Posts Tagged ‘choosing a domain name’
How to Choose an Unforgettable Domain Name
Choosing a good domain name is paramount for the success of your website. Whether it’s a personal website designed for a small group of users or a company website competing for the attention of potential customers, the domain name will either make or break its effectiveness. Make your domain name unforgettable by carefully considering its extension, length, punctuation, and suffix.
The .COM
The first thing you may actually think about before your domain name is whether it will have the original .com extension or not, which is generally considered to be the best because it’s what everyone thinks of first. That .com would be your best pick is an easy assumption to make, but that is not always the case. It’s standard for many of the bigger corporations to protect themselves by purchasing all the major Top Level Domains (TLD), which can be very limiting and expensive. For some of you reading this article, you may want to consider a .net or .org extension. If that is the case make sure to advertise your website as much as possible by its full domain name to prevent lost traffic, as most search engines will place .com first.
Name Length
A short name may be best in most cases but there are exceptions. Above all you want your name to be catchy and easy to spell and type, whether it’s short or not. For example, if the name your company goes by is Merryweather Fabric and Designs, merryweatherfabricanddesigns.com may be a perfectly suitable name. However, if merryweather.com is not already taken, it may be a better choice as it’s easier to type. You may also be tempted to use an acronym if your full name is long, but unless your company name is branded as so, it won’t be memorable to your customers.
Punctuation
The only punctuation that can be used in a domain name is the hyphen; however its use is generally avoided. Hyphenated domain names are harder to read aloud, more difficult to type, and some people may not even though what a hyphen is. On the other hand, if your domain name is made up of three or more words which are long, the hyphen makes it easier for a person to recognize the keywords. For example it is much easier to recognize the words “fabric” and “designs” in a hyphenated merryweather-fabric-and-designs.com. There is also a small chance that a hyphenated domain will produce better search engine results, but as a general rule using hyphens in domain names is taboo.
Suffixes and more
Though the plural or singular of an already existing domain name may seem like a good find, be cautious as you consider the minds of your customers. Unless it is an obvious distinction, you may actually be directing your customers to a competitor! For example if your company’s name is Merryweather Fabric and Designs, merryweatherfabricanddesign.com would be a counter-intuitive to your customers and thus harder to remember. But take it on a case-by-case basis, as plural and singular versions of your domain name may be interchangeable. Above all remember that if it’s not unforgettable, you may want to consider going with another domain name
How to Choose a Killer Domain Name
Choosing the right domain name is a very important aspect of your online business for a few reasons. First, it acts like a headline in a way, it’s the first thing people see a lot of the time, and it’s what they will have to remember so they can return to your site. For this reason, you want to pick something memorable.
But a killer domain name does more than that—it tells a story. I don’t mean it goes off on a long winded story about what yourself or your website. I certainly don’t recommend something like HiThereMyNameIsJohnAndThisIsMyWebsite.com, that is not the type of story that I am talking about.
When telling a story with your website you should follow all the domain name ‘rules’. Keep it short, simple, memorable, and to the point. However, ensure that it contains information regarding your site. Something that will make a prospect think ‘ah, I know what to expect here’.
You don’t want to confuse your prospect with your domain name, you want to provide them with information right away so they have a good idea why they are going to your site. Let me give you a few examples:
GOOD: ListJoe.com – this is a site that allows you to send out email marketing information to a large list of people. If you are in the internet marketing world, right away the name triggers you to think that this site has something to do with lists, and that the average Joe can use it, which is exactly the service the site provides. Further, the site is consistent with the name: When you go to the site there is an image of your ‘average Joe’ and information about email list marketing.
BAD: Fairtilizer.com – look at that name quickly and see what comes to mind? Fertilizer? Does it have something to do with gardening? It really is hard to figure out what this site means, it is definitely not telling a story. Worse, it’s a bit of an odd word that isn’t really easy to remember or flashy. Oh and, for those who are wondering, it’s a music site—What does Fairtilizer have to do with music??!!!
So there you have it, when you are going to choose a domain name, try to make it tell a small story about your site. Make sure your site is consistent with the name, so that you are in line with your prospects expectation. This will ensure you keep their attention and increase their chances of remembering your site.
Of course, killer domain names are getting hard to come by, so trying to incorporate all this into one name can be challenging. Use a thesaurus and try different words, but if you can’t find that perfect name, don’t let it hold you back from starting an online business. The best thing to ensure your online success is taking action, so don’t let anything hold you back!