Guide / Tool
The Domain Decision Checklist.
A domain is a small purchase with a long tail. Use this checklist before buying the name, and again before announcing it.
A domain is a small purchase with a long tail. Use this checklist before buying the name, and again before announcing it.
Define the job
- What will the address do in the next 12 months?
- Is it a publication, company home, product, store, campaign, redirect, or property marker?
- What is the one action a visitor should be able to take there?
- Does the name still make sense if the first campaign ends?
Test the name in the real world
- Say it aloud once. Can another person type it correctly?
- Is the spelling obvious?
- Does it contain punctuation, doubled letters, or words people commonly confuse?
- Is it easy to read in a social bio and on a mobile screen?
- Does it sound credible in an email address?
- Does it leave room for the business to grow?
Check ownership and conflict
- Is the exact domain available from a reputable registrar?
- Are confusingly similar domains already being used by an established business?
- Does a basic trademark search reveal an obvious conflict?
- Are the matching social names available or already controlled?
- Who will legally own and administer the registration?
This is a practical screening list, not legal advice. A name with meaningful commercial risk deserves a proper legal review.
Record the purchase
- Save the registrar receipt.
- Record the exact domain, purchase date, renewal date, term, and account owner.
- Confirm that renewal notices go to a monitored address.
- Turn on appropriate account security.
- Record who can change DNS, billing, and contact information.
Verify the technical state
Do not let the word “secured” do too much work. Check each state separately:
- Purchased
- Nameservers or DNS configured
- Website connected
- Secure connection working
- Preferred version redirects correctly
- Mobile and desktop pages load
- Contact or signup action works
- Analytics or campaign tracking works, if claimed
- Branded email works, if claimed
Check commercial readiness
- Is the page consistent with the promise that brought the visitor there?
- Is there a clear next action?
- Are affiliate relationships disclosed?
- Are privacy and contact information present where needed?
- Can downstream vendors or stores be replaced without abandoning the domain?
- Is the destination useful even before a sale occurs?
Run the announcement test
Before publishing the name, write one sentence:
This domain exists to __________ for __________.
If the sentence is vague, the site will probably be vague too.
Then wait a day, read the sentence again, and verify the live address from a device or connection that is not already logged into the hosting account.
Final record
- Domain
- Job
- Owner
- Registrar
- Purchase verified on
- Live behavior verified on
- Renewal date
- Primary visitor action
- Evidence location
- Next review date
Free printable
Take the complete checklist. On the house.
No email. No opt-in. No bullshit. Download the complete six-page field guide, print it, mark it up, and keep the evidence with the property.
Preview not available? Open or download the PDF directly.
Keep the evidence with the property
See why the domain is part of the business experience.
Behind the work
Jacqueline & Kate
Jacqueline did the work and formed the point of view. Kate helps make it visible.
OutloudMarketer documents the decisions, experiments, failures, and useful conclusions behind what Black Cat Media is building.
No Lies. No Stealing.
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