Choosing the perfect domain name for your business is essential as it helps you establish your brand’s identity and attract more customers to your website. It’s also crucial to make the right choice from the beginning, as later, it can be difficult to make changes that won’t impact your brand and its search rankings.
However, with the many registered domain names nowadays, finding the ideal one can be challenging. That’s why we’ll provide you with some of the best tips on how to choose the perfect domain for your business.
Use a .com Extension
Nowadays, domain names can include any extension. For example, depending on the business type, it can be .cafe, .pizza, and .photography. However, choosing such an extension can make your website look less professional and unreliable.
When it comes to domain extensions, the most frequently used and trustworthy one is .com. So if the .com version domain name is available, it’s best to go for it.
Using the .com extension is important because your users may automatically type .com to the end of your business name. Therefore, choosing a not-so-popular and cheeky extension will take them to an unexistent website. Another thing is that most smartphone keyboards include the .com button, making it even easier for users to make that mistake.
If this extension is not available, we recommend selecting some of the other popular alternatives, like .org, .net, or .co.
Our team at AltusHost has made sure that you can find some of the best domain name extensions that will boost your search rankings and help you attract more customers. Our registry offers the popular .com, .net, .org, .info, and .biz!
Source: https://cp.altushost.com/?/checkdomain/domain-names/
Make it Short and Simple
When you create your first website, you usually think that long and “unique” domain names will help you reach more audiences. Well, you might be wrong.
If you want to grow your business through word-of-mouth marketing, it’s crucial to come up with a short and simple domain name. Otherwise, your potential customers may have a hard time remembering or spelling it.
If your domain name is longer, your users can easily misspell it, mainly because of the smart devices where everyone relies on autocorrect. And even if your domain name is short, you should focus on simplicity as your potential customers may forget it if it’s long and odd.
Therefore, one of the best strategies for creating a domain name is to use only four letters. More so, many popular brands use it, such as Nike and Zara, meaning it’s effective. Another option is to go for two-word phrases like Aliexpress.com. Whatever strategy you choose, the trick is to develop a domain name under 15 characters.
Avoid Using Additional Characters and Hyphens
Adding unnecessary characters like double letters or hyphens may seem like a great idea, but it is a flawed strategy that can complicate things for your users. Using extra letters or hyphens can make your website appear unprofessional and decrease page traffic.
Double letters can make your domain look messy and hard to read. Due to this, users can make typos and land on a different website altogether. An example of such a domain name is Presssetup.com.
Furthermore, hyphens might be a sign of a spam domain, which is definitely something you should avoid. Also, domains that have hyphens in them are prone to misspellings. For example, if you include a hyphen because your desired name is unavailable, users may forget to type in the hyphen and land on a competitor’s website instead.
Therefore, we suggest creating a different type of unique domain name by using another keyword related to your niche, which will be memorable and boost your page traffic.
Include Keywords
Keywords play a crucial role in boosting your search engine rankings by helping the search engine understand what your website is about. However, finding a good domain name with your target keywords that is still available might be tricky.
You will need to be creative and combine your keywords with other words, so your domain can stand out. However, try to choose keywords that don’t have a lot of competition, as your chances of ranking higher will increase.
Fortunately, there are many tools that can assist you in this process. For example, you can use Keyword Planner, which is a helpful Google tool that identifies phrases related to your business, estimates their search volume, and gives you insights into their performance. As a result, you’ll develop a domain that will improve your website’s visibility.
Source: https://pixabay.com/images/search/keywords/?manual_search=1
Stay Unique, Specific, and On-Brand
A unique, specific, and relevant to your content domain name will help your website stand out and avoid legal issues with competitors.
Your domain name can be a combination of words with no particular meaning. That way, your potential customers will be interested in what you offer and open your website. For example, “Amazon.com” is much more effective in attracting traffic than a generic name like “BuyBooksOnline.com.”
Also, you don’t want to come up with a domain name that has nothing to do with your brand. In other words, it’s essential to choose a domain extension that matches your industry. For instance, if your website is about technology, and .com isn’t available, you may go for .info or .tech.
Moreover, before you choose a domain name, you must research the competitors in your niche to see what kind of domain names they use that can attract the targeted audience.
Here are some tips for coming up with a unique domain name that will keep you on point:
- Create a new word. Catchy words that are completely new aren’t just unique but also cost-effective compared to non-brandable domain names. You will attract your target audience and save money at the same time.
- Implement existing words. Search for existing words and phrases that reflect your brand, or even combine them with your keywords so you come up with something more unique.
- Utilize domain name generators. These tools will provide you with relevant keywords or full domain names for your business that are effective and will help you reach more users.
Think Long-Term
Migrating your website to a new domain can be really frustrating and challenging. It can also decrease your search rankings if you don’t do it as you should. Therefore, it’s crucial to go for a flexible domain name from the beginning.
You should choose a domain name that’s related to your niche because it will give your users a broader idea of your business goals. However, try not to limit yourselves too much. That’s why it’s wise to think about long-term plans and about how your business may expand in the future.
For example, if you start a hosting business that only offers shared hosting, you may come up with a domain name like “Sharedhosting.com.” But then, you might decide to include other hosting types, a website builder, and a domain name generator in your website. In that case, the domain can prevent you from attracting users that are interested in other hosting types.
Check the Domain Name History
Before you purchase a domain name, it’s important to check whether it has had previous owners. This is crucial for your website’s reputation and search engine rankings. For example, if the domain name is associated with an unethical business, it can make you appear suspicious and harm your site’s credibility.
To avoid such an issue, we recommend you research the domain name’s history by using tools like Whoxy and Wayback Machine. This will help you discover previous owners and ensure the domain doesn’t have a bad record.
Select a Web Hosting Provider that Offers a Domain
Many web hosting providers offer domain registration services; some even provide a free domain name when you sign up as a new user. Taking advantage of such an offer is a great idea, as it will help you start your website more easily; you won’t need to have one domain name provider and another web host provider.
However, keep in mind that not all hosting providers offer free domains, and even if they do, the costs go up after a year. So after that, you should pay annual fees.
We at AltusHost give you an opportunity to register a domain name. You can find some of the most popular domain extensions on our website, such as .com, .org, .net, and .co. What’s more, you can even transfer your domain name by filling out the order form and entering the EPP authorization code.
Source: https://cp.altushost.com/?/checkdomain/domain-names/#transfer
Conclusion
While your domain name may seem like a tiny detail of building your website, it actually plays a huge role in how your potential customers will perceive you. A good domain name will also help you attract more visitors, improve your SEO ranking, and increase brand recognition among people.
Therefore, it’s crucial to think thoroughly and strategically plan so you can choose the perfect domain for your business and stand out from the crowd!
