Your domain name should be your business name, nothing added, on a .co.uk or .com ending, bought directly through a registrar like 123-Reg, GoDaddy or Cloudflare for £8 to £15 a year. Skip anything that tries to sell you "premium" domains, bundled hosting you don't need, or a renewal price that's hidden until year two. If you're building a new website at the same time, pick the domain first; everything else gets built around it.
Picking the Name
Three rules cover almost every case:
- Use your actual business name. Not a keyword-stuffed version of it. "mthleeds.co.uk" loses customers who are typing "Mark Thompson Leeds" from a van sticker or a Google review. Match what's already on your signage, your invoices and your Google Business Profile.
- Avoid hyphens and numbers. They're harder to say out loud and easy to mistype. If your exact name is taken, add your town or trade ("markthompsonleedsplumbing.co.uk") rather than a hyphen or a "2."
- Keep it short enough to say over the phone. If you can't say it clearly to someone writing it down, it's too long.
.co.uk, .com, or Both?
For a business trading mainly in the UK, .co.uk is the better default: customers trust it as a sign you're a genuine UK company, and it's usually a few pounds cheaper. If you sell nationally or expect customers searching from outside the UK, buy the .com too and point it at the same site; most registrars let you do this for an extra £10 to £15 a year.
| Extension | Best for | Typical price/year |
|---|---|---|
| .co.uk | UK-based trades, local services, most small businesses | £5 to £10 |
| .com | National or international reach, e-commerce | £8 to £15 |
| .org.uk | Charities, clubs, non-profits | £8 to £12 |
Nominet runs the .uk registry and publishes the current rules on who can register what, including the "right of registration" period for matching .uk/.co.uk names, worth a read if you're buying a name someone else might also want: nominet.uk.
Where to Buy It
Buy direct from a registrar, not through a web designer who registers it in their own name. We've taken over sites before where the previous business couldn't move their domain because an old agency held the login. When we set up Pf Associates Ltd's new site, the domain, hosting and email were all registered in Paul's name from day one, so he's never locked out of his own business address.
Reputable UK registrars: 123-Reg, GoDaddy, Cloudflare Registrar, Namecheap. Whichever you use, check these before paying:
- Who's listed as the registrant. It should be your business or your name, not your web designer's.
- The renewal price, not just the first-year price. Some registrars sell year one at £1 and renew at £20+.
- Domain privacy (WHOIS privacy) is included or cheap. Without it, your home address can be publicly searchable if you registered as a sole trader. Most registrars offer it free or for £2 to £5 a year. Always take it.
Check Before You Buy: Trademarks and Existing Use
Before you pay for a domain, search the name itself, not just whether the domain string is free. Check the UK trademark register at gov.uk/search-for-trademark and do a general web and social media search for the name. A domain being available doesn't mean the name is clear to trade under; if another UK business already trades under a similar name in your sector, buying the matching domain can still land you in a trademark dispute later, even though the registrar happily took your money.
Matching Your Domain to Your Email
Decide your domain before you set up email, not after. A domain-matched email address (you@yourbusiness.co.uk) looks more credible than a free Gmail or Hotmail address, and it's one of the simplest trust signals a small business can fix in a single afternoon. We cover why this matters on its own in why a professional email address matters. It's one of the reasons domain and email setup come bundled into every Marketing Handled website build rather than sold as an extra.
Common Mistakes
- Buying from a "domain marketplace" instead of a registrar. These list other people's domains at inflated prices. If the name you want is already registered, either pick a different one or expect to pay well above the £8 to £15/year standard rate.
- Letting someone else hold the registrant account. Always confirm you (not your developer, not your previous agency) are the named registrant. This is the single most common reason small businesses get stuck unable to move their own site.
- Forgetting auto-renewal. Domains lapse fast once they expire, sometimes picked up by someone else within days. Keep auto-renewal on and the registrant email address current.
- Buying every extension "just in case." One or two relevant extensions (.co.uk, and .com if you trade nationally) is enough. Buying .net, .biz, .uk and .org for a local trades business is money that does nothing.
How This Fits Into Your Website Build
A domain on its own doesn't do anything. It needs a site built on it, with technical SEO foundations in place from day one so the domain starts earning trust with Google rather than sitting idle. If you're still weighing up whether you need a site at all, read do I need a website for my small business? first. Every Marketing Handled website build includes domain guidance, setup and your matching email address if required.
Ready to build on the right domain from the start? Get in touch for a free 30-minute strategy call, and we'll help you pick, buy and set up your domain and email as part of your website build.
FAQs
Can I change my domain name later?
Yes, but it costs you. Changing domains means losing any search ranking the old one built up, updating every printed and online reference to it, and redirecting the old domain to the new one properly so you don't lose existing traffic. Pick carefully the first time.
Do I need to buy my domain before building a website?
Not strictly, but it's simpler to register it first and build the email addresses and site around it from day one, rather than migrating everything to a new domain later.
How much should a business domain name cost per year?
Expect £5 to £15 a year for a standard .co.uk or .com through a mainstream registrar. If you're quoted significantly more for a "premium" name, check whether it's genuinely in demand or just marked up.
What happens if I forget to renew my domain?
Most registrars give a short grace period, but after that the domain can be released and bought by someone else, including domain resellers who'll then try to sell it back to you at a markup. Keep auto-renewal switched on with a current payment card.
Should I register my domain myself or let my web designer do it?
Either is fine as long as the registrant account is in your name or your business's name, not your designer's. Always ask for the login details so you're never locked out of your own domain.