Learn to Vanquish Viruses

Don't Choose Your Domain Name Until You Consider These Tips

9 May 2016 by Linda Holmes

When it comes to building an online presence for your business, choosing your domain name isn't something that you should take lightly. The right domain name is easy for your prospective clients to remember and type; the wrong one is a tongue-twister that takes too long to punch into the keyboard on a computer or smartphone. It's important to give careful consideration to this task because once you've chosen the domain name, registered it and attached a website to it, the last thing you want to do is change it. Here are some crucial tips to consider before you make your final decision.

Stay Away From Numbers

It might feel catchy or cute to add numbers to your domain name — for example, "plumbing4U.com," but there can be a high degree of confusion when you begin to incorporate numbers. Domain names with numbers don't lend themselves well to being shared verbally. In the above example, you'll essentially have to tell your customers, "It's plumbing4U.com, but it's not with a 'you, y-o-u.' It's actually the number four." Additionally, typing a number into the browser when on a smartphone can necessitate switching from the letter keyboard to the number keyboard on some phones, which is an extra step for your customers.

Know What Your Competitors Use

Any good business will be aware of who its competitors are; once you have this information, it's useful to take a look at their online presence. Stay away from coming up with a domain name that is too similar to what your competitors are using. Making this mistake can confuse your customer base and might even lead someone looking for to you hire your competitor without initially realizing the difference.

Short Is Tough To Beat

The average customer doesn't want to spend several seconds typing your domain name into his or her web browser, nor does he or she want to continuously have to consult your sign or business card to double check the name. While many short domain names are taken, it's ideal to try to keep the domain name is short as possible, while still making sense. Although they're short, acronyms can sometimes be less than ideal — ARBFTA, for example, might be the abbreviation of your business name but can be a challenge to remember.

Think About What Customers Want

It's worthwhile to brainstorm the key phrases that relate to your business and customers find attractive. For example, if you're a contractor, words such as "reliable" and "affordable" are ideal. If you can work these words into your domain name, you'll be reinforcing that you're a brand customers will want to support.

For more information and tips, consider talking with a company that registers domain names, such as Wizard Net Hosting.

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