How the Right Domain Name Can Add Value to Your Business
From Our Partners at Radix
Choosing the right domain name is the first step toward creating a strong online presence that makes an impact and also enables you to grow your business. Your domain name, after all, is your first touchpoint with your users. And first impressions go a long way in creating lasting relationships.
You should approach your domain name just like you would your brand’s identity. Your domain name should have a purpose, clarity and personality, along with simplicity and relevance. Learn how to create a web presence that stands out and one that people can easily relate to.
How to Choose the Right Domain Name
1. Stay Relevant
While it is important to have a unique domain name that sets you apart, it also needs to be one that people can associate with your brand. Avoid being vague and convoluted in your attempt to be creative. Stick to a name that includes your company’s name or its intent.
Imagine, for instance, that you are a company that sells cloud space, and your brand name is Vous Cloud. When searching for a domain name, you realize that the name you initially wanted is taken. However, www.vouscloud.tech is available.
Here are a few reasons why this domain name is great for your brand:
- It clearly indicates that you’re an online business.
- It communicates the simple message to users that they can find cloud space online at this domain.
- It is available.
2. Keep It Short and Sweet
The ideal length for a domain name is no more than 18 characters. Long and clunky names are harder to remember and type. They may even be confusing for people who are not too familiar with your brand.
A good practice would be to stick to your personal or company brand name and opt for an industry-relevant domain extension to make it more relevant.
For instance, if you’re a tech blogger and your name is James, your domain name could be www.jamestalk.tech (it is available as of today). Another possibility is jamestalknyc.info.
3. Make It Radio Test Friendly
Before deciding on your domain name, test its memorability and clarity by putting it through the radio test. Tell your friends and family about the domain name you are considering and ask them to type it out.
If they are able to do so without any mistakes, it means that your domain name has passed the radio test. This is test is meant to check if when people hear your domain name on the radio or over the phone or even in person, they’re able to remember it and type it out without any errors.
An example of a domain name with a high probability of passing the radio test is www.smartcourses.tech.
4. Keep It Clean and Simple
Avoid using tactics that complicate your domain name or make it hard to remember, such as modifying spellings or adding numbers or hyphens. Using any of these will make it harder for you to communicate your domain name and, most likely, it will fail the radio test. Moreover, such links may come across as illegitimate and spammy.
Let’s assume that you are searching for vintage jeans online. You come across two websites:
- www.vintagedevices.online
- www.vintagedevices-123.net
Which one would you pick?
5. Avoid Copyright Issues
Legal hassles can drain both your funds and your reputation. Before you finalize a domain name for your website, make sure that it is free of any licensing, trademark or copyright issues. Additionally, run a global search for the name of your choice to ensure that it has not been used before.
Branding Benefits of Choosing the Right Domain Name
1. A Good Domain Name Showcases Your Creativity
With hundreds of websites vying for the attention of consumers, you need a domain name that makes you stand out amidst the clutter. It needs to be straightforward and unique to entice the user to click on it and explore your company further.
Since new domain extensions are keyword rich, industry specific and brandable, they open up a host of branding opportunities for your business. They indicate that you are caught up on the latest digital trends, which is a crucial consideration when you are operating in the online space.
For instance, if you are a company that sells wearable tech, a domain name as simple as www.getwearable.tech makes for an eye-catching, digitally-savvy and memorable choice.
2. A Good Domain Name Establishes Your Niche
Online customers demand instant gratification. They will not spend time trying to figure out what you’re offering. Any ambiguity will encourage them to go to your competitors.
Fortunately, with new domain extensions, you can use your domain name as the perfect opportunity to clearly establish your niche. By using these industry-specific extensions, you can clearly communicate to your audience what they can expect from you.
For instance, if you’re an eCommerce store selling indoor plants, your domain name could be www.indoortech.store. If you are a gaming website, you can opt for www.gamesandmore.tech.
3. A Good Domain Name Boosts Search Engine Rankings
Improving your rankings on the Search Engines Results Pages (SERP) is one of the best ways to drive organic traffic to your website. High-quality backlinks go a long way in helping you get these rankings. However, did you know that when the keywords on the backlink match the anchor text, they send a positive signal to the search engine about their authenticity?
By creating contextually-relevant domain names using newer extensions such as .store, .tech, .site or .online, you can increase the probability of matching the anchor text to the linked URL. This will boost the authenticity of the backlink and, consequently, help send more organic traffic toward you.
For instance, if your website has been linked to the text “coding lessons online,” with a backlink to www.codinglessons.online, it helps the page rank for those keywords.
4. A Good Domain Name Promotes Word-of-mouth Marketing
When your domain name resonates with your brand and is easy to spell and remember, it amplifies your word-of-mouth marketing.
Short, simple and relevant domain names are memorable and less prone to being misspelled, which makes them easier to promote and communicate. Take, for instance, the domain name www.kindle.store. The link redirects you to the Kindle store on Amazon, but the link itself promotes the brand, while also communicating that it will lead you to a page where you can buy a Kindle.
Conclusion
Your domain name is the perfect way to create a meaningful online presence for your company or personal brand and maximize user impact. Now that you are aware of the possibilities that new domain extensions offer, especially for new and upcoming brands, you can decide on the extension that best suits your company.
