In the world of digital marketing, a domain name is more than just the address of a website. When you are competing with millions of other businesses for traffic, you want your page to be as easy to find as possible. Choosing the right domain name is key to driving traffic to your website. Here are some tips to help your business increase brand awareness and draw more traffic.
Keep Your Domain Name Short and Simple
When possible, try to choose a domain name that contains less than 10 characters. The goal is to choose a name that is simple, memorable and won’t require a lot of typing. The more typing a consumer has to do to find your website, the higher the chance of them mistyping it and landing elsewhere.
Make Sure Your Domain Name Makes Sense
As you brainstorm domain name ideas, it is important to ensure that the name you choose reflects what your business does. If you are having difficulty with this step, try finding a way to incorporate your target keywords into the domain name. Not only can this make your website easier to find, but it can also train consumers to associate specific keywords with your business.
Include Your Location
Whether your business is a small neighborhood pizzeria or the only plumber in town, adding your location to the domain can help customers find you. Consider adding your neighborhood, city or street name to your domain or to the name of your business. This technique can help you attract prospective customers looking for goods or services in their local area.
Register Your Domain Name
Once you have used these tips to choose a domain name, the next step is to get it registered. Sites like Register.com offer the cheapest domain name registration around. Start by using their simple search tool to see if your desired domain is available. If your exact name is unavailable, consider using other close variations of it. For example, adding a location prefix or suffix to your desired domain may help you find a name that is not already taken.
If the domain you want is taken, try going directly to that web address to check out the page. If the site that comes up does not appear to be in use, you may be able to purchase it from the current owner. Use an online domain owner lookup tool to identify the owner and find the best way to contact them.
Other Considerations
When registering your domain, be sure to provide a valid email address. This allows the registrar to reach you when your domain name nears expiration. If you plan to expand your business in the coming years, you may want to consider purchasing your domain name with several different extensions. In addition to .com, other popular extensions like .co, .net and .biz may also be for sale. The price of each domain will depend on the potential demand for it.
Another strategy is to buy established domains that contain your keyword. Look for domains that have expired or are no longer in use. Once purchased, you can use those domains to redirect traffic to your website. When done right, this can be a great way to boost traffic to your site without doing any additional marketing.
Choosing the right domain name can be difficult, but it does not have to be. These simple tips and tricks will have you well on your way to choosing a winning domain.
