Whenever a new online project is in its initial stages of development, one of the first aspects that need to be given consideration is the naming of the site’s domain. It doesn’t matter if you are launching a blog, a corporate website, or even a simple personal website, choosing the right domain is crucial in creating a successful project. Here are a few simple tips to follow to help you make the right choice in choosing a domain name.
Brainstorming Keywords
Think about your new project and the keywords that compliment its core subject matter. Brainstorm for a while and come up with 5 core keywords which best describe the content of your site. Once you have pieced together a keyword list, begin pairing them together, adding prefixes and suffixes along the way to create good domain name ideas.
Choose A Unique Domain Name
Try to choose a domain that will not be easily confused with pre-existing websites. This is a sure-fire to waste your efforts and lose traffic. Do not choose a domain which pluralizes, hyphenates, or simply misspells an existing domain. Make it stand out.
Choose A .com Domain
This rule isn’t written in stone and can be passed over if you’re not interested in brand name recognition or type-in traffic. However, if you are planning on building a website with long term business in mind, these are aspects of your overall strategy which should be considered. The general population still considers .com’s their go to option.
Make It Easy To Type
Don’t complicate things for the user, try to register a domain that is easy for them to type. If a domain requires extra attention due to strange pronunciation, is overly long, or spelled awkwardly, you’re losing a large amount of your brand ability and market value. Make it easy for users to find your site.
Make It Easy To Remember
This fits with making the domain unique and making it easy to type, make the domain memorable so that word of mouth marketing is effective. If people can’t find your site, it’s not going to do you any good. Even if you have the
Keep the domain short
The less characters in your domain, the less room for error when it comes time to type it in or remember it at a later time. Shorter domains even have a tendency to command a high click-thru rate in the SERPs. So don’t be the guy with a massive domain that nobody can remember.
Check For Possible Trademark Infringement
Visit the U.S. Patent and Trademark office site and search to be sure you aren’t infringing upon any registered trademarks before going forward with your project. A domain can easily be pulled due to this, and there would be nothing worse than having had all your efforts go to waste over something easily avoided like a copyright or trademark infringement.
Build A brand
Developing a brand name is an excellent way to add value to your domain. A brand allows you to stand out from the crowd by creating an identity, as opposed to just using a combination of words. Branding is more than just using matched keywords. Would Facebook been the success it was if had used the domain socialnetworkingsite.com? Probably not.
Non-intuitive domains leave room for error, and choosing a domain is equally about usability as it is function. When someone hears your domain name, they sure be able to immediately tell you what type of content they expect to find on the site. Choose a domain that accurately represents your content.
Avoid Hyphens & Numbers
In general, do not use hyphens or numbers in your choice of domain. They make it hard to convey your name verbally, and leave lots of room for error when it comes time to remember the name or to type it in correctly. Avoid roman numerals or spelled out numbers too as they are easily mixed up and mistaken for one another.
