If you're just starting out with your private practice, you need a website and a domain to build your online presence and get in front of potential clients.
And this is where many therapists hit the first roadblock. How should I name my private practice? What should be my website address? Finding the perfect domain for your PP may take some time, but it's surely worth it!
A good name for your therapy services will help you make your therapy practice more memorable. Also, different names invoke specific feelings or connotations, so you can use them to your advantage.
Let's have a look at what to consider when looking for a name for your PP and your website (because yeah, they should be the same).
Domain name for therapists: Components of your web address
We don't typically think about that, but there are actually a three major components of every URL address:
Top-Level Domain (TLD): The suffix of the domain, such as .com, .org, or .uk, indicating the domain's category or country code.
Second-Level Domain (SLD): The main part of the domain, located directly before the TLD (e.g., example in example.com). This often represents the organisation or brand.
Subdomain: A prefix to the SLD (e.g., www or blog in blog.example.com) used to organise content under the main domain. You can think of a subdomain if you run two different services under one name, e.g.: mediation.company.com and therapy.company.com.
Why you need a good name for your private practice website?
There are a few things to consider here:
Your business asset
Your business name is your number-one business asset. It creates the first impression and sets the tone for how potential clients perceive your therapy services as well as customer service.
Ask yourself some of those questions:
Will this name look good on a business card?
Does an email address with this domain look professional?
Will my target audience understand what I want to convey through this name?
In general, your name should convey trust, professionalism and the core values of your approach, thus helping clients feel understood and reassured before they even reach out.
A well-chosen name also strengthens your brand identity and gives you some competitive edge, too, because it makes your private practice more memorable and easier to recommend to others (you don't want this kind of hesitation: "What was that company's name again? Shoot, I can't remember!").
Strong brand
A good therapy practice name is useful when it comes to building personal brand for you as a therapist or counsellor. Mental health professionals can utilize many strategies to build a strong personal brand - including social media platforms (e.g., Facebook groups), blog and other places where you showcase your business. A good name = strong brand!
Your values
Many therapists use names that convey their therapeutic approach, core values, and the specific audience you cater to. For instance, if you specialize in child therapy, a domain name that reflects warmth and approachability may resonate well with parents seeking support for their children. This way, you can build an early personal connection with your target clients.
How to choose a domain name: 4 options
Depending on your business structure, your ideal clients, as well as the nature of your services, you have three different options for your preferred domain name for therapists:
Option 1: A solo practice
If you are a solopreneur, it's only you providing therapeutic services, AND THIS IS IMPORTANT - you want to keep it this way, you can come up with a practice name that revolves around your name or title.
A few ideas:
Your name: JohnDoe.com
Your degree/professional title: DrAllison.com
Your role/services: DeniseSmithCounselling.com, JohnTherapy.com
Option 2: Service-based name
When going through potential names, many therapists focus on the service they provide. That's also a good idea to consider. Again, a few examples:
Service name: DepressionCounselling.com
Service + location: AnxietyToronto.com
Service + target audience: CounsellingForWomen.com
Option 3: Location-based name
If you want to emphasize your location, it's a good idea to include it in your private practice domain name. You have two main options here. You can go with either service + location, as we've already mentioned or come up with a specific name for your practice AND add a location component (an example would be LabyrinthCounsellingYYC.com - one of our clients is using this combination).
Option 4: A specific name
Lastly, if you have a specific name in mind, you can go with it. Such a name is more likely to be available. A couple of examples: ThenAndNowPsychotherapy.com, CWTherapy.com, Akstherapy.ca (all our clients).
This last option requires more creativity, but if you have something in mind, it's not a bad idea to go with such a name!
Things to consider when looking for domain ideas
Regardless of which option you decide to go with, there are a few good practices you should stick to:
The shorter the better: Ideally, a domain name should have below 25 characters. This will make it easier to remember and will give you more options when it comes to marketing, especially Google Ads:
You can include keywords, but don't go overboard with them: AnxietyTherapy.com is ok. StartAnxietyTherapyInChicagoForWomen.com is not. You don't really need keywords in your domain name; if you can incorporate them naturally - go for it. But don't make it your number-one priority.
Avoid numbers and special characters: AnxietyTherapy365.com is not a great name, unless the number is significant in some way to you. The same with hyphens and other special characters; avoid them whenever possible.
Get both top-level domains (sometimes referred to as domain extensions): If you are in Canada, ideally, you should get both .com and .ca domain. Since .com functions internationally, there’s a risk that some of your customers might accidentally visit the other company with the same domain name or become confused about your actual website address. Naturally, this is a situation you want to avoid entirely. If you are in the US, .com is sufficient. And what it's not available? You can look for different options (e.g., .org or .io), but I'm not a huge fan of such a course of action, unless it's something that works with your PP name (e.g., .health may be a good extension for a private practice).
Check availability: The best thing you can do is to check availability of both the domain and the name. Simply type your preferred name in quotes and look for it on Google (you can also check social media handles and pages). You can also go to your domain registrar's website and look up a specific domain.
Analyze your competitors: Before picking a specific name, analyze your competitors’ websites. This will give you a sense of the landscape in your niche and help you differentiate your practice. Understanding how others in your field present themselves can inspire creativity and ensure that your choice stands out. Ideally, you want a name that resonates with your target audience but does not closely resemble another practice that could confuse potential clients.
Don't use a name that's taken: If you came up with a name that's already taken (especially in a similar niche), don't use it. You will save yourself some headaches :) It's always best to use the name that no one else uses.
How to register your domain
Once you pick a good name for your website and your business, it's time to register it! This process is fairly straightforward:
Choose a domain name registrar: It's a company that will register your domain (usually along with the hosting service for it) and maintain it registered under your name. For Canadian companies, we definitely recommend HostPapa.com, but you can look for other registrars as well.
Check availability: The domain registrar will check whether the domain is available for you. If it is, you are good to go with the next steps!
Finish the process: The domain registrar will guide you through the next steps. Usually, it's a good idea to register your domain for two or three years. This way, you can frequently get a better annual fee. Also, longer registration is beneficial from the SEO perspective. Additionally, most registrars provide an option for domain protection, which can be helpful, too.
Wrapping up
Attracting your ideal clients starts with a good business and domain name. Think about different options, and go with the one that makes most sense for your online presence. A good domain name will help you get in front of prospective clients and help them keep your business in mind (that's why it's vital to consider your target audience before making this decision).
Put shortly, a good name for counseling services (or any other professional services, for that matter) should be:
Short and understandable to your target audience
Easy to type by an English-speaking audience
Positive or empowering to take action
Free to use (avoid names that are already in use, even in different sectors or regions)
Frequently asked questions
Can I change my domain name later?
While it is possible to change your domain name in the future, doing so can be cumbersome and may lead to loss in website traffic (we will talk more about search engine optimization in the future posts). It’s essential to choose a name carefully and decisively from the beginning to avoid confusion among your clients and interrupting your online presence.
Should I get a premium domain?
Not really. They tend to be very expensive and they don't do anything a standard name won't. Creativity is more important than a premium price tag.
What if .com is not available?
If you're in Canada, look for .ca address and go with it if you like it. But honestly, you should get both. If the .com address is not available (which is understandable since it's the most popular website extension), my advice is to look for a different digital address for your PP.