so it is worth getting the choice right first time.
Found the right name?
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