Domain Selection
- 761 installs
- 787 repo stars
- Updated June 9, 2026
- kostja94/marketing-skills
domain-selection is a marketing agent skill that delivers structured guidance for choosing an SEO-friendly domain for developers balancing brand name, keywords, TLD, readability, and defensive registration on a new site.
About
domain-selection is a version 1.0.1 kostja94/marketing-skills strategy guide for initial domain choice on a single new site. The skill compares brand domains, partial match domains (PMD), and exact match domains (EMD), evaluates TLD options including .ai, .com, and .io, and covers length, readability, domain history, and defensive registration. Developers reach for domain-selection when naming a new product site—not during rebranding migrations, which belong to rebranding-strategy. Trigger phrases include SEO-friendly domain, EMD, PMD, TLD selection, .ai domain, and defensive domain registration.
- Evaluates brand domain vs exact-match domain (EMD) vs partial-match domain (PMD)
- Recommends optimal TLDs including .com, .io, and .ai with trade-off analysis
- Checks domain length, readability, pronunciation, and historical SEO factors
- Includes defensive registration strategy to protect brand variants
- Opens with 1-2 sentence context on first use, then delivers main output
Domain Selection by the numbers
- 761 all-time installs (skills.sh)
- +6 installs in the week ending Jul 25, 2026 (Skillselion tracking)
- Ranked #604 of 1,879 Marketing & SEO skills by installs in the Skillselion catalog
- Security screen: LOW risk (skills.sh audit)
- Data as of Jul 31, 2026 (Skillselion catalog sync)
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| Installs | 761 |
|---|---|
| repo stars | ★ 787 |
| Security audit | 3 / 3 scanners passed |
| Last updated | June 9, 2026 |
| Repository | kostja94/marketing-skills ↗ |
How do you choose an SEO-friendly domain name?
Receive structured guidance when selecting an SEO-friendly domain name that balances brand, keywords, TLD choice, readability, and defensive registration.
Who is it for?
Developers launching a new site who must decide between brand, partial match, or exact match domains and pick an appropriate TLD.
Skip if: Teams executing domain migrations or rebrands on existing sites—use rebranding-strategy instead of initial domain selection.
When should I use this skill?
The user mentions domain choice, SEO-friendly domain, EMD, PMD, TLD selection, .ai domain, or defensive domain registration.
What you get
Domain shortlist, TLD recommendation, brand-versus-keyword tradeoff analysis, and defensive registration plan.
By the numbers
- Skill metadata version 1.0.1
- Evaluates 3 domain types: brand, Partial Match (PMD), Exact Match (EMD)
Files
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: 1. Product type: Tool, content, e-commerce, AI product, etc. 2. Brand stage: New brand vs established; solo vs team 3. 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
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What domain types does domain-selection compare?
domain-selection compares brand domains, partial match domains (PMD), and exact match domains (EMD). The skill weighs keyword relevance, readability, TLD choice, and long-term SEO against branding goals for a new site.
When should domain-selection not be used?
domain-selection guides initial domain choice for a single new site. For migrating or rebranding an existing domain, use rebranding-strategy instead of this initial selection workflow.
Is Domain Selection safe to install?
skills.sh reports 3 of 3 security scanners passed. Review the Security Audits panel on this page before installing in production.