How to choose the right domain name for your business website
Summary
Choosing a domain name for your website is an important aspect of online marketing. Get it wrong and you could end up missing out on website visitors, both from search engines and direct visitors. Getting it right, could boost your profile enormously. But, with so much choice and with all the great names taken, what's the best approach?
History of domain names
Think about all the instantly recognisable domain names on the web and you soon realise that most of them have been bought, even if they're not in use.
With domain names so cheap to purchase, back in the mid-nineties when the Internet was beginning to take hold, brand names and generic word combinations, were snapped up.
Then, as the web began to take hold, more and more companies bought up their domain names to own the URL (Uniform Resource Locator).
But, unlike business names, there is only one URL per name available (apart from different suffixes such as .com and .co.uk) so supply was always going to be limited.
Many companies committed to their domain name there and then, some often settling for a compromised name, such as just the initials of the company name, or just adding "ltd" within their domain name.
Current state of domain names
Here we are, ten years later. The dust has settled and all the great names were taken a long time ago, spawning a generation of new businesses with names that are quite obscure, just so the domain can be bought.
Add to that the introduction of new suffixes, such as TV and EU and things get confusing. Here are The Escape top tips for selecting a domain name:
Basic rules
Domain names are cheap and you can register a .co.uk domain for just £2.99 for a year.
But, just because they are cheap, don't rush in. Before you press that "BUY NOW" button, take a deep breath and reflect on how your domain name could be a huge asset for your business marketing online. Picking a domain name is more than a whimsical task.
Clarity and memorability
Pick a domain name that is both easy to remember and has a ring to it. If you have to spell your domain name when you tell someone, or, if you have to have it littered with hyphens, you could end up with a confused potential audience. Pick a name that rolls off the tongue.
Size doesn't matter
You no longer have to worry about the length of your domain name (within reason). More important to length, is whether your name can be spoken in a conversation, and remembered.
Many SEO websites have long domain names, packed with keywords. In fact, for a .COM you can have up to 63 characters. So,
Chooseanamethatiseasytoremember.com
Avoid alternative spellings
Some people think it's a clever tactic to chose a mis-spelling or alternative spelling for their domain name. If that's the name of your business, fair enough, but it will leave people guessing when they want to actually find you. 'Clever' is not always clever.
Stick to the main suffixes
Unless you are a school, charity, or non-commercial organisation, .CO.UK and .COM are really the only domain suffixes that count. Avoid grabbing your chosen name with an obscure suffix, just because it's available.
There is also an element of credibility with your domain suffix. .me.uk, won't inspire confidence.
Keywords
A keyword in your domain name is a great plus and is worth thinking about. For example, if your company name is 'escape' and you sell 'printing', choosing a domain such as 'escapeprinting' will add relevance to a search result.
Extending this concept, you could also localise your domain name for search optimisation, eg. basingstokeprint.
Keywords in your domain name do not have as much weighting as they used to, but you can still leverage a domain name if it is specific.
This also works well for brands and vertical markets. We have leveraged domain names such as:
- basingstokebusinessnews.co.uk
- pervoliavilla.com
- housingmarketing.co.uk
It's a balance of keywords versus brand.
Visual clarity
An important factor, from the point of general marketing, is how your domain name looks when it is written down.
If you have two words together and the last letter in the first word is the same as the first letter in the second word, consider using a hyphen to avoid confusion, (eg. the-escape vs. theescape, especially if the first word ends with two of the same letters!
There are some unfortunate examples of bad domain name choices, like the domain name for Pen Island (penisland).
Choosing your domain name
So, how do you go about choosing your domain name? Why not get the dictionary and thesaurus out and brainstorm words, or collections of words.
There are plenty of domain name checkers online to help find what's still available.
Think laterally:
- Your company name
- Your industry
- Industry 'buzz' words
- Answers to common customer problems
- Your geographical location
Whatever names you decide upon, test them with industry colleagues, as well as family and friends.
Always think practically, rather than emotionally, bearing in mind you will have to learn to love your domain name. It's not personal if people don't like your names.
If you have the time, go back to them a week later and see which ones they remember. After all, that's what we need - memory retention.
Also, what happens when you type the words in you chosen domain name into a search engine? How much competition is there? What are those sites called?
Availability
Because of saturation, many of your first choice domain names will have gone. Try using other variations of the same words to create your domain name.
Brand domains
Perhaps there is mileage in choosing a corporate domain name for your business, then creating multiple brand websites using brand related domain names?
This is a great idea for niche or vertical markets as it refines your offering to leave with you with specific websites, about specific subjects, with specific domain names.
Buying new domains
To buy a brand new domain, you can use many different websites, which offer you great prices. But, make sure you understand what is happening when you buy. If it doesn't make sense, get your IT people involved or hire a consultant who can furnish you with all the details.
Make sure the right person, or company, actually owns the domain name when it is registered. I have heard horror stories from people who have had people register their domain names for them and then fallen out, leaving a costly process of trying to prove ownership, which takes a long time to resolve.
Too many people buy domains and don't take note of where they bought them and what contact details they used. This is one of the biggest issues with marketers and small business owners buying domain names. You can use services like 123-reg to search for, and buy, domain names, with a straightforward control panel that gives you control.
Buy an existing name
Buying an existing domain name, with good history on the web, can sometimes be a great investment.
You could end up with a great name by spending a couple of thousands of pounds, which may seem like quite a lot of money considering they initially cost £2.99, but there are added benefits.
Using an auction site like SEDO you can search keywords, see what's available and analyse the domain to determine the existing links to the website. These existing links, can add value to the domain which already has age, rather than starting from scratch with a brand new domain. Google will already know you exist and carry that authority over.
Summary
A domain name doesn't need to be for life, but if you chose the right one and stick with it, you can build trust and authority that grows and grows. And, choosing an effective name in the first place is central to your online (and offline) marketing, adding long-term value to your online presence. So, spending time to make the most informed choice up-front is a great investment into your brand.
Finally, just to reinforce, don't just snap lots of names up and forget about them. When you buy, it needs to be organised. Otherwise, you could spend years building up your online brand value, only to lose your domain through lack of administrative organisation.
