Choosing a domain, explained simply

How important is the domain? - barely to Google, hugely to people

Let's start by clearing up the misconceptions, because three SEO myths still circulate around domain choice. The first: “you need a keyword domain, because it ranks higher”. Google's John Mueller has literally debunked this: a keyword in the domain gives no ranking advantage - it can even be a drawback, because it boxes you in: gyorifodraszat.hu (“Győr hairdresser”) stays a hairdresser in Győr forever, even if you later want to open a beauty salon. The second myth is domain age (“an old domain is worth more to Google”) - also debunked. The third is that the extension matters for ranking: since 2015, Google has officially treated all extensions equally.

So does it not matter what you choose? Quite the opposite - it just matters not because of Google, but because of people. A survey of 1,500 people (GrowthBadger, 2019) found that people trust “classic” extensions like .com and country codes such as .hu the most, remember addresses with familiar extensions 30-40% more accurately, and when unsure, are nearly four times more likely to guess a familiar extension. The domain is therefore a marketing and trust decision: a good name is memorable, easy to pass on, and looks credible - that is what brings more visitors, not ranking magic.

What criteria should guide your choice?

The recipe for a good domain is not complicated - it just takes consistency. The most important check is the “phone test”: say the name out loud to someone and see if they can write it down correctly on the first try. If you have to spell it out, explain the hyphen, or clarify whether “four” is a digit - every such uncertainty is a lost visitor. For the same reason, an accented version (like virág.hu with Hungarian accents) is at best a redirect; your primary address should be accent-free.

In the brand name versus keyword name debate, the long term decides: a keyword name (gyorikoltoztetes.hu, “Győr movers”) feels safe at first, but it is not a memorable brand, and it becomes a shackle if you expand. A short, good-sounding invented name serves you for decades. And never skip two checks before registering: make sure the name does not collide with a registered trademark (the Hungarian IP Office SZTNH and the EUIPO databases - a domain built on someone else's brand name can be taken away from you; more than 6,000 such international dispute proceedings were filed in 2024), and that the matching social media usernames (Facebook, Instagram) are still free.

1. Short and pronounceable? (The world's top sites have domains averaging 6-8 characters.)
2. Does it pass the phone test? Can it be written down after hearing it, without hyphens, digits, or accents?
3. Future-proof? You are not baking in the city or your single product?
4. Trademark check: no conflicts in the SZTNH and EUIPO databases?
5. Are the matching social media account names free too?

Why is “every good name” taken? - the world of domain trading

Anyone who has ever searched for a domain knows the feeling: nine out of your first ten ideas are taken. The reason is not (only) that there are many businesses - it is that domains are an investment market of their own. More than 392 million domains are registered worldwide today, and studies show that roughly 20-40% of them have no real website: they sit parked, typically with a “this domain is for sale” sign.

The trade has a mature industry behind it. Expiring domains are snapped up by automated systems (drop-catchers) the second they are deleted; good names are sold on marketplaces (Sedo, Afternic, Atom); typical resale prices start at the equivalent of a few hundred dollars - while a new registration costs just a few thousand forints. And at the top end, million-dollar deals happen: the Voice.com domain sold for 30 million dollars in cash in 2019. That is legal “domain investing” - cybersquatting is another matter: anyone who registers addresses resembling other people's trademarks or brand names in bad faith can lose the domain in a dispute proceeding.

As a business owner, one thing matters for you: if the name you want is taken, chances are it is not an operating company sitting on it, but a trader - and there is a sensible strategy for that.

What should you do if the name you want is taken?

First find out what is at the address: open it in your browser and check the public registration data (WHOIS). If it is a real business's website, let it go - but if it is a parked page with a “for sale” sign, it can in principle be bought. Here comes the important tactical rule: never inquire from your company email address. Domain traders price to the buyer's wallet - if they see that a company wants the name for its brand, the price multiplies.

For most small businesses, though, the better path is not haggling but a creative workaround: a short modifier word (viraglakgyor.hu), another solid extension, or - often the best option - a slightly different but more brandable name. What you should not do: do not start using a similar hyphenated or typo variant alongside an established name, because your customers will land on the other one.

.hu domains: what to know about the Hungarian registry

For a Hungarian business, the primary territory is .hu - there are currently about 875 thousand registered .hu domains. The registration rules were renewed in March 2025: the old “priority application” process was abolished, and instead every new application goes through an 8-day public announcement period - if no one raises an objection during that time (for example over a trademark conflict), the domain is automatically yours. So .hu is not instant like .com: a good week passes between the search and taking ownership - it pays to act early.

The price varies by registrar; there is no official retail tariff - on the market it is typically a few thousand forints per year (after discounted first years, the renewal price is what counts). For disputes there is a Hungarian forum as well: cases involving delegated domains are handled by the Alternative Dispute Resolution Forum (Registration Arbiter).

A common question is whether you need the .com alongside the .hu. The rule of thumb: if you are serious about your brand, it is worth registering the .com (if it is free) for defensive purposes and redirecting it to the .hu - for a few thousand forints a year you save yourself a future headache. Buying up a dozen typo variants, however, is unnecessary.

The two traps that can cost you your business

The first and most important: the ownership trap. A domain belongs to whoever it is registered to - and it is alarmingly common for the agency building the website to register the client's domain in its own name. While the relationship is good, you do not even notice; in a dispute, when switching providers, or if the agency shuts down, your web address becomes a hostage. The rule is simple: the domain should always be in your name, in your account - for us this is a core principle: the domain of every site we build belongs to the client.

The second is the expiry trap. If the renewal is missed (typically because the billing email address is no longer active), the domain's life cycle is merciless: a short grace period at the normal price, then an expensive redemption period, and finally deletion - and the second it is deleted, the automated drop-catchers grab it. From then on, you can buy your own web address back from a trader, at many times the price. The protection costs pennies: auto-renewal switched on, a live email address at your registrar, and an email on your own domain ([email protected]) - which, by the way, is also a trust signal in every email you send.

Where is the domain world heading?

Two trends deserve a sentence each. Prices are rising slowly but predictably - the wholesale price of .com increases to 10.97 dollars from November 2026, and under the current rules it may keep creeping up in the coming years; even so, a domain remains one of the cheapest business assets. And the selection keeps growing: ICANN opens the next application round for new extensions in 2026, and industry-specific extensions (like .ai, whose registration fees now make up a significant share of the state budget of the small Caribbean territory of Anguilla) show that the namespace is expanding. The small-business rule of thumb stays the same regardless: a short, pronounceable name with a trusted extension - registered in your own name.

Frequently asked questions