Short answer: work backwards from launch day. Secure the domain first because it is the only perishable item on the list, then run trademark and handle checks in parallel, then set up email and SSL, and leave defensive registrations until last. Most of this takes days; the trademark filing takes months, so start it early even though it finishes late.
The 14-point checklist
| # | Item | When |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shortlist names with an obtainable .com | 12 weeks out |
| 2 | Preliminary trademark search on shortlist | 12 weeks out |
| 3 | Check social handles across relevant platforms | 12 weeks out |
| 4 | Say each finalist aloud to strangers | 11 weeks out |
| 5 | Buy the domain | 10 weeks out |
| 6 | Claim every social handle | 10 weeks out |
| 7 | File the trademark application | 10 weeks out |
| 8 | Set up business email on the domain | 8 weeks out |
| 9 | Configure SSL and force HTTPS | 6 weeks out |
| 10 | Set up analytics and search console | 4 weeks out |
| 11 | Configure www and non-www redirects | 4 weeks out |
| 12 | Enable domain lock and auto-renew | 3 weeks out |
| 13 | Consider defensive registrations | 2 weeks out |
| 14 | Verify email deliverability records | 1 week out |
Why the domain comes first
Everything else on this list waits for you. The domain does not. Trademark applications can be filed later, handles can occasionally be negotiated, and technical setup is entirely within your control. But a domain someone else buys while you deliberate is gone permanently, and there is exactly one of it.
This is the single most common sequencing error in launch planning: spending weeks clearing a trademark, then discovering the .com sold in the interim. Secure the perishable asset first.
The checks that catch people out
- Email deliverability records. SPF, DKIM, and DMARC need configuring or your launch emails land in spam. This is invisible until it fails, and it fails at the worst moment.
- Both www and non-www resolving. Pick one canonical version and redirect the other permanently. Serving both independently splits your search equity.
- Domain lock and auto-renew. An expired domain takes your entire business offline. Enable both immediately and use a payment method that will not expire.
- Registrar account security. Your domain is the keys to the business. Two-factor authentication is not optional.
- Handles you did not think you needed. Claim them anyway. Reclaiming a squatted handle later is difficult and sometimes impossible.
Defensive registrations: what is worth buying
Most early-stage companies over-invest here. A sensible minimum:
- Obvious common misspellings, if the name has any — though needing several is a signal the name is weaker than it should be
- The equivalent in your primary market’s country extension, if you operate somewhere with a strong local extension
- Nothing else, initially. Buying every extension defensively is a tax on a brand nobody is yet trying to copy. Revisit once you have something worth defending.
Money saved here is better spent on securing a stronger primary .com in the first place.
Working backwards from launch day
The trademark timeline is the constraint that shapes everything. Applications take months to process, so filing needs to happen early even though the outcome arrives late. Everything else compresses comfortably into a few weeks if it has to.
A pragmatic minimum if you are launching in a hurry: secure the domain, run a preliminary trademark search, claim handles, set up email properly, and configure SSL and redirects. The rest can follow.
At a glance
- The domain is the only perishable item — secure it first
- File the trademark early, because it finishes late
- Email records fail silently and at the worst moment
- Enable domain lock and auto-renew immediately
- Keep defensive registrations minimal until you have a brand to defend
Frequently asked questions
How early should I buy the domain?
As soon as you are confident in the name. There is no benefit to waiting and a real risk in it.
Can I launch before the trademark is granted?
Yes. Most companies do. Filing establishes priority; you do not need the grant in hand to trade.
What if I miss something on this list?
Most items are fixable after launch. The two that are not are the domain itself and, sometimes, social handles.
General information, not legal advice. Trademark procedure varies by jurisdiction.
Start with item one
Browse short, brandable one-word .coms with the domain, and the decision, available today.