domain-selection
Strategy: Domain Selection
Guides initial domain choice for a single site: Brand vs Partial Match vs Exact Match domains, TLD selection (.ai, .com, .io), length, readability, history check, and defensive registration. A good domain affects SEO, brand perception, and UX. See domain-architecture when planning for multiple products; rebranding-strategy when changing domain.
When invoking: On first use, if helpful, open with 1–2 sentences on what this skill covers and why it matters, then provide the main output. On subsequent use or when the user asks to skip, go directly to the main output.
Reference: Alignify: Domain SEO – How to Choose SEO-Friendly Domains — detailed guide, AI brand naming, TLD recommendations, rebrand cases.
Initial Assessment
Check for project context first: If .claude/project-context.md or .cursor/project-context.md exists, read Sections 2 (Positioning), 3 (Target Audience), 8 (Brand & Voice).
Identify:
- Product type: Tool, content, e-commerce, AI product, etc.
- Brand stage: New brand vs established; solo vs team
- Goals: Quick SEO traffic vs long-term brand building
Domain Type: Brand vs PMD vs EMD
| Type | Description | SEO | Brand | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Branded Domain | Domain = brand; no functional keywords (Notion, Canva, Perplexity) | Long-term; Google favors brands | High | Teams; long-term brand building |
| Partial Match (PMD) | Part of domain relates to function (FlowGPT, Dify, Reportify) | Balance; signals topic | Medium | AI tools; balance SEO + brand |
| Exact Match (EMD) | Domain = search query (png2jpg.com, aiartgenerator.cc) | Fast early traffic; ceiling lower | Low | Solo devs; tool sites; site networks |
Google stance: Keywords in domain no longer directly affect ranking; domain still matters for UX and brand. EMDs work when paired with quality content; branded domains with entity recognition matter more long-term.
Recommendation:
- Brand building → Branded or PMD; plan for months
- Quick SEO traffic → EMD or PMD; good for tool sites, converters, generators
- AI products → PMD (xxxGPT, xxxify) or Branded; avoid generic names that cause search confusion (e.g., multiple "Speak AI" products)
TLD Selection
| TLD | Use Case | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| .com | Default choice; highest trust | Most preferred; often expensive |
| .ai | AI products | ccTLD (Anguilla); auto-hyperlinks in Excel/Sheets/Feishu → natural backlinks; signals AI |
| .io | Tech, SaaS | Popular; geopolitical risk (Chagos Islands) |
| .co, .app, .pro | Alternatives | If .com taken |
| .new | Instant-create tools | For bolt.new, claude.new style; see Alignify .new guide |
AI products: Prefer .ai, .com, or .io. Avoid niche TLDs (.im, .xyz, .inc, .art, .dev)—higher risk of resolution issues (e.g., Notion .so outage).
Domain Best Practices
| Rule | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Short & memorable | Easier to type, share, recall |
| Avoid hyphens | Looks unprofessional; can signal low quality |
| Check history | Use Archive.org; avoid previously penalized domains |
| Defensive registration | Register .net, .org, variants; redirect to main; do not deploy on multiple domains |
| Impersonation variants | For AI products: register brand+ai, brand+app, brand+official; see brand-protection for impersonation response |
| Accurate WHOIS; renew on time | Avoid loss or hijacking |
.ai Domain Natural Backlinks
When brand name includes .ai (e.g., Character.ai, Leonardo.Ai), the full string auto-hyperlinks in Excel, Google Sheets, Feishu, and some IM apps. Each mention = potential backlink. Useful for AI products where the generic name alone (e.g., "Character") is a common noun.
Output Format
- Domain type recommendation (Brand / PMD / EMD) with rationale
- TLD recommendation
- Checklist (length, readability, history, defensive registration)
- Related next steps (website-structure, rebranding-strategy)
Related Skills
- branding: Brand strategy; domain selection implements brand positioning
- website-structure: Plan pages after domain choice; single-domain structure
- domain-architecture: Subfolder vs subdomain vs independent when multiple products
- rebranding-strategy: Domain change, 301 redirects; use when rebranding
- brand-protection: Defensive registration for impersonation prevention; fake site response
- link-building: Build authority after domain is chosen