How to choose a Domain Name for your business

How to choose a Domain Name

Ok, so you’ve figured out it’s time to get a website for your business and choose a domain name… There are also telephones that magically work without wires and boxes that heat up food without getting hot… Unless you just started your business or are recently expanding out of the Amish country, it’s about time you got online!

The first thing everyone always does is thing of a domain name. Just in case some of you don’t know what this is, it is the address people type in to their computer to get to your website, such as “ebay.com” or “google.com”. Most people know that “dot com” means “website”, but there are many others like “.net”, “.org”, “.biz”, “.tv”, and so on…

So which should you pick, what name should you get?

Of course if you’re in real estate, “realestate.com” would be a good choice, but of course, that’s taken. Most of the good “.com” addresses are. After all, the internet’s been around for awhile. There is also an entire business of buying and selling domain names. People snatch up any good name they can get their hands on, sit on them for a while, and hope they can sell them for a profit to people like you who can’t find anything good that’s available.

After people realize that the “obvious” great name is taken, they often ask me:

How do I choose a Domain Name?

Here is how to get started.

Most people have difficulty deciding to find something short and sweet, catchy and captivating, or long and descriptive.

If your business is “Great American Financial Solutions”

Something short would be: GAFS.com or GAFSolutions.com

Something catchy would be: WeKnowMoney.com or WeBuildWealth.com

Something descriptive would be: BestFinancialAdvisors.com or LosAngelesFinancialAdvisors.com

(these are just examples, not available domains)

This is how to choose a domain name.

You must base your decision on how you plan to advertise your website, how it will be used, and how you expect people will find your website.

If you know your primary method of advertisement is radio, choose a name that is easy to remember and easy to spell. Also don’t use words that can be spelled multiple ways like “businessroot.com” some may think it is “businessroute.com”…

If you plan on using the website as a tool for your existing clients or as a presentation site that your sales agents will send prospects to, choose something as close to your business name as possible. Many people will just go to Google and type in your business name instead of at the top of the browser. If your domain has nothing to do with the name of your business, it may be further down the page than you want.

If you think search engines will be the primary way people will find your website, choose a domain that contains keywords of what they would be searching for. For example, if you sell gift baskets for babies and your company is called “Happy Nests”, because your baskets look like bird nests, how clever…, you should use Happynests.com right? Maybe…  If you are really relying on search engines, something like babygiftbaskets.com or uniquegiftsforbaby.com may bring you better results. First, you can get a little higher ranking when people search for “gift baskets for baby” or “gifts for baby”, and second, when people see your domain, they know exactly what you are selling.

BUT…

If you plan on using social media to talk about your business, or being featured on blogs, magazines, etc, HappyNests.com will work better for you because people will see your domain name AFTER they learn what it is you’re selling. Get it? It can be a little confusing…

Basically, you need to know how much your prospects will know about your company before they see the domain name. If they will have no idea what you are selling, let them know in the name. If they will know, choose a catchy or original name they will remember and can easily share with others.

There are a few exceptions. 

• If you won’t have a problem getting traffic because of what will be on the site, but you are using only the search engines to advertise, choose a memorable, original name. This would be like a blog, where the content of the site will be what is searched for.
• You have a site where visitors will be returning frequently. This is like “ebay.com”. What the heck is an “ebay”? But.. it’s short, easy to remember. If you sell something that people need every 5 years, you don’t fall into this category..

Here are a few additional notes:

• If you provide a service only to people in your location, and you are relying on search engines, put the location in the name, like “HousePaintingOntario.com”. That way you will be more optimized for when people search for “house painting in ontario” or “ontario house painters”. But if use advertise primarily on print, TV, or radio, you’ll benefit from a more memorable name.
• Make sure your “brand” matches your domain if it is descriptive. Don’t choose “AffordableMeatballs.com” if your meatballs are expensive. Don’t choose “ModernFashionForMen.com” if you sell velvet jackets and bell bottoms.
• Choose a “.com” when you can, especially if you are choosing a “name to remember” They are the most recognizable and “respectable” names. Some say a “.com” may get higher rankings, than say a “.tv” or “.biz”.
• There is a theory, even though Google denies it, that the length of registration can help your ranking. Register your domain for a few extra years, it will cost you about $20 more…

Need some help? Feel free to contact us.

NorthVillageGroup.com