It can be so easy to become bogged down with information relating to domain names, with articles and blogs across the internet making it all seem very complex when in reality, your domain name is really quite simple.
Think of it like this – your domain is the online version of your street address that identifies where you are in the online world.
It’s the business identification name you use to separate your website from others. Every time you type a business name or set of words into the internet search bar, you are essentially searching for businesses whose domain name aligns with what you’ve typed in.
With that said, getting the right domain name is crucial to ensuring your business has an accurate and high quality online identifying address. Your unique domain name needs to express what your brand or business name is and what you do as much as possible, so that people searching for your website will end up in the right place. So, let’s look at the top 5 tips for choosing the right domain name.
1. Simplicity Is Key
Make sure it is easy to type. Any form of abbreviation, subjective spelling, or made up words will cause problems for users who know they want to find your website but aren’t sure of your exact address. This can alienate users and end their journey on your website before it has even begun, so keep it simple and use words that every user will recognise and can type easily.
2. Help People Find You
Include keywords that people will be searching for when they need your business – but don’t yet know about YOUR exact business. Think of it like this: if you own a sweet shop in London and you want people looking for sweets in London to find your website, a domain name which includes ‘sweet shop’ and ‘London’ is likely to attract and drive relevant traffic to your site.
3. Stick in Their Minds
Make it memorable! There are so many websites and domain names out there in the big wide world of the internet, and it’s up to you to make yours stand out and stick in the minds of website visitors. Every time a potential customer requires your services you want them to think of your business and head to your website.
4. Be Consistent
This one may seem super simple, but make sure your domain name links with your business name and branding! There is very little use in having a memorable business name or domain name if the two don’t marry up – because without a very clear link, customers will not know how to identify your website from its competitors.
5. Use Locality
Pick the right domain name ending for your business, including your locality and the industry you operate in. If you’re a charitable organisation then ending with ‘.org’ is appropriate, whereas a global company should use ‘.com’ – and if you’re local to the UK only, then use ‘.co.uk’.
And one final tip from us to you: be flexible. The likelihood is that you might not be able to get your exact ideal domain name match, so be flexible and creative to alternative ideas.
