When people search for something, your domain name and URL play a big part in how people find you. It’s not only where your visitors will find you and your content, but the domain you choose can and does affect how well your site shows up in search results as well. There are now more domain options than ever before, but you should still do some things if you desire to get the best results from your site.
In August 2017, IANA had 1,547 top-level domains recognized by ICANN (TLDs) when we wrote about them. Despite this, it doesn’t make it any easier to choose a domain name. Make sure you get the proper domain name for your business. Think about these 10 things.
Table of Contents
- Consider keywords first.
- Make it your own
- Go For Best TDL Domain
- Make it simple to type.
- Make it stand out.
- Please keep it to a few strings.
- Create and meet your standards.
- Build up your brand.
- Don’t be swayed by trends.
- Try a tool that helps you choose a domain name.
1. Consider keywords first.
Before logging in to your favorite domain registrar, think of a few ideas for a name. It can be helpful to keep three to five words in mind when you do this exercise, though. These words and phrases should clarify what you do (or want to do). Mix them up and see what looks good and makes sense. Don’t try to speed up the process. Just let it happen. For example, let’s say you start a bakery in your neighborhood. Some words you should include are your city, fresh bread, baked goods, the bakery, and so on.
2. Make it your own
If you have a domain name, it is part of your brand. If it doesn’t stand out, it’s very important for both you and your users. There is no valid reason to have a domain name that is very similar to another well-known brand. This can cause people to get mixed up.
Make sure you don’t try to be too different, though. The forced spelling of a common word can cause a lot of trouble. An example from the book “The Art of SEO: Mastering Search Engine Optimization” is the popular image site Flickr, which is a good example.
Founders of the site did not use the standard spelling, flicker.com when they set up their domain. As a result, they may not have had as many people visit them. They had to buy the right domain and redirect the extra domain to Flickr.com.
3. Go For Best TDL Domain
If you want to build a long-run brand online, there is nothing better than a.com address. The most significant thing you can do is own the.com or the equivalent TLD for the country where your target market lives.
There are many bases why this is important, but the most important one is for your users. As many TLDs as there, are,.com still has the most trust.
Internet users may not know that there are other types of domain names and may be afraid to click on them when they see them. This is because many people don’t know about them. For users, choose a.com.
4. Make it simple to type.
If your URL is tough to type, people won’t go to your site. Hard words to spell and long URL strings can be very upsetting for your users. As long as the user has a bad experience, you’ll lose.
5. Make it stand out.
There is still no better way to market than word-of-mouth. To spread your brand faster, make your domain name easy to remember so people can find you.
6. Please keep it to a few strings.
Shorter URLs are easier to type and recall because they are easier to read and write down than longer ones. They also let more URLs show up in the search results, fit on business cards better, and look better in other offline media, like brochures and posters.
7. Create and meet your standards.
What should they expect when someone hears your URL for the first time? If they can’t figure out what you do or who you are right away, you have a problem.
They sound cool. But it takes much work to make sites like Amazon, Trivago, and Google work. If you type in a domain like NYtimes.com or Homes.com, you can see right away how the site will look and what it will be like.
8. Build up your brand.
If you can’t find a good domain name that meets the previous rule, use branding to make your firm overhang from the rest of them. A special moniker is a great way to add value. The need to build a brand means that your site will likely take longer to get noticed than if you used an easy-to-use domain. The attempt can pay off in the long run, but only if it’s done the right way.
9. Don’t be swayed by trends.
Even though something is popular now, that doesn’t mean it will always be that way. Copying other people can lead you down the wrong path. Don’t use strange words or too many punctuation marks. This will make your writing look bad. Use simple language that is easy to remember.
10. Try a tool that helps you choose a domain name.
There is no need to worry if you have trouble coming up with an idea. The internet has your back. Try using a domain search tool to help you find the right one. A tool like DomainsBot or NameMesh can help you find a great domain name for your business. But keep in mind to follow the advice above when using these tools.
Conclusion
Your domain is where you do business when you do business on the web. As in real estate, where you live is important. Having an exact domain name to both your users and search engines about who you are and what you can help you build your brand on the web. You don’t just pick a domain; spend some time picking the right one for your business.
