A Twisted Web?

What comes first, the chicken or the egg?

Starting a new business brings this old question back to the fore in a slightly twisted form, especially if you're planning to use the web to attract customers or to sell:

What comes first, the domain name or the business name?

It's a tricky one, and it seems to me that a lot of people rush into business without thinking this through. I know it's something I've done in the past.

The problem is that many descriptive domain names are already taken and if you don't stop and think you'll end up with something like 'i-got-this-domain-name-cos-all-the-best-ones-were-gone.com'. (Good luck trying to get that brand to cut through, by the way).

There's no easy answer and in truth it's a balance of the two. Remember: just because you can buy a domain online instantly, doesn't mean you should. (Although it's flippin' tempting...)