When creating a website for your business, one of the little choices you’ll come across is whether to include “www” at the beginning of your web address — like www.yourbusiness.com — or leave it out and just use yourbusiness.com.

It might seem like a small detail, but choosing one or the other (and sticking with it) can help your website look more professional, avoid confusion, and work better behind the scenes.

Let’s break it down.

What’s the Difference Between WWW and Non-WWW?

  • www.yourbusiness.com: This version includes “www” — short for “World Wide Web” — and is how websites were commonly shown in the past.
  • yourbusiness.com: This version skips the “www” and is often seen as shorter and more modern.

They both take people to the same place if your website is set up correctly. But behind the scenes, they’re treated as different versions. That’s why it’s important to choose just one.

Pros and Cons of Each Option

Using WWW

  • Some web services and hosting tools work a little more smoothly with the www version.
  • Large websites that get a lot of traffic sometimes choose www for extra flexibility.
  • If you might expand your site in the future, www could help with that.

Using Non-WWW (Naked Domain)

  • It’s perfectly fine for businesses with simple websites or local audiences.
  • It looks cleaner and more modern.
  • Many small businesses prefer it because it’s shorter and easier to remember.

Real-World Examples

  • Big companies like Facebook use the non-www version: facebook.com.
  • Others like Amazon use the www version: www.amazon.com.

The key is: pick the one that feels right for your brand and keep it consistent.

Best Practices for Small Business Websites

Once you choose a version, here’s how to make sure it works smoothly:

  • Stick with one version and don’t switch back and forth.
  • Redirect traffic from the other version to your main one (your web developer or hosting provider can help with this).
  • Let Google know your preference by setting it in your Google Search Console (a free tool for checking how your site shows up in search).

So, What Should You Do?

  • Pick One and Stick With It: Choose your preferred version—www or non-www—and redirect all traffic to it.
  • Use 301 Redirects: Set up server-side 301 redirects to point users and search engines to your chosen domain.
  • Configure Google Search Console: Add both versions to your Search Console account and set your preferred domain.

Final Tip: Keep It Simple and Consistent

Whether you go with www or not, make sure:

  • All your links and business materials use the same format.
  • Your web developer sets up automatic redirects from one to the other.
  • You check that everything works properly across your pages.

This small step can make your site look more polished and help people (and Google) find you easily.