Selecting the ideal domain name for your website is a vital step in starting your brand. Picking the right domain name can affect your SEO efforts and dictate the impressions of your target audience. It takes a lot of careful consideration to find the right name and make the best out of it.
There are a number of factors that you need to consider for your domain name ideas. Here are five ways to pick the best domain name for your website and get the most out of it. Easy to use and affordably priced domain registrars such as NameCheap can help. Many think their domain names are simple web addresses but it means so much more for your business.
1. Make It Easy And Straightforward
In any brand, your domain name is the face of the company. If we equate it to a brick-and-mortar business, it’s the company signage that bears your name but in URL form. With that said, you want something that is easily brandable – something that sounds like a brand and works as a brand.
You want something easy, simple, and lacking in weird quirks that you’ll find with some domains. For example, the email platform Gmail uses googlemail.com or gmail.com for their URL. It’s straightforward, easy to remember, and without any weird symbols. Make sure that your URL doesn’t have hyphens, numbers, or anything unnatural on it.
If you can, go with a single word or phrase that will always remind customers who you are. Make it easy to remember. For businesses with a long name, try to use abbreviations or shorthand that is still on-brand. As long as it’s easy to memorize and recall, you should be good to go.
2. Choose The Right Top-Level Domain
When it comes to content marketing, one of the simplest ways to find the ideal domain name is to choose the top-level domain (TLD) for your website. The TLD is the word that comes after your website names like .com or .org. There are so many TLDs these days but here’s one fact: the .com name still has its power.
Domain name extensions are a dime a dozen these days and some even refer to niche options. Some sites use .blog, .party, .photography, and much more. Even then, many of the traditional options signal trustworthiness and credibility – two important areas every website wants.
You would want to use a .com domain for your extension, rather than the newer ones. If your business is in other countries apart from the USA, you can even use the most common domain extension for your country. Among the most common of these include .co.uk for UK websites and .com.au for Australian websites.
These domains will be a little on the more expensive sites. Most site hosting services know the power of the .com domain, so there’s a premium when pairing the extension with the right domain name. Regardless, you can treat this as an investment towards your brand.
3. Use Keywords Wisely
If you’re being picky with your domain name, chances are you have an inkling of how search engine optimization (SEO) works. If that’s the case, you likely know that keywords are not only for content. Search engines also use your domain name to know who you are, what your brand is, and how you should be ranked on their pages.
As search engines rank your page, the keywords you add to your domain name need to be relevant to your website. Your domain name needs to represent what your business is about, rather than simply adding them for the sake of it. If you use keyword search tools, look for keywords that offer the best search volume for your keywords.
A good keyword to add to your web domain is your location. If you have a brick-and-mortar business or limit your service area to one locale, add the location name to create geographical relevance. Add the type of product that you do or the service that you provide.
4. Make Your Domain Name Memorable
The ideal domain name should be something that is intuitive to your target audience. You want people to immediately know what they’re getting, even with only your domain name. You can pick a quirky name and be done with it, or you can show what you’re all about.
As we noted, using keywords is a good way to do it. You want something catchy, even if it’s not your company name. You want a domain name that will make people feel an emotion if they remember your website. Sure, they may not remember your long, boring company name, but a funny domain name should do the trick.
Use a catchy phrase or use a call to action. A strong call to action can help inspire people towards what you want them to do. A catchy phrase does the same job and it should also spark a general idea on your target audience’s heads. Check the dictionary or thesaurus to find some tagline inspiration.
5. Make It Distinct, Without Potential Copyright Issues
For business owners, a trademark is an important part of their brand and the same goes for domain names. You want something distinct enough so nobody confuses it for something else. Make sure that it doesn’t sound like anything that another business or corporation will own, otherwise, you should expect trademark infringement.
Trademark infringement online can result in a lawsuit for your business. In most situations, cybersquatting can be a problem that you don’t want as it can result in court time or be forced to give up your domain name. That would be problematic, especially if you have a following.
Search engines can also confuse your name with something else if you’re not careful with it. When that happens, search engines will recommend a different site with a similar name that’s doing their SEO better than you.
Final Thoughts
If you’re still in the middle of figuring out the right domain name, we hope what we listed above can help. Domain names can make or break your brand. These ways should help give you the best, most brandable domain name for your needs.
Establish your presence with the right domain name. Make the best of what you have and get several ideas ready if your first choice is a no-go.
