Choosing the Right Domain
A domain name is the address of your website, or the URL that people use to access your site when searching for it. These are the words between the “www.” and the “.com”. Put simply, the domain name gives your website its identity, and choosing the right one can be a tricky process. Because your domain name is registered to your business, it is reserved for your site and it cannot be used on others unless they have a different designation, such as “.org” or “.edu”. Here are some best practices for choosing a domain name that best represents your business online:
Brainstorming Your Domain Name
Your domain name should be unique, memorable, and connect to the services or products you provide. Additionally, if your business serves a particular area you may want to include it in your domain name. For example, if a law firm located in Texas specializes in divorce and family law cases, this site’s domain name could be “Texas Divorce Law Office ”. In this scenario, when a potential client is looking for a lawyer who practices this types of law in that area, the combination of both the practice area and the region allows for a great opportunity to rank for that search query. Additionally, your domain name should be short and to the point. An extremely long domain name or a complicated name may make it more difficult for potential clients to reach your site. This may make your name easy to forget rather than easy to access.
Grammar and Spelling
When choosing a domain name, generally, you should use common spelling and proper grammar, to avoid confusion for potential clients. Unique or clever spelling choices could make it more difficult for a potential client to find your site.
In addition to proper grammar and spelling, it is also important to avoid hyphens and double letters in your domain name. Hyphens in a domain name are often a sign of spam domains, and both hyphenated and double lettered domain names are prone to typos, which can result in lost web traffic.
Be Timely and Choose a Name that Lasts
When choosing a domain name, it’s important to choose a name that lasts. While your business may go through changes, your domain name should remain the same over time. Changing your domain name constantly can be confusing for potential clients and will hurt your online traffic. In addition, the longer you have a domain name, the greater authority you could build over time. Google tends to give authority to long-standing domain names. Having a domain name that lasts can foster trust with potential clients and help grow your online reputation.
Furthermore, since your domain name needs to last, it is important to do your research into your potential name. This will help you understand the reputation of your domain name and whether or not it has been connected to any other brands.
The Role of Domain Extensions
A domain name extension is the last part of the web address, such as “.com” or “.net”. There are many options for domain extensions, including “.lawyer”, “.net”, “.org”. However, it’s best to stick with “.com” as it’s extremely common and easy to remember. Most of the time, people naturally will type “.com” at the end of a URL. By securing a domain name followed by “.com”, your business is more likely to have web traffic and avoid potential clients visiting competitors’ websites by default. To stay competitive and unique, you can consider registering your domain name with multiple popular domain extensions. This will help keep your domain name unique and prevent others from taking away business.
Securing and Registering Your Domain Name
After brainstorming, researching, and compiling a list of potential domain names, you have to check for its availability and then register it. To see if your domain names are available, you can visit domain registrar sites, such as GoDaddy, Domain.com, or Google Domains. After seeing if they are available, collaborate with others to decide which domain name will be the best for your business and register it. If your desired domain name is unavailable, sometimes the name you want is available to purchase. While purchasing a domain name can be a viable option, sometimes they are being sold for way more than their actual value, so be careful that you are not overpaying.
When it comes to building an online presence, it’s essential to have a website for your business. A website makes your services accessible to anyone online as well as makes it easier for potential clients to find you. Whether you are looking to create a website or you are thinking about upgrading your site, it’s important to understand how to choose a memorable domain name that will best represent your business and drive potential clients to your website.