8 tips to find the perfect domain name for your business.
Business Domain Name
Company founders will very quickly discover that making important decisions regularly goes with the territory. One early decision that has a lot resting on it is deciding on the perfect domain name for your business.
The importance of getting it right cannot be underestimated because it is one of the biggest decisions you will be called on to make. If that choice is a poor one it can have a negative impact on your brand’s reputation.
Your domain name needs to stand out from the crowd because it is how your target audience will find as well as remember you.
With so much at stake, you owe it to yourself to get this right. This can be achieved through research, staying on brand, and going with a user-friendly domain name.
Here are 8 tips to help you along the road in deciding on a domain name that does your new venture justice:
Tip #1 - Keep it Short - Keep it Simple
The longer your domain name is, the harder it will be for people to remember. If that is the case it could well result in less traffic to your website. To reinforce this point, industry experts recommend that a domain name should consist of between 6 and 14 characters in length.
From there, it is important to keep your domain name easy to spell or pronounce. Failing to do so can mean that anyone searching the web for your business is at risk of either mistyping or misspelling your domain name and ultimately losing their way.
Tip #2 - Do not use Hyphens or Numbers
This relates to the first tip and is a further pointer for keeping your domain name easily recognizable and memorable. Avoiding hyphens and numbers in your domain name will achieve that.
The use of hyphens and/or numbers is putting another unnecessary hurdle in the way of those looking for easy access to your website. It is also recommended that double letters are avoided as these can make it untidy, hard to read, and far more difficult to convey to potential clients or customers when using word-of-mouth to spread your domain name.
Tip #3 - Go for a .com Address
Because .com is the most popular domain extension it is recommended that wherever possible you should go for this. This extension is classed as the most authoritative way to guarantee that your site will be found on the web.
Your online presence is crucial to the success of your business. Securing an exact TLD (Top Level Domain) will help you to be found by search engines. A .com extension is the best way to achieve that.
Tip #4 - Stay On-Brand - Keep it Unique
This may seem like a challenge but it is certainly doable. Unless you have a very clear domain name in mind and it is available you should have a brainstorming session with other team members (or friends who are clear on what your business is all about).
During these sessions, all present should be encouraged to voice their thoughts and come up with domain name suggestions. When doing so, all participants should keep in mind that the domain name needs to be concise, clear, and unique to your business (the products or services you are offering), and to your brand (the image your business reflects).
Relating to your business name, services, or products, and digging into the industry niche you are in is the way to go. It will leave you far better placed to come up with a domain name that attracts the type of online audience you are looking for.
TIP #5 - Carry out Keyword Research - Use Where Possible
Bearing in mind you want a domain name that is short and sweet it will help to carry out some keyword research that matches your domain name.
Focusing on related keywords will also give you an SEO (Search Engine Optimization) boost. To carry out this research, look at options that have low to medium competition as this will increase your ranking chances. Just make sure that any keywords considered reflect your brand.
Tip #6 - Do not Infringe on a Trademarked Domain
This once again relates to research. When you have come up with the perfect domain name take time to check out that you will not be infringing on what is already a trademarked domain.
This research is not difficult but it will ensure that you avoid any legal problems in the future. Apart from potentially unwanted legal problems, if you are found to have infringed on someone else's trademarked domain it will then be necessary to go through yet another painstaking domain name search.
The bottom line here: Make sure that your chosen domain name is completely original.
Tip #7 - Protection While Building Your Brand
This may seem like a strange suggestion. However, putting in place this early-stage tip will pay dividends as your business reputation grows and your brand gathers momentum.
To protect your brand it is worthwhile purchasing various domain extensions that are off your actual domain name. So, if you have secured a .com domain name, then look at other such extensions. (examples being .io, .net, etc.) You will find that many alternative extensions are available and that the vast majority are inexpensive.
If there is a possibility that your chosen domain name can be misspelled it can also pay to register the most commonly misspelled versions.
The reason for doing so is that it will prevent competitors or startups that come into your business sector at a later date from registering these other versions. Concerning easily misspelled addresses, if you also have these domains then the visitor who uses that wrong spelling will still be directed to your site.
Tip #8 - Act Quickly!
Time and thought must be taken to find the perfect domain name for your business. However, once that decision has been made, time is of the essence.
Domain names are a hot commodity and as such, they sell very quickly. This means you should register your preferred domain name(s) as soon as possible.
The other benefit of acting quickly is that in general, new domain names are very affordable. This gives you the scope to cover many bases without breaking the bank.
Keep Your Startup Business Heading in the Right Direction
The above 8 tips to help you find the perfect domain name for your business have been put together by the team at WOWS Global. WOWS are not in the domain name business but they are in the business of giving very knowledgeable assistance and advice to startups.
Through our secure, state-of-the-art digital ecosystem WOWS is perfectly placed to give your startup the online tools required to help grow your business in a positive and structured way.
What is more, as South East Asia’s most active investor matching platform we are committed to matching startups with like-minded investors to secure mutually beneficial funding.
Any startup founder that would like to find out more about the comprehensive services offered by WOWS is invited to reach out to us for an initial no-obligation discussion on:
