F. Assessing Your Search Results

Once you've carried out your trademark search, you'll have several options, depending on the results.
If your search turned up no results, your search parameters were probably too narrow. You should rethink your search strategy and try again. Although it's possible that no existing trademarks exactly match your proposed domain name, it's virtually impossible that there aren't some marks that are at least close.
If your search turns up trademarks that you think might conflict with your proposed domain name, your next step is to go to Chapter 7. You will be looking for the answer to one question: Would the use of your domain name create the likelihood of customer confusion between the products or services on your website and those identified by an existing mark? If you answer yes, you might well be guilty of trademark infringement if you go ahead and use the domain name you're considering.
If you conclude that your domain name won't infringe another business's trademark, your next step is to consider registering the domain name with the PTO as a trademark. We explain that process in Chapter 8.