Here are some tips and considerations to think about when registering a new domain name. Remember once you start promoting a domain name it can be hard and costly to go back and change it.
Using a keyword vs your business name:
There are pros / cons for using either your business name as the domain name or a relevant specific keyword.
- Keywords tend to rank better in search engines because they are relevant to what you sell or what your website is about.
- A visitor is more likely to click on a domain name that describes what they are looking for rather then a brand that is unknown to them such as horseboots.com
- A keyword domain is ideal for a website dedicated to a single product or theme.
It’s important to note:
- Keywords domains can now be hard to register as they are already registered (You want to steer away from using hyphens, and different domain name extensions such as .net)
- Keyword domains are not ideal if you sell multiple products or could plan to expand your business in the future, making the keyword irrelevant.
Registering a domain name that is a business name means:
- Covers all the products you sell, and means you can alter this at any time.
- It will be easier to find a memorable domain name.
- Helps with brand recognition.
Keep it Simple
If you are using a brand name, then using a domain name that is a variation of the brand name could confuse people and make your domain name hard to remember.
I.e if your business is called “The Horse Barn” and you register the domain name horsebarn.com or if the business is called Horses Shop and you register the domain name horseshop.com dropping the additional “s”.
Avoid using Numbers
People won’t know if you are using the actual number “6”or are spelling “six”again, you want to keep it simple and easy to remember.
Is your business local?
If you are running a saddlery in a local area, and are waiting to gain more foot traffic, then make it easy for locals to find and remember you domain name, i.e malvernsaddlery.com.au a saddlery located in Malvern.
Check the domain name isn’t trademarked
Make sure the domain name you select isn’t already a registered trademarked by another business. This will save you problems in the long run, as when you register a domain name there are no checks performed, you can register any name that is available.
Domain names you want to steer clear of:
- You want to stay away from using hyphens – as they are harder to remember, can can be easily forgotten and they do not rank well in search engines.
- Stick with .com or .com.au domain name extensions as people automatically remember and use these extensions.
- Keep the domain name short and concise. Long names are hard to remember and can be spelled incorrectly.
Registering Multiple Names
- A domain names are now affordable it can be ideal especially if you are building a new brand, to register multiple variations of a domain name.
- Doing this stops others from registering similar domain names.
- If someone types in the alternative you can have them all re-direct to your website, so they still reach the same destination.