Top 5 Things To Remember When Choosing A Domain Name (2020)

Brandable Over Generic

Starting your own website can be challenging, but before that, picking a domain name can be just as tricky. Especially if it’s a business website, having a catchy yet simple domain name can make all the difference.

Domain names act as your identity in the World Wide Web. It’s one of the things that makes you distinguishable from your competitors. It should be appropriate for the type of website you are creating and promoting.

Domain names are also your first branding opportunity, meaning they serve as a first impression of what your business represents, and they can also define your brand. A great domain name will establish the brand image the company wants to be perceived as.

To select the right domain name, you have to be familiar with the domain name structure or URL (Universal Resource Locator) consisting of 5 parts.

1. Prefix- Specifies the protocol used to access the location of the file.

          HTTP for standard and HTTPS for secure sites.

2. Sub-domain- The third-level domain of the website.

          Usually www for the World Wide Web

3. Name- The second-level domain which is the firm’s name
4. Extension- The top-level domain (TLD) which specifies the type of entity an organization is.
5. Subdirectory- Shows the particular page of a website the user is on.

Some examples of top-level domains/extensions are:  

• .com- Commercial
• .net- Network
• .edu- Education
• .gov- US Government
• .mil- US Military
• .biz- Business
• .info- Information
• .int- International
• .org- Organization

Dot-com is the simplest and most widely used in domain names, but if the dot-com extension is taken, you can try other extensions. The name and extension are what makes up a domain name, so select these two wisely.

So what are the key factors when choosing a domain name?

Extensive Research

Before registering a domain name, make sure to do thorough research regarding the name. Check that the name isn’t trademarked, copyrighted or used by another company as any legal implications could cost you a fortune.

Conduct a trademark search and google search to identify if your name matches or is similar to another firm. It will eliminate confusion from consumers.

You should also perform social media searches to determine what social usernames are available for your business. It also helps to recognize if any small business shares your name or not.

If your desired domain name is sold but not in use, there is a strong possibility that the owner just purchased it to sell it later at a hefty price. It’s better to be careful of second-hand domain name purchases.

Strong Keywords

Domain names can reflect on the website and convey what type of business the website represents. It should be short, catchy and straightforward. You can enter keywords that people might type while looking up a particular product or service.

The proper keywords can help your website rank higher on search engines to bring in more organic traffic and maximize the visibility of your site. This is known as search engine optimization.

If your business belongs in a niche market, consider using a ‘niche’ keyword to make it easier to find your site.

However, watch out not to be too specific or too “keyword-targeted” as it might set the wrong expectations or negative bias. Plus, the URLs don’t look as appealing when a subdirectory is attached to a very specific keyword.

In case your preferred keywords are taken or used extensively, try finding synonyms using a keyword thesaurus. Domain name generators also come in handy to find available domain names using your defined keywords.

Unique And Brandable Name

Your domain name should be unique and stand out from others of similar fields. It should be eye-catching and memorable so that visitors can remember your site even after exiting it.

Unique doesn’t mean the name has to be complex or lengthy. Names that are easy to type and pronounce will aid in word-of-mouth marketing. Therefore, there should be no hyphens, numbers or double letters, if possible. These increase chances of mistyping, so potential traffic is lost.

The domain name is also a branding opportunity so use it to your advantage. Popular brands like Google and Amazon have used terms that are not in the dictionary, but they’ve developed their own brand identity.

Your domain name should sound trustworthy and have the potential to build brand value over time.

Proper Domain Extensions

Extensions are suffixes at the end of the URL. You have plenty of options, but your business field and location will narrow it down for you.

While it can be tempting to experiment with new extensions, the “.com” is your safest bet, especially if it’s a new business. It is far more established and credible extension than the others. It is viewed as more trustworthy and memorable, and many people type dot-com unknowingly at the end of their search. It also helps that smartphone keyboards have a dot.com button, so it will eventually save you a lot of web traffic.

Of course, under particular circumstances, you should use more accurate extensions. If your website is a non-profit, you should use “.org” or use “.edu” for educational sites.

You can consider buying other extensions to prevent competitors from registering them under their name. You don’t need to create different websites for every domain, simply forward any additional domains to your primary website.

Choose The Right Domain Registrar

Domain registrars enable you to register domain names. You should use a domain registrar which aligns with your website’s goals, budget and your requirements.

It’s crucial to use established and trusted companies like GoDaddy,  NameCheap,  SiteGround, HostGator, etc. Do comprehensive research about what services they are offering and compare prices and validity to decide what is best for your website.

Security is of paramount importance as domain hijackings are becoming increasingly common. Use two-factor authentication to log in and keep login credentials of registrar’s user panel very safe.

It’s best to pick a registrar with good customer support with technical knowledge and straightforward account management system.  

CONCLUSION

Your domain name will have a considerable impact on the success and performance of your website. It will also help in brand recognition and search engine optimization (SEO) further down the road.

The perfect domain name should be unique and creative, but also practical and effective.

It is advisable to get it right the first time as changing domain registrars will create an unnecessary hassle and disturb your website performance. So put a lot of thought into it, or we can help you out.

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Our professionals will listen to your project and its requirements and tailor-make a website according to your instructions. We can purchase the domain name and hosting on your behalf. We also provide free consultation and expert suggestions during website development.

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