Choose Domain Name
How To Choose the Right Domain Name
How should you go about choosing your domain name? Is this even important in the first place?
Before you even get in touch with our SEO agency in Bkk, the domain name is one of the things you need to think about first.
There are three top reasons why your domain name is important. For starters, this serves as your first impression. This can also affect your SEO and plays a role in defining your brand as a whole.
For these reasons and more, you have to make sure that you pick the correct domain name for your site. Here are a few things to remember to help you do exactly just that:
Table of Content:
Go for the Correct Domain Name Extensions
As far as domain name extensions are concerned, one thing is for sure – .com remains the best. This is because it is the easiest to remember and the most familiar. While there are lots of successful sites with .org and .net, your site is going to be better if its extension is .com. This is by far your safest bet.
The best advice here is to choose .com. If this is taken, go for .org or .net. If both are also taken, you can brainstorm a new domain name but avoid weird ones.
Avoid Generic, Choose Brandable Instead
Brandable and creative will be much better compared to generic. Take note that your visitors find you through your domain name and this is also how they will share your website online. This serves as your brand’s foundation.
Brandable domain names are unique and they stand out from the competition. On the other hand, generic domain names are often unmemorable and stuffed with keywords.
To make your domain name more brandable, create new words, use existing words, or use domain name generators.
Keep It Short
Shorter domain names are better than longer ones. The most common length for domain names is about 12 characters. This data only shows that your domain name must be concise as much as possible. It is best to aim for 6 to 14 characters. However, there is a high chance that many of the shorter domain names have already been sold for a large amount of money and taken a really long time ago. In case you cannot find a short domain name, just make sure it is still brandable.
An Easy to Type Domain Name is a Must
If you think of the world’s most popular sites, the first thing you will notice is that all of them are easy and simple to type. This is why you need to choose a domain name that your visitors can type without any issues. If you need to explain its spelling several times just to make them understand it, it means that you choose something too complicated. You wouldn’t want your potential visitors mistyping your domain name and ending up on a completely different website, or worse, your competitor’s site!
Easy Pronunciation is the Best Way to Go
Just as how your domain name must easily roll off the fingertips, it must also roll off your tongue without a hitch. It will make it easier for your visitors to share the domain name through word of mouth, making it easier for them to share your website with their friends and even more potential customers. To check this, write down your domain name then ask a few people to pronounce it for you. if several people find it hard to pronounce, you need to consider simplifying it.
Stay Away from Numbers and Hyphens
Since your domain name must be easy to pronounce and spell, things will only be harder if you include numbers and hyphens. Just imagine if Facebook had a hyphen. If this was the case, Facebook would probably have a hard time spreading all over the world. The bottom line here is that you need a punchy and smooth domain name and numbers and hyphens will only get in the way of this. Just stick to letters and you are good to go.
Pick Niche Keywords That Will Reflect Your Site
Keywords can do wonders in improving your SEO but you have to be careful with this. If you awkwardly stuff your domain with keywords, it will only sound generic, which is a big no-no. If you want to use keywords, it is best to place the keywords at the start of the domain. This is where they will make your ranking the most powerful. You can also look for keywords using tools.
Think Long Term and Not Short Term
You will be pretty much marrying your domain as this is among the biggest elements that will define your brand and business for years. When you decide to change your domain in the future, this will cost you SEO rankings, branding, and money. This can be a huge pain. As you choose your domain, always think long-term. If there is a possibility that you will be expanding your business soon, it is wise to give your domain name some reconsideration.
Ensure That It is Not Already Used or Trademarked
Before moving forward with a particular domain name, you have to check first if the name is still available on the social media websites. You also have to ensure if there are trademarks already registered to that name. To avoid any legal problems, avoid trademarked names.
If Stuck, Take Advantage of Domain Name Generators
By now, you must already have a good general idea of potential words you can include in your domain name. A few of these words might already be trademarked, taken, or don’t sound like what you need. If this is the case, it is best to use domain name generators that will turn all of your ideas into available and fresh domains.
Your domain name plays a big role in your website’s potential and its overall success. Always put extra care and thought when choosing yours to ensure that you won’t end up with regrets in the end.