When you start an LLC, it’s  an exciting time for a business owner, but it can also be daunting. There’s a lot to think about, from paperwork and certification to registration and more.

We’re making the process as simple as possible in this six-step guide. We’ll take you through the LLC journey from picking a name to registration and forming your LLC. It’s important to note that how you start an LLC will depend on the state you’re in, so check local legislation as you go.

In this article:

6 steps to create a business

1. Choose a business name
2. Find a registered agent
3. Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number)
4. File the Articles of Organization (Certificate of Formation)
5. Create an Operating Agreement for your LLC
6. Additional things to consider when creating an LLC

More about the LLC

1. Choose a business name

Every business needs a name. Before registering your business, make sure the matching domain name is available. The last thing you want is to choose a name to find it’s already in use or trademarked.

Enter your desired domain into the search bar and hit Buy It. If the domain is available, it’ll be there for sale; if it isn’t, GoDaddy will provide options that might inspire you.

An available domain indicates that the business name is available, but do your due diligence and check via registration offices.

There may also be state restrictions on words you can use within your business name. Restricted words might include ‘bank,’ ‘trust’, ‘trustee’,’ or ‘corporation.’ Basically, your business name must reflect your business and not be misleading.

Once you’ve confirmed your business name is available for use, you can buy a domain, choose a web hosting plan and create your website for your own online business.

For more information on the importance of domains, check out the video below.

2. Find a registered agent

Appointing a registered agent is a must-do in the process of starting an LLC in most states. Your registered agent will generally need to have a physical address in the state in which your LLC is registering.

The role of the LLC registered agent is to pass important documentation to key personnel within the LLC. Your registered agent will forward documentation such as legal notices and tax forms. Your registered agent should notify you of any legal issues at your earliest convenience. It’s an important role and if someone within the company is going to take it, they need to be diligent.

In many cases, the option for a registered agent service is highly desirable. This way, you can hire someone (or a company) to handle the legal and administrative tasks of being a registered agent. Hiring someone is especially useful if there’s no one qualified or happy to take on that role within the LLC. Or, if there’s no physical address within the state the company is registering in.

3. Get an EIN (Employer Identification Number)

Your EIN (Employer Identification Number) is a unique number given to you by the IRS. It is essential for many types of activities, including opening a business account, hiring employees, filing taxes (the EIN is used to identify the business), applying for licenses and permits, and more.

Essentially your EIN proves you’re an established business.

4. File the Articles of Organization (Certificate of Formation)

Your Articles of Organization (aka. Certification of Formation) is a form that you can pick up from the state’s Secretary of State.

You will need to file the form and provide the information required. Each state has its own form so it’s important to make sure you’ve picked up the correct one. You can expect to fill out your typical information, such as the company name, business address, names and addresses of the LLC owners.

When it comes to submitting the form, you may need to pay a filing fee. The fee will vary between states. You might find it’s as little as $50, but it can cost around $100 and more.

5. Create an Operating Agreement for your LLC

Your Operating Agreement is a bit like a contract between owners. The document is legally binding and outlines how the LLC will be managed. Importantly, the Operating Agreement is in place to outline how profit and losses are shared.

Although the Operating Agreement is a legal document, you can see how this agreement could be used to resolve potential future conflicts. The agreement means that all owners are aligned on some of the most important aspects of starting an LLC.

When creating this agreement, it can be helpful to work with a lawyer.

6. Additional things to consider when creating an LLC

Finally, take a moment to think about any other items that are state-specific, or necessary to start your LLC with the best possible foundations.

Some extra considerations might include:

• Setting up a business bank account. Although a separate account to manage business finances is best practice for any business, when you start an LLC, you want to be especially diligent in keeping your personal finances from your business finances. This will make tax returns infinitely less confusing, and you must remember, with an LLC, you have a business that is a separate entity from you, so it will have its own bank account.

• Obtain permits and licenses. You might need specific licensing and permits depending on your industry and location. Be sure to check that all your paperwork is neatly gathered and legally compliant.
• Registering to do business in other states. If you’re registered in one state but have assets or employees in other states, you may need to register to do business elsewhere. This is dependent on the states you’re working within. If you need to register in other states, you’ll need a registered agent there, too.

What are the benefits of an LLC?

There are benefits to starting an LLC, and below we’ve listed some of the most desirable reasons why you might want to switch to an LLC business model.

• Limited liability protection removes liability from you personally. Your business becomes its own entity, responsible for its own debts or legal obligations.
• Pass-through taxation allows owners to take earnings without paying tax first. The profits and losses pass through to the owners’ personal tax returns.
• Easy to form and maintain (especially now that you’ve read this article). LLCs can be set up in as little as six steps.
• Business credibility is developed from having a registered LLC business. It could even help secure higher ticket clients or help justify price increases.
• Transfer of ownership is easy and flexible for LLCs.

Your questions about starting an LLC, answered:

It’s common to have a lot of questions before deciding whether or not to make the leap into an LLC business. Here, we’re answering commonly asked questions.

What is the lifespan of an LLC?

The lifespan of an LLC varies, but some states require LLCs have a lifespan of 30 years. In some states, the lifespan of an LLC is indefinite and can continue until the owners dissolve it.

How do you make money with an LLC?

You can make money as part of an LLC as you would in any business. Your LLC might make money buying and selling products through selling services or offering memberships and subscriptions to customers.

The main difference is how you make money with an LLC. As the owner, you might also be contracted to work. So your LLC pays you a wage.

Should I pay myself a salary from my LLC?

You should seek financial support before deciding how to pay yourself through your LLC, but as above, there’s an option to pay for contracted hours for services benefitting the business. Or, as the owner, you can take distributions.

What is the downside of an LLC?

Managing an LLC requires some further work that could be perceived as a downside. For example, you will need to manage paperwork and filing differently. If you used to manage taxes alone, you might start considering an accountant to help manage your finances as you start an LLC.

Can I use my personal money for my LLC?

As a business owner, you can use personal money to fund an LLC. This is particularly common in the early days of starting an LLC.

Final thoughts on starting an LLC.

Owning and managing an LLC doesn’t stop with the six steps feature above. Once you know how to start an LLC, you must look after it and keep your new-found LLC in line with the state’s ongoing requirements. You’ll need to file reports and accounts accordingly. And on top of that, you must keep an eye out for potential changes in legislation.

Whilst it can feel overwhelming, there are attorneys and accountants to help you take the right steps when starting an LLC. And, when the time comes to managing new legislation, you’ll feel ready to tackle it when the time is right.

Starting a business in 2023 needn’t be overwhelming. I get it, there’s a lot to think about and as a new entrepreneur, there’s one thing on your mind: money. Can you afford it, will the business sustain you, how will you juggle your side hustle alongside your life commitments – maybe even another full-time job – exactly how much does it cost to start a business in 2023?

No doubt, there’s a lot to think about, but the more you think the more reasons you’ll find not to follow your dreams and that’s the last thing I want for you.

So, instead of overthinking, read through this comprehensive guide including a breakdown of startup costs and tips to manage costs at every step.

Fixed costs to start a business in 2023

The fixed costs of your startup will depend on the type of business. As a freelancer you can start up a business for $0, assuming you already own a PC and have access to Wi-Fi.

Businesses that need more involvement from operations, products or digital assets like websites may need to spend more.

The cost of your business will be unique, but you can use the guides below to determine how much it costs to start your dream business in 2023.

Domain, website or online store

The majority of startups need a website either to trade and receive enquiries online or for a presence in Google search and Google maps for local search.

That said, if you’re starting a service-based business you may be able to drum up business without a website by using social media platforms like LinkedIn. This is what I did for two years, keeping my start-up cost at $0.

To save the cost of a website, ecommerce stores can create shops on Etsy and pay minimal fees to upload products. Then, it’s just a commission on sales. Alternatively, you can start affiliate marketing on TikTok which costs nothing to set up.

While free alternatives are great, at some point your business will likely grow to a point where you want a more robust online presence. And ecommerce merchants should be prepared to source a point-of-sale (POS) system or technology allowing them to accept online payments.

For entrepreneurs who need a website, start by sourcing your domain and hosting.

In general, non-premium domains cost between $1 to $20, depending on the deal you are getting and the number of years you decide to register the domain for. To explore prices buy a domain and search for your desired website URL.

Tips for managing the cost of domains: you can cut costs by exploring cheaper domain suffixes. Generally, but not always, .com or .co.uk will be more expensive than .co, .io, .site, .shop. There are a lot of domain options so spend some time exploring suffixes and pricing.

Your website host is required to get your site on the internet and in front of customers. You’ll need to web hosting.

Tips for managing the cost of hosting: pay annually or for many years in advance to save money.

Website design and development

For those who need to create a website you can use drag-and-drop editors. This is perfect if you really want to cut costs. You can build brochure websites or use the online store builder if you’re starting with ecommerce.

If you’re not willing to create the website yourself, then don’t fret because there are affordable website design services to guarantee a website you (and your customers) will love. I’ve known entrepreneurs who started with websites that are quite affordable.

Tips for managing the cost of website design and build: if the thought of designing and developing a website is overwhelming, but you want to save costs, commit a couple of hours to creating a website with GoDaddy. I promise it’s easy and you might surprise yourself.

While you’re creating a website, consider creating a logo to display on your web pages and other brand collateral. Services like GoDaddy Logo Maker are free and let you quickly snag this key piece of branding.

Legal costs to register a business

Legal costs vary hugely between types of business and the required legal cover. If you’ve figured out how to create an LLC and you’re ready for the costs associated you can expect to pay anything from $485 to more than $1,000. Of course, this depends on what you can do yourself. More savvy start-ups may be able to tackle some of the legal requirements, thus saving money.

Tips for managing legal costs: consider the essentials. As a new business owner, it can be tempting to cover your business from every angle, but this may not be required at the very beginning. Consider what’s a must-have to start up, then take note of what you can purchase later and when it’s needed.

Marketing

Marketing is one of the most flexible costs when starting a business. The options are endless.

At the cheapest, GoDaddy can support your business from $85/month, but a more multi-channelled approach will cost $500/month*.

The good thing about marketing is that you can do a lot alone. If you’re happy to manage social media platforms to drum up business, you can do well without spending a penny. It is time-consuming so that time investment must be considered.

If you’re thinking about marketing your business with ads then you need to consider the cost of ads versus the benefit. Generally, it’s not useful to start with a budget that’s too small simply because you won’t get the data you need to decipher a good ads campaign from a bad one. Don’t start an ads campaign until you’re ready to commit.

Tips for managing marketing costs: choose your marketing channels carefully, and do your research to find out which one is likely to have the biggest impact. It’s better to cover fewer channels well than many channels poorly. After all, you can always scale once you’ve nailed one platform.

Variable costs to start a business in 2023

Some prices are incredibly variable depending on location and the needs of the business. These items are listed below.

Physical location

The beauty of starting a business in 2023 is that many businesses won’t need a physical location, but if you’re opening a brick-and-mortar store or plan to work in an office you’ll need to think about rent or mortgages.

Products or inventory

If you need to buy and hold stock you’ll need to outlay an initial investment upfront. The cost will vary on the units required. You can manage these costs by thinking carefully about what you’re likely to sell. Another consideration is what you can sell if you buy stock in bulk.

Tips for managing product and inventory costs: ask suppliers about their minimum order quantity (MOQ) and how costs vary on quantity. Also, consider drop shipping so you don’t have to outlay any costs at all.

Staff

Staff costs depend on seniority and location. You’ll need to consider the minimum wage of your state, but the federal minimum wage is $7.25.

Tips for managing staffing costs: businesses trading online can outsource work to talented new freelancers or over-pay freelancers in different parts of the world. You can also take on more work yourself or turn to software and AI to support your business.

Taxes

Beyond the initial registration, startups need to consider tax. The rules surrounding tax vary so you must check the rules within the country in which your business is registered.

Paying your taxes usually means putting a percentage of your income aside to cover the costs, monitoring and recording your expenses to account correctly for tax write-offs or hiring an accountant to manage taxes for you.

Tips for managing tax costs:  the more self-efficient you are, the less you need to pay an accountant. Many small businesses can manage the early tax returns alone, but a growing business will likely need an accountant eventually. Manage the costs by putting money aside regularly.

On-going expenses

As a small business you’re likely to have ongoing expenses. You may not start with them but over time you’ll likely invest in subscriptions or software. Or, you might have shipping to consider for e-commerce. Costs will vary based on your requirements.

Tips for managing ongoing expenses: on-going expenses can creep up on business owners so be mindful of monthly subscriptions and the well-intentioned software you purchased. If you’re not using it, you’re throwing away money.

Unexpected costs

No matter what, any business is likely to be hit with an unexpected cost, eventually. Prepare for the unexpected by holding a budget to get you out of an emergency situation. Unexpected costs could include your sickness, the need to hire a consultant to solve a problem fast or if you’re in a brick-and-mortar store something could go wrong within the building.

How to fund your startup or small business

Getting funding for your new business is likely on your mind. Here are some common ways to earn funding for your start up.

Personal investment

Funding your business on your own can be a safe option. It removes the stress of meeting investor expectations and it can feel really good to know you build your new business with your own means.

Personal investment may require you to save for a few years before you get started, but freedom from other stakeholders can be highly desirable in the early stages.

Borrowing money through contacts

You can opt to borrow money from your personal contacts, friends and family, for example. If you choose to go down this route it’s really important to treat it as you would as a formal investment: draw up contracts, separate personal and businesses conversations. Be very clear on what the contract is.

Loans

Securing loans from banks is an option for funding. Generally, banks provide calculators on their websites so you can gage what you might be able to borrow. Be aware that it isn’t easy to get accepted for a bank loan, 80 – 90% of startups fail so banks are naturally careful who they lend money to.

Create a budget for your first year

Let’s take a look at various cost summaries for businesses with varying needs.

Freelance business

Your freelance service-based business cost summary is one of the cheapest businesses to start, it might look a bit like this:

Service-based business

For those starting a service-based business and desire a more professional appeal can kick off a new business venture with a functioning site.

Here’s what the cost summary can look like:

Marketing costs for the first year

If you choose to work with a service provider like GoDaddy your digital marketing services can be covered for as low as $85.00/month.

Businesses you can start with a small budget

The digital world has opened a world of opportunity when it comes to starting a business for free or with a small budget.

Assuming you’ve got a PC, wi-fi and a desire to work or use social media to generate leads, you can start any of the following small business ideas, for free:

• Freelancing in digital services like writing, SEO, PPC, social media management or email marketing.
• Freelancing on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr.
• Affiliate marketing through social media platforms like TikTok. You will need to gain 1,000 followers before you can start this one.
• Consulting in a skill you already have (or can learn for free online).

Local services you can start with little to no start-up costs:

• Dog walking
• Babysitting
• Homesitting
• Handyman
• Tutoring

Some businesses require a small budget to start, for example:

• Selling digital downloads on Etsy. You’ll pay a small fee to upload products, but then nothing until you make your first sale where you pay a percentage to Etsy.
• Dropshipping
• Selling on eBay.
• Print (assuming you’re doing the printing)

Closing thoughts on starting a business in 2023

Today, there is a lot of technology out there that can boost the success of your business. While there might be expenses associated with it, don’t forget the financial rewards that come with a successful venture. Keep that momentum going and make 2023 the year you founded a business to be proud of.

*Pricing data valid on March 2023. All prices listed are subject to change.

Products mentioned

If you want to step out of the corporate office, stop commuting, work independently of location and become your own boss, you may want to start an online business. If you are ready to take the plunge, peep this post to learn how to start an online business.

Here’s what we’ll cover:

Ready to dig in? You can do this!

Research online business ideas

To make your online business succeed, you need to make money. So, the first step in starting your business is deciding how you will generate revenue. When it comes to online business ideas, you have a few options.

Sell products online

Over the past few years, people have grown more comfortable shopping from their couches, which means there’s never been a better time to start an online store or add ecommerce functionality to your website. It’s never been easier for small businesses to get into the ecommerce game, either.

If you’re an ecommerce noob, however, you may need help selecting the right products and platforms to sell online, learning how to build and launch your ecommerce site, finding your target customers, and closing the deal. We’ve gathered all the information and tools you’ll need to easily launch your online store and list your products on all marketplaces, both quickly and effectively.

Try dropshipping

Many first-time ecommerce entrepreneurs start their careers with no physical inventory. Through a process called dropshipping, you can act as a wholesaler of products that you curate on your site, then purchase directly from the manufacturer to ship to your customers.

Sell courses

Online courses that you create yourself or sell on behalf of others. Like digital products, online courses can be set to automatically deliver to customers upon purchase.

Start a blog and become an affiliate

Affiliate products that you sell on behalf of another business. When selling affiliate products, you usually don’t have to store or ship products. The merchant deals with delivery, and you simply receive a commission for helping sell their product.

Create a SaaS product

Software as a service (SaaS) is an offering that falls somewhere between a product and a service. If you develop software — say, like a scheduling app for small business — you can have customers sign up and pay a recurring fee to use the tech you developed. For this type of product, a platform with membership functionality helps a lot.

Offer services

You can start an online business based on selling consulting and freelancing services that are completed online or over the phone. When you sell services online, you can find customers and make sales on your own. Or you can sign up for sites that manage the process and allow you to connect with clients through their platform.

Choose a niche that works

The best product ideas are often born from hobbies and passions, where you discover an opportunity in a niche that no one is serving.

For example, pet products are always popular in the ecommerce sphere, but competition can be high. But if you choose a niche like organic pet products, there’s less sellers offering similar products and a greater opportunity to refine your catalog.

Search for keywords or phrases that your target market will likely use to find your niche product or service, and note if the market is saturated.

If that is the case, it could cost you extra money and time to stand out in an already crowded marketplace. Sometimes, it’s better to start small in an underserved market.

Check the online competition

Once you have positive product feedback, research your competition and gain market insight online.

Start by searching for and visiting popular product review sites, where you can find lists of top websites  for specific categories, compiled by experts. Read what the experts like and visit the websites to see how they’re doing it. Additionally, look at customer reviews to learn what people like and dislike about them.

Likewise, go on social media to see what people are saying. Do people complain about them, or do most of their customers sing their praises? This exercise will give you an idea of how much brand loyalty the competition has. Also, see if those brands respond to customer questions and complaints, and list what the common issues might be.

Subscribing to your competitors’ email lists is another effective way to analyze how they are talking to your target audience. Make note of their pricing and promotional strategies, which we’ll detail later in this post.

Research keywords and difficulty

Use a keyword planning tool such as Moz, Semrush or the Google keyword planner tool. These will show you search volumes for a particular keyword, as well as how much competition there is when it comes to ranking for it.

As you research keywords, it’s important to strike a balance between search volume and competition — there’s not much benefit targeting a keyword nobody searches, yet it’s best to avoid high-competition terms.

Check the SERPs

When you start getting your head around the keywords you want to target, plug some of them into a search engine and check the results. Note who’s at the top of the page — they must be doing something right, so pay a visit to their websites and ask yourself some of these questions:

• How are they incorporating keywords into the website text?
• How does the language they use establish their brand?
• Are there any design elements that jump out?
• What other things make this website special?

While you should never copy a competitor’s website, there’s nothing wrong with getting inspiration from it. Jot down notes that you can refer to as you continue to start an online business.

Create a business plan

A business plan can be like a roadmap that guides your business from starting to succeeding. And if you’re planning to apply for a loan or attract investors, a solid business plan is evidence that you’re a safe bet. At a minimum, your business plan should include these sections:

• Executive summary — Be brief in describing, from a high level, what your business will do or sell.
• Organization and management — Introduce key members of your team, and how their skills and experience will help you succeed.
• Service or product line — Describe your offering, how it works, and why there’s a demand out there for it.
• Marketing and sales — Explain how you’ll get your product or service in front of the largest possible audience.
• Funding request — If you’re seeking external funding, specify your needs and what the funding will support.
• Financial projections — State how much revenue you expect to generate. This can strengthen your case for funding.
• Appendix — If you have reference materials, technical specs or certifications, include them here.

Consider funding options

Unless you have that rich uncle everyone dreams about, you’ll need to secure funding before you successfully start an online business. There are a few routes you could take here:

• Secure a loan — If your business idea is compelling and you have a rock-solid business plan, you might persuade a financial institution to front you the startup funds. Just be sure to understand any interest and potential penalties.
• Attract investors — Investors also could show interest if you have a great idea and business plan to put in front of them. However, you might need to relinquish some control of your venture to accommodate them.
• Bootstrap it — This would be the most direct route. If you have savings, investments or other assets, using them to bootstrap your idea gives you total control. But you need to consider the ramifications if your business idea falls through.

Choose a business structure

Separate yourself from the business by setting up a C-Corp or LLC status that limits your personal liability for the company. This protects you and makes you appear more professional to customers and clients. Here are three structures to consider:

• Sole proprietorship — The business is nor incorporated, with a single person designated as the owner.
• Partnership — Two or more people are designated owners, contributing toward expenses and sharing profits.
• LLC — With a limited liability corporation, definitions can vary by region, but essentially the business exists without owners, offering legal and tax protection.

Separating your personal and professional finances will make it easier for you to file your taxes and keep an eye on your financial situation.

Once you establish your business as a separate entity, you can get a tax ID number for the business, allowing you to better manage your taxes and open a business bank account.

Check laws for online businesses

Here, you might need to source some professional advice or at least do some comprehensive research. Don’t start an online business only to discover there’s a law that creates a conflict leaving you dead in the water.

There’s likely a local government agency — such as a Department of Revenue — that could provide a checklist of applicable laws.

For example, in some regions there are very strict laws that apply to marketing to individuals online. And if you’re setting up an online store, it’s crucial to understand all the regulations that cover privacy and data protection.

Obtain permits and licenses

At the very least, you’ll likely need a license issued by your regional authority to start an online business. And if you specialize in a particular product or service, there might be additional permits or licenses you need to secure.

For example, a barber or stylist would need a license from their local cosmetological authority. And many home services require specific licenses or permits, for example, to excavate or operate heavy machinery.

Register a domain name

When choosing your ecommerce business name, consider something that is short, memorable, and marketable. A thorough search for a domain name can also help you find the right name for your ecommerce store.

The cost for a domain name can range anywhere from $2 to $20, but there can be hidden costs. Review this guide on how much a domain name cost for more details on what to include in your budget.

You might also consider using .shop or .store for general ecommerce, or get more specific with .jewelry, .clothing, .coffee and more.

Build your website or online store

Once you decide on a business model, you need to choose the best place to build your business online. How you make money online will dictate which platform you should build your business on. Choosing where to build an online business is just as important as learning how to start an online business.

Whether you plan to create a website or use an online store builder to get online, be sure to evaluate all your options, taking cost and complexity into consideration.

Target your main keywords

Do some research to discover what select words and phrases people use to search for your type of business. Sprinkle these keywords throughout the content on your website and create pages that focus on your target keyword. These might represent services — such as “lawn care” — or products if you’re operating an online store. Here it helps to check what the competition is doing to perform well in search results.

Create content that ranks and sells

Whether it’s a shareable infographic, entertaining how-to video, or blog post about why spending time in your online store is more fun than watching a favorite TV show, make content that people can’t find anywhere else.

This is the kind of stuff people will want to link to from their own websites and social profiles (remember backlinks?). Make sure they find that amazing content by optimizing it for search engines.

When it comes to content that ranks and sells, there are a couple main elements to consider: SEO and compelling product listings.

Search engine optimization (SEO): the process of refining a website to get higher search engine rankings and organic visitors to your site, without paying for search engine placement.

Unlike paid listings — advertisements that display in sponsored areas — organic search results are “free” and based on, among other things, the site’s content and how closely it matches the keywords being searched.

After you (or your website guru) does the website backend stuff needed to attract the attention of the search engine bots (like connecting the site to Google Search Console), search engines know that your site exists. They scan it, index the information, and analyze the website’s content to determine how and where your website’s content should display on search engine results pages (SERPs).

Compelling product descriptions that sell

Details can make or break a sales transaction. Since you don’t have a sales clerk to answer your customer questions on a website, start by thinking of all the questions they might ask that person in-store.

For example, what fabrics is a sweater made of? Is it organic and earth-friendly? Was it made locally? What other items might pair well with it?

Your descriptions should be as detailed as possible. However, being honest and upfront about it helps to build trust with customers.

Set up payment providers for ecommerce

The key to closing an online sale is to provide an intuitive and seamless checkout and payment experience.

Some platforms offer built-in checkout and payment processing tools. For example, GoDaddy’s Online Store enables you to securely accept all major credit cards, PayPal and Apple Pay — but not all service providers do. If you’d prefer to sell both online and in person, a solution like GoDaddy Payments is easy to set up and provides a high level of security for your transactions.

When evaluating options, you’ll need to consider:

• Does the platform’s merchant account accept all currencies and offer SSL certificates?
• What forms of payment can you accept through your account? Credit cards, personal checks, wire transfers, or money orders?
• How about PayPal or Stripe?
• Does your platform offer a payment gateway to verify, approve, and process charges in real-time?
• Does it integrate with your website’s existing platform?
• Do other merchants like or complain about the platform’s checkout and payment experience?

Review all your options and ask the platform provider about the associated transaction rates and processing fees. For example, GoDaddy Payments offers the lowest transaction fees compared to other leading providers.

Source products

If you’re planning to start an online business to sell products, having a reliable source will be essential. There are a few ways to consider locking this down:

• Find a supplier — A reliable manufacturer or wholesaler can keep you supplied, but inventory control (too much vs. not enough) can present a serious challenge, as can storage and transportation.
• Set up dropshipping — As mentioned earlier, dropshipping lets you sell while your supplier fulfills the orders. This might require specific technology to manage the supply chain once you get things moving.
• Supply it yourself — This option gives you the most control, but you need to think about your workforce. Doing everything yourself could be rewarding, until you find yourself scrambling to keep up with demand.

Build a brand

Even if you hire a pro to build your site for you, you’ll need to make (or at least approve) decisions about the look of the site — its design. Here are a few design fundamentals you’ll want to consider:

Logo. If you don’t have a logo or would like a new one, try our logo maker, where you can make a new logo in a matter of minutes. Once you have it, think about how you want to incorporate your company logo into your website’s design.

Colors. For brand harmony, it’s important to choose the right color palette for your website. Do you own a creative company? Perhaps vibrant colors like hot pink and tangerine speak to your brand. If you’re in the professional services industry, more subtle hues such as charcoal and blue might be more appropriate.

Think about the feelings colors evoke for you and match them with how you want your customers to feel when they visit your website.

Fonts. Think about the fonts that might best represent your particular business — from bold, linear styles to more delicate, feminine fonts.

Layouts and more. Consider the amount of “whitespace” (space between elements) in your design. A lot of whitespace can denote clarity or simplicity, while having very little of it can make your site look active or intense. Other elements, like background colors, gradients, and the “texture” of your overall design, can contribute to your online impression.

By putting a little thought into these basic design elements, you’ll make big strides in telling your story, building your brand, and framing your products and services in the best possible light on the web.

Related content: How to Make a Logo

Market and grow

Once you have a product or service to sell, a place to sell it and the peace of mind that you are operating legally and strategically, it’s time to get some customers and get to work. Tell family and friends, market yourself and seek out potential clients and customers.

Here are a the main ways to market your online business:

• Organic search — Learn the basics of SEO and get your content to rank higher.
• Paid search — Discover and bid on keywords to display your ads in related searches.
• Social media — Build a following and promote your online business on social media.
• Email marketing — Curate subscriber lists and develop email marketing campaigns.
• Online reviews — Monitor review sites and work to ensure you hold a high rating.
• Word of mouth — Network in person to build awareness of your online business.

The perk of having an online business is that you can take your work with you just about anywhere. But one of the best perks is that your online business is accessible to a massive audience of potential customers.

So, set up shop and get to work on building, marketing and growing your online business.

FAQ

What kind of business can I start online?

While the limit is your imagination, in this post we’ve covered some of the more popular types of business to start online:

• Ecommerce store — Set up an online store and process sales through your website.
• Dropshipping — Have a third-party supplier fulfill the orders you generate online.
• Online courses — Charge people to access learning material you post online.
• Affiliate marketer — Build a following and sell another business’ products to visitors.
• Create a SaaS product — Develop software and charge a fee for access to it.
• Offer services — Services such as counseling or teaching can be delivered online.

How do I start an online business with no money?

Starting an online business with no money can be a challenging task, but it is possible with the right approach and mindset. Here are some steps you can take to get started:

• Build a website — Use a free website builder to create a professional-looking website for your business.
• Use social media — Take advantage of social media to promote your business and reach potential customers.
• Network — Connect with other entrepreneurs and professionals in your industry through online forums, groups, and events.

Starting an online business takes time, effort, and persistence. Stay committed to your goals and remain flexible in your approach as you adapt to new challenges and opportunities.

What kind of online business is most profitable?

The most profitable one depends on various factors such as the target audience, the niche, and the business model. Here are some examples of profitable online businesses:

• Ecommerce — You can create your own online store or sell your products on marketplaces like Amazon, Etsy, and eBay.
• Online education — Platforms like Udemy, Skillshare, and Coursera allow instructors to create and sell courses.
• Affiliate marketing — Many bloggers and content creators use affiliate marketing as their primary source of income.
• Digital marketing — Provide digital marketing services like search engine optimization (SEO), social media marketing, and email marketing.
• Software as a service (SaaS) — Examples of successful SaaS companies include Dropbox, Slack, and Zoom.

It’s important to note that the profitability of an online business depends on various factors such as the quality of the product or service, the target audience, and the marketing strategy.

Which online business is best for beginners?

There are many online businesses that are suitable for beginners, depending on their interests, skills, and resources. Here are some ideas:

• Dropshipping — Set up an online store and sell products without holding inventory. A third-party supplier ships the products directly to your customers.
• Affiliate marketing — Promote products or services on your website or social media platform and earn a commission on each sale made through your referral link.
• Blogging — Start a blog and create content around it. Once you have built up an audience, you can monetize your blog through ads, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing.
• Online courses — Create an online course and sell it to people who want to learn the same skill. You can use platforms like Udemy or Teachable to host your courses.
• Social media management — Offer your services to small businesses or individuals who need help with their social media presence.

Ultimately, the best online business for beginners is one that aligns with their skills, interests, and goals. It’s important to do your research, understand the market, and be willing to put in the time and effort required to succeed.

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This content should not be construed as legal advice. Always consult an attorney or legal professional regarding your specific legal situation.

In a recent post, I shared all I’ve learned about purchasing multiple domain name variations. Copyright and trademarks have been on my mind a lot lately. This got me thinking about whether a brand or business should trademark a domain name.

Now, because I’m not a lawyer and don’t pretend to be one, I went in search of people much smarter than me who could answer my simple question. Should you trademark your domain name?

Below, I’m sharing what they told me to help you decide when to consider seeing a trademark attorney for yourself.

Marc P. Misthal, Principal, GRR

Marc P. Misthal is a trademark attorney with Gottlieb, Rackman & Reisman, P.C. in Manhattan, New York. He told me that in short, yes, business owners should trademark their website domain names. The longer answer is a little more complicated. Here’s what he had to say:

“In the U.S., trademark rights are acquired by using a mark, not by registering it. So applying a mark on a hangtag, label, packaging, sign, etc. would create rights in the mark—registration is not necessary.

“The question here seems to be whether a business owner should register their domain name as a trademark. If they are using it as a trademark then yes, they should. What does that mean? Simply using a domain name as part of a URL is not going to be enough to secure a trademark registration. The Trademark Office requires proof that a mark is in use before it will issue a registration, and it will not accept a screenshot showing a URL with the domain as proof of use. If the domain name is being used as the brand, then there will likely be additional use, such as prominent use on a website selling products or services, that the Trademark Office will accept. 

“Having a trademark registration is very valuable. A registration makes notice letters more impactful, and is helpful in taking action against infringing uses that appear on online platforms; many platforms will not take action to stop an infringement without proof of a trademark registration.”

David Reischer, Esq., LegalAdvice.com

David Reischer is an attorney and CEO of LegalAdvice.com. He says that trademarks are imperative for businesses that want to protect their brand names. But you need to go beyond trying to trademark just the domain name. Here’s what he had to say:

“Domain trademarking a mark that consists of a domain name may be possible. It would be registered as a trademark or service mark in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (U.S.P.T.O). However, just like any other mark that comes before the U.S.P.T.O, the domain name may only be approved on the Principle Register if it functions to identify the particular source of goods or services offered. That is to say, the mark must be distinctive so as to be capable of distinguishing the applicant’s goods or services from others.

“The main benefit of acquiring trademark protection is for the legal benefit of stopping other third parties from infringing on the brand’s trademark. A business needs to trademark all corporate and product brands that are inherently distinctive to the identity of the business. Typically a business will trademark a corporate logo, product line identifiers, slogans, and any other attributes that are source identifiers of the business—including a domain name.”

Laura Winston, Principal, Offit Kurman

Laura Winston is a trademark attorney with more than 25 years of experience and a principal in the AmLaw 200 law firm Offit Kurman. Here’s what she had to say:

“Securing trademark rights and registering a trademark used on one’s website has always been important and highly recommended. As we move into the realm of the metaverse, NFTs, and other new digital assets, it will be even more important to secure brands that are used digitally. There are tips and tricks for claiming trademark rights and obtaining a trademark registration for a domain name. Most significantly, it needs to be used as a trademark on the website, not just as the URL that directs to the website.”

James Yang, OC Patent Lawyer

James Yang is a patent attorney and a partner with the firm of Klein, O’Neill & Singh LLP in Orange County, California. Here’s what he had to say:

“The name of the domain should be trademarked because that is typically their main brand. You don’t want others to take away your ability to use your own trademark. Also, before investing a lot of time and money into your main brand, you would want to get a trademark search done. The trademark search [sometimes] mitigates the need to rebrand after a product launch.”

Jeremy Peter Green Eche, JPG Legal

Jeremy Peter Green Eche is a trademark broker and attorney with JPG Legal. He says you only want to trademark your domain name if it matches your brand name. Here’s what he had to say:

“I’m a trademark attorney running a four-lawyer trademark-focused law firm based in Brooklyn, New York. I also run a trademark marketplace called Communer where people can buy and sell trademarks, often with domain names attached.

Business owners should always strive to own a federal trademark registration for their brand name. But they should only register their full domain name as a trademark if that’s the name they use in their branding.

For example, if somebody uses the domain name Google.com, they should only register Google.com as a trademark if they present themselves in their branding as Google.com. If it just says Google at the top of the website, then they should register Google as a trademark.

If their domain name is generic, e.g. Petfood.com, then they are not going to be able to register their name as a trademark without including the top-level domain. Generic terms ordinarily cannot be registered as trademarks. So in this example, the company absolutely should try to register Petfood.com as a trademark, and not just Pet Food or Petfood. Before a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2020 called *Bookings.com*, you could not even register a generic name with a .com top-level domain added, but now it’s actually allowed.”

Key takeaways

Many of the other attorneys I spoke with had the same general words of wisdom. Pretty much all agreed that trademarks are a good idea for brand preservation and protection. How you go about your trademark is where things get tricky.

Domain name trademarking requirements and who it will work for:

Based on my research and feedback from attorneys, to trademark a domain name, it needs to be your brand identifier. Otherwise, you will be better off trademarking your brand name, logo, and other elements of your brand identity.

Why does someone need to trademark a domain name?

If it is your brand identifier, trademarking it will protect your brand and prevent others from using your brand name. This can help potential customers avoid being confused about who they are working with/buying from.

What can happen if you don’t trademark?

The Reader’s Digest version is that if you don’t trademark, you might not be legally protected from someone else attempting to use your brand/company name. That’s not to say they would be able to use your name, but a lawsuit could prove quite costly.

Next steps to trademark your domain name

So, where do you go from here? Seek out legal counsel. Always consult an attorney to better understand your specific situation. Attorneys offer free consultations to at least help point you in the right direction. It’s no secret that working with a lawyer isn’t cheap. But the amount of money and headache it can save you, in the long run, might be worth it. After chatting with all these lawyers I know I’m in the market for a trademark attorney for a business idea I’ve been considering. Based on everything they shared with me, I think trademarks are a necessary business expense. If nothing else, it gives you peace of mind that your brand/company identity is better protected.

This content should not be construed as legal advice. Always consult an attorney or legal professional regarding your specific legal situation.

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For many entrepreneurs, bloggers and ecommerce website owners, buying a domain is an exciting first step to entering the online marketing world. For some people though, it can be an overwhelming time when faced with the question of what to do next: Figure out how to get traffic to your new domain.

Unfortunately, the name alone will not get you much in the form of traffic.

As I’ve joked here on the blog in the past — building a website isn’t like “Field of Dreams.” Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will come.

In fact, most people will not know your domain name, let alone that you’ve launched a website. Therefore, you’ll have to find a way to get in front of them and make them aware of it.

Having traffic makes it more likely for someone to become a customer or take other actions from your site. But what is the best way to get those critical eyeballs to your new domain?

The good news is there are many methods for how to get traffic quickly, and some are easier than others. If that sounds good to you, keep reading and hopefully, you’ll glean some ideas to get traffic to your new domain name fast!

Why does your domain need traffic?

People buy domains for various reasons, but most do so with the hope of building a website that converts visitors into paying customers. In some instances, a site may get a lot of traffic without much work or effort on the owner’s part. Other sites will find it more challenging and it will require more work to attract people.

Still, getting traffic to a new domain is usually the starting point for any business owner hoping to make money online. Here are some reasons you might want to get traffic to your new domain.

1. Conversion data

Whether you’re just starting or have been doing business for years, you may not have had the chance to get conversion data. Knowing how many people come to your site and how they navigate the pages can help you make future marketing decisions.

2. Offers on your site

Offers are one way of getting money from people visiting your site. Whether you’re offering affiliate products or something else, having a site that people see and ultimately buy from can provide income.

However, it’s important to note that not everyone who comes through your site will buy something. Even if someone doesn’t make a purchase now, they might do so in the future.

3. Raising your domain authority

Getting traffic to a new domain name is helpful because it can help you build up domain authority.

If you find yourself getting more of the right kind of backlinks or social media shares, this could all help with increasing your overall authority on the internet.

You also might see an increase in search engine rankings as a result.

4. Building your brand

Getting traffic to a new domain could also be used to help grow your brand online. People are likely to remember sites they visit regularly. Even if you don’t get direct conversions from the site, getting people there for other reasons could be an effective way of consistently staying top-of-mind with your audience.

How to get traffic to a new domain

Now that you understand the merits of why driving traffic to a new domain is essential, it’s time to talk about how to get traffic quickly. Here are some of them:

1. Buying established domains to build your domain portfolio

When trying to get traffic to a new domain name, some companies may choose to purchase multiple established domains as part of an overall plan to build their portfolio. This includes both purchasing generic keywords and brandable names for later use.

Having a network of domains can allow someone to send traffic to lower authority domains (new ones like your website) from one high-authority domain with the hope of gaining a higher ROI from it. This can be a way for someone without high domain authority to compete with more established websites.

While this method can require time, energy and significant resources, it can sometimes yield the results you’re looking for.

2. Paying for traffic with advertising

Paying for advertising can be a great way to get people to visit your new domain. This can be done through paid ads on social media sites or even more targeted campaigns on search engines like Google Adwords.

Marketing with advertisements is often one of the best ways to quickly generate high volumes of traffic, but it can also be one of the more expensive options. This strategy can be complicated for beginners who may not have the experience or know-how to implement it properly.

3. Linking out to other sites

You often can drive traffic to your new site by getting other people to link to you. You can do this by putting up valuable content on other websites that link to yours.

One of the more popular approaches is known as guest posting, where you contribute an article to another site on a topic related to yours in some way. This can help direct readers to check out your new domain name.

4. Social media reach

Whether it’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or another social media site, getting attention on social media platforms can help you promote your domain.

Social media is a great way to generate traffic because it doesn’t require too much effort to get started.

It’s also great for beginners because it’s less expensive than other types of marketing.

Many entrepreneurs I have spoken with feel that paying for advertising on social media will yield the fastest results. Though admittedly, most have said Facebook is dying out in terms of click conversions. Instagram, Twitter and Tiktok are still driving traffic, however.

5. Email advertising

If you have access to an email list (yours or someone else’s), you can use it to promote your domain. Emails featuring links to important pages on your site, like the homepage or a contact page, can help generate interest and bring people to your site.

What do I mean by someone else’s email list? You could guest post for an established blog or website, and if they send the post via email, there is the potential to drive traffic. Another idea is to pay for advertising in their newsletter. A third option is perhaps the riskiest, and that is to buy the list.

You always want to use caution when buying email lists to drive traffic as it could get you blacklisted for spam. Still, it sometimes can work depending on their website’s niche and their introductory email.

6. Influencers and partnerships

In some cases, people who have a big social media following or email list may be willing to partner with you.

Sending free products or a trial of your service and encouraging them to share with their audience is one way to collaborate with others.

This can be a compelling strategy for getting traffic to your new domain.

Of course, it’s worth noting that the higher the level of influence, the more likely it is that you’ll need to pay for access to an influencer’s audience.

7. Guest posting and guest podcasting

I alluded to this in the email advertising tip, but hijacking, er, I mean borrowing other people’s audiences is a great way to get traffic to a new domain name quickly. Writing guest posts on established websites and getting featured as a guest on well-known podcasts will often result in backlinks that can drive people to your website.

The most important thing you can do if this is the method you choose is to deliver maximum value to the audience of the podcast or website you hope to be featured on. The truth is that website owners and podcast hosts know most people are fishing for backlinks, and as a result, they are becoming much pickier about who they feature. Therefore, it’s critical you give a decent pitch and give them more than just a watered-down version of content they are already sharing.

And, the more places you are featured, the more likely you are to get featured somewhere else. Read this post on how to start guest posting for a step-by-step guide to establishing your authority.

Note: Many of these tips can be repurposed for guest podcasting too!

8. Get lucky and go viral

This is the hardest method on the list, but I’ve seen websites crash from the amount of traffic they got from going viral. If you have a funny, scary, gross or otherwise wildly engaging idea for social media or YouTube, it could yield untold amounts of interest in your website.

For this method to work best, you’ll want to add your website link to the bio of all of your social media profiles, YouTube description boxes, about pages, etc. After all, if you go viral and no one knows how to find your domain, all that effort would have been for naught.

9. Organic traffic through SEO

I saved this one for last because although it’s not the fastest way to drive traffic, it’s a tried-and-true method for how to get traffic to a new domain. Plus, it doesn’t cost anything directly and will have the longest staying power.

SEO strategies often take content creation into account, so you will need original written content on your website. This content should be helpful to consumers and past the point of being self-promotional. It should focus on providing value and driving people to take action, such as visiting your FAQ page or contacting you for more information.

As with any marketing strategy, traffic-driving tactics need to be tailored to fit your audience and your niche.

What works for someone else may not work for you, so experimentation is often the best way to know if something will be helpful or not.

Conclusion and next steps

If you have been searching for how to get traffic quickly to your new domain, this post may have burst your bubble. That’s not to say that you can’t get traffic to a new domain name fast. It will take effort, and if speed is the primary goal it might take advertising funds, but it can happen.

Getting traffic to your new domain can be a manageable task if you know the right way to go about doing it. With these tips, you should have no trouble getting people to visit your site — though it may take longer than you would like. Your best bet if you plan to make money online is to focus on the long game and start by putting out really good content.

Try to blend these traffic-driving strategies with your content marketing plan so you can attract the right kind of visitors. And, as I often say on my podcast May your page views be high, and your bounce rate be low!

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If you’re thinking about starting a business online or just want your own blog or website, you’re likely looking at domain names. Knowing which variations of a domain name you should buy can be confusing because there are so many options. There is .com, .org, .net, .site, .shop, and the list goes on.

As you’re looking at the many options available to you, there’s a chance you might start considering purchasing multiple domains — just to make sure no one else takes the cool idea you have for a website.

The question is, how domain name variations should you own? And, is there any benefit or any downsides to owning more than one?

In this post, I’ll share why owning multiple domain variations is a good idea. On the flip side, I’ll also uncover the negatives of owning numerous domain name variations. Hopefully, this will help you to make the best decision for your unique needs.

If you believe your brand name will be a household name with a significant reach, how many variations to purchase may become a much more difficult question to answer. Of course, you cannot predict the future. But, you can at least consider the possibilities and make a better decision with more facts in hand. So let’s dive in!

What do I mean by domain name variations?

While domain name variations can mean purchasing typos of your domain name or your domain name with additional words or letters, that’s not the focus of this post. Though a case can certainly be made for purchasing typos of your domain name.

For example, I had a blogger friend who owned a pretty popular website, and a different blogger purchased an extremely similar version of her domain name (instead of herdomain.com it was herdomains.com), swiped most of her copy, and plummeted her search engine ranking.

Instead, when referring to domain name variations, I’m referring to the domain extensions you can purchase, and how many would be best to buy.

The question I’d like to help you answer is, rather than just buying www.myawesomesite.com, should you also purchase www.myawesomesite.club, www.myawesomesite.info, www.myawesomesite.blog, www.myawesomesite.net, etc?

You can read GoDaddy’s full domain extensions guide to get some tips and ideas on which extensions are best for your business or brand. Then, come back here to settle the debate for yourself on how many extensions you should purchase.

Benefits of owning multiple domain variations

There are a handful of benefits to owning multiple domain name variations, even if your brand isn’t yet (and may not ever become) a household name. These benefits include, but aren’t limited to:

• Protecting your brand name/company name
• Helping with brand recognition
• Assisting in effective content delivery

You may be wondering how exactly purchasing more than one domain variation can help you with things like this. Let’s break it down.

Multiple variations of a domain name help protect your brand name

It’s essential to build brand awareness with a business, and owning multiple domain variations is one way that will help you. When you own the most popular top-level domains (TLDs) for your brand, it reduces the chances that someone else will want to or try to purchase a variation of it.

For example, if you own the .com, .net, and .org, you’ve pretty much cornered the market on your domain name.

It’s also worth noting that there are cybersquatters who buy domain names with the intent to sell them for a profit. They have no intention of actually creating content under those domains. Instead, they buy them and hold them until someone purchases another domain extension. Then, they send you an email offering to sell you the domain.

I own morethanphotographs.com and get a lot of emails offering to sell me morethanphotographs.net, .org, .photo, etc.

Considering I pay less than $20 per year with GoDaddy for my .com domain, I can honestly tell you I have no interest in spending thousands for the other domain name variations people have emailed me about. Still, perhaps I could have saved myself the hassle if I’d purchased a few additional extensions of my intended domain when I bought the .com in 2008.

Cybersquatters and protecting your brand may be worth the investment in multiple domain name variations. This way, if someone tries to buy a domain variation that looks like your brand, they will be less likely to be able to do so.

Multiple domain name variations aid in brand recognition

Let’s say for some reason another person does purchase a domain extension for your website and starts posting content with it. Your brand now has the potential of being diluted.

When someone sees your business name, you want them to know it’s yours.

When you own multiple domain extensions you can rest a little easier knowing that when you share your website on social media and in marketing campaigns your brand is the one that will start to be recognized. And, by pointing the .net and .org variations of your domain to the .com you can help ensure that the people looking for your website find it.

Multiple variations of a domain name help you test different content delivery channels

You can use domain variations to test landing pages, different blogging platforms, etc. This can also be a great way to determine which combinations of keywords are most effective and if different sales copy works better with your audience.

Once you know this information, you can redirect all your domain name variations to one website and focus all of your energy on the highest-performing combinations.

Drawbacks of owning multiple variations of a domain name

As with everything in life, there are pros and cons to owning multiple domain name variations. With that in mind, now let’s explore why it might not be such a great idea to buy too many domain names.

They include, but aren’t limited to:

• It can be costly
• It’s time consuming
• Management can be a pain

Let’s break these cons down too, shall we?

Multiple domain name variations add up quickly

This is perhaps the most obvious negative of owning multiple domain names, and it shouldn’t be ignored. You can end up spending a lot of money when you own multiple domains. This can eat into your profit margins — not just the first year, but every year. You also have to factor renewal of your domains, SSL certificates, hosting, and whether or not you want your domains private — you’ll have to pay extra for that as well.

Is the prospect of spending multiple hundreds of dollars worth it? This is where you have to get serious about your plans for the future. After all, if you end up with a global brand, the odds of competitors and cybersquatters scooping up the various extensions related to your domain will increase.

Multiple variations of a domain name can be time-consuming to deal with

That is if you actually use them for testing copy and content delivery. Keeping track of multiple sites can take a lot of time. Of course, you could just purchase them, and set them up to automatically redirect them to the main domain you intend to use. This will take a lot less time to manage because you can set it and forget it.

This leads me to the final disadvantage.

Multiple domain name variations can be difficult to manage

If you do opt to purchase multiple domain extensions, it’s a good idea to:

• Have them all renewed on the same date
• Have them set to auto-renewal, and
• Purchase all the variations from the same domain provider

If you have multiple renewal dates, several logins, and have to “remember” to renew them, you could face the hassle of last-minute scrambling to make the purchase before the domain expires.

I’ve had this happen to me in the past, and it was not fun! I didn’t have my domain set up to auto-renew, and at zero hour I was trying to find my username and password so I could maintain ownership. I don’t recommend this.

Furthermore, set a reminder in your calendar of when your credit card on file expires. This way you’ll automatically be reminded to update credit card information for any billing accounts you have. I’m all about the automatic reminders for all the things!

How many variations of a domain name should you buy?

We’ve covered a lot in this post already. Now, the final question you probably have if you have decided to purchase multiple domain name variations is likely — how many should you get? The unfortunate thing is, this is a very difficult question to answer.

Based on all of my research, what I found is that the ideal bare minimum is three. It’s a good idea to purchase the .com, .net and .org extensions. After that, it’s really up to you. To come to the best conclusion for yourself, ask yourself the following questions:

• Is this domain purchase for a business or hobby website?
  • You might not care if anyone purchases other extensions related to your domain if it’s just a hobby site. Then again, many hobbies can become businesses…
• How much can I budget for these extensions?
  • The more you can budget, perhaps the more extensions you should purchase.
• Do I anticipate a competitor trying to capitalize on my name?
  • The answer to this question, trademarking your brand name may be all you really need to do to protect yourself.
• Does a fancy domain extension appeal to you?
  • Some ecommerce store owners may want to purchase extensions like .shop and entrepreneurs may want to grab .biz. Or, if you run a Facebook group or other online community, .club might make a lot of sense for your brand

Hopefully, after reading this, you at least are thinking more about the possibilities. While you shouldn’t overthink this too much, I’d advise you not to just blindly dismiss this either.

Consider the pros and cons of owning multiple domain names, research the best ones to buy, and the ones you should avoid. Just make sure you’re making the best purchasing decisions for your brand and budget.