When launching your professional dog walking business online, selecting the right domain name is crucial. It’s often the first impression potential clients will have of your services, so it’s worth taking time to get it right. Here’s your comprehensive guide to choosing and registering the perfect domain name for your UK-based dog walking business.
Understanding Domain Extensions for UK Businesses
The address for any website is know as the ‘domain’ and is unique for every site. The part of a domain that comes after the dot is known as the ‘domain extension’ e.g. our domain is iwalkdogs.co.uk, so our domain extension is .co.uk.
For UK-based dog walking services, two domain extensions (TLDs) stand out:
- .co.uk: The standard choice for UK businesses, widely recognised and trusted
- .uk: A shorter, modern alternative to .co.uk
Either of these is stongly recommended as they help Google to identify your target audience i.e. dog owners in the UK. We recommend that you avoid other extensions such as .com as this is an international domain extension and not so good for targetting UK audiences. Also, to keep costs down, avoid fancy extensions such as .dog as they can prove to be very expensive for a small start-up business like yours.
Best Practices for Your Domain Name
Keep it Professional:
- Good: pawsprofessional.co.uk
- Good: citydogwalks.uk
- Avoid: super-amazing-dog-walker.co.uk
Make it Memorable:
- Good: funwalkies.co.uk
- Good: pawpatrol.uk (if not trademark protected)
- Avoid: londonk9dogwalkingservices2024.co.uk
Include Location (if relevant):
- Good: bristolwalks.co.uk
- Good: manchesterpaws.uk
- Consider: leeds-dog-walker.co.uk
Real-World Examples
Here are some strong domain name examples for different business types:
Solo Dog Walker:
- sarahsdogwalks.co.uk
- walkswithmax.uk
- pawsbyjames.co.uk
Professional Company:
- tailsandtrails.uk
- wagworks.co.uk
- pawfectwalks.co.uk
Location-based Service:
- londondogco.uk
- edinburghwalks.co.uk
- wessexpaws.co.uk
Important Considerations
- Check Availability
Before settling on a name, verify that both your preferred domain name and matching social media handles are available. All domain registrars provide a domain checker tool whereby you can enter a perferred domain to discover if it is available. - Trademark Issues
Ensure your chosen name doesn’t infringe on existing trademarks. Avoid names like ‘Pets at Home Walks’ or ‘RSPCA Walks’. - Future-Proofing
Consider registering multiple TLDs to protect your brand. If you register funwalkies.co.uk, consider also securing funwalkies.uk.
Tips for Registration
Choose a reputable domain registrar like:
- Consider domain privacy protection to keep your personal details private.
- Shop around. Domain registrars are free to set their own prices and can offer initial discounts. Also, check if they charge extra for domain privacy; some do, some don’t.
- Some registrars try to up-sell during the checkout process e.g. add hosting, add email, add domain protection. If all you need is a domain with privacy option then simply say no to all up-selling attempts. A case in point: 123-reg attempts to up-sell throughout the checkout process while Unlimited Web Hosting doesn’t.
- You can register your domain for multiple years e.g. registering your domain for 2 years means that you can forget about having to renew it every year.
- Finally, if you are opting to use a design service such as our sponsor, Pet Connections, discuss domain purchase with them first before jumping in. They will keep you right.
The Bottom Line
Your domain name is an investment in your business’s future. Take time to brainstorm options, check availability, and ensure it reflects your professional image. A well-chosen domain name will serve your dog walking business for years to come.
Remember to renew your domain registration promptly and keep your contact details updated with your registrar to avoid any service interruptions.
