It takes time to choose a domain. This name will likely be yours for the entire life of your company.
We’ve put together eight tips and guidelines to help you choose the right domain name.
How To Choose A Domain Name For Your Business
Generic is not as Brandable
What does “brandable” mean? It means to make it sound like an enterprise. Let’s say, for example, you have a fitness brand named Power Steps. Don’t choose a generic name like letsgetfit.com if powersteps.com, or something similar, is not available. This sounds more like a mantra than a business. It’s not just that generic domains are lost in the digital shuffle with overused keywords.
A better version would be something close to your actual brand name, such as powerstepsfitness.com. It’s easy to remember, sounds like a company, and describes what you do.
It can be not easy to choose a catchy phrase, depending on your brand. But try and make it memorable. It would be best if you chose something you could imagine your friends saying to each other. You can start thinking of unique names by looking at websites that have domains slightly different than their brand name. You will begin to notice patterns and techniques you can apply to your own business.
Keep it short
You need to remember a domain name if you want your brand to be at the top of consumers’ minds. It’s important to remember that short-term memory has a finite capacity. Numerous studies have shown the average person is only able to recall a sequence of seven numbers passively. It’s for this reason that we use seven-digit phone numbers. When it comes to names or whole words like those, the memory is a bit different, but it still works on a similar principle. The ideal is between 6-14 characters with under four words. It also decreases the chance of someone mistyping or misspelling your domain.
It’s Easy to Type
Next, make it simple to type. Avoid using slang, as this can confuse you. Avoid using “u” in place of “you” or words with multiple spellings, such as “cemetery” and “cemetery.” It can be difficult to avoid this but try to avoid having too many letters consecutively. Fitnesssports.com, for example, has a few too many. This website’s name is easy to misspell or type incorrectly.
Note: Make sure it’s easy to pronounce! People remember names that are easy to say.
Avoid Hyphens & Numbers
At all costs, avoid these dashes “–” known as hyphens. When people mention websites casually, they usually omit the dash and only say the words of the domain name. It is not good for word-of-mouth marketing because the customer may end up on a completely different website.
The same problem exists with numbers. People don’t always know if a name has a numerical value or if it is spelled. It’s not possible to rely on the people saying your domain name to make it clear. It’s likely to be lost in translation.
Use keywords that are relevant to your offering.
Use keywords. If you are in marketing, for example, try putting marketing” in your domain name. Use the keywords that people search for when they are looking for your product or service.
Understanding how Google interprets keywords can help you improve your SEO. Previously, ultra-specific keywords were beneficial to rankings. Now, they can be detrimental. For example, instead of choosing a domain name like BuyComfortableChairs.com, go with something broader but still relevant, like Lounging.com. Google can use your domain in conjunction with other information from your website to classify your business. This change was made because too many low-quality, spammy websites used ultra-specific keywords in order to boost their ranking.
Use the Appropriate Domain Name Extention
The domain extension is the two or three letters that are at the end of your domain, such as.com or.net. Some are used for specific purposes and to indicate categories, such as.gov (government). Other domains can be used to indicate the country in which a website is located, such as.ca for Canada or.de for Germany.
It is obvious that the domains are the most popular. Businesses that want to be seen as formidable will pay top dollar for a.com extension.
There are still many great options available to you if the.com that you wanted is out of your reach. You can still build a strong, memorable brand. This is a list of common extensions and what they’re usually used for.
Technical sites.net
Information based websites.info
.co is usually used for a business or commerce website
Nonprofits and charities can be found under.org
.me – personal websites, blogs, portfolios
.biz is for commercial or e-commerce sites.
Conduct Research
Research the domain. Domain hosts like Hostgator Bluehost and GoDaddy offer useful research tools that can help you determine if the domain is available or not. You can also find similar alternatives. Domains are valued differently based on their length, trend, and specificity. When choosing your website, keep this in mind. If you already have a domain name, you can sell it quickly and use the proceeds to buy a new one.
Do not Delay
Act quickly. Act fast.
Registering your domain should be on the top of any list.
You may find that your business is affected if you choose a name for your website that differs from what you originally planned. It’s better to know about these changes earlier rather than later.