Choosing Domain Names – A How to Guide

“Domains have and will continue to go up in value faster than any other commodity ever known to man” — Bill Gates

Microsoft’s founder was spot-on when he made this statement regarding domain names. At present, domain names are being registered at a rate of three per minute. Therefore, whether you like it or not, choosing domain names has become one of the most crucial aspects of setting up a website. So, without further ado, here is a how to guide for choosing a domain name you can follow so that you can make the right choice for your website.

The Domain Name Should Represent What You Do

This is something very important as your customers will form an impression in their mind when they look at your domain name. If it is related to your brand or business name, the name will make it easier for them to identify you. Otherwise, they would have a hard time finding you online, especially if your web presence isn’t strong. In short, your brand value increases when you choose your domain with your niche in mind.

Keep it Short and Snappy

This is a common mistake people make when choosing domain names. In a bid to get more keywords in there, they use three or four words in the domain name. Not only does this make it too long, but it also makes it hard for people to remember it. On the contrary, you should keep it short and snappy so that your customers are less likely to misspell or forget it. The first step towards this is restricting its length to two words, three at the most.

Select Words That Are Easy to Spell

People misspell words all the time. So, if you select a domain name that is difficult to spell, it may lead to misspellings. You need to make it easier for people to find you, so selecting easy to spell words is the way to go. Apart from being easy to recall, choosing domain names that are easy to spell ensures that you don’t have to tell say them twice to anyone asking about them, especially if they’re asking via the phone.

Create a List of Possible Choices

Rather than looking for a single option, you should look to create a list of domain names that reflect your business and are SEO-friendly. There are two main reasons for this.

1. There is always the chance that the domain name you select is already being used by someone else or is too expensive to purchase. In that case, you need to have some alternatives to fall back on to.
2. The domain name you initially select might not meet the criteria for effectiveness, as outlined in this guide. You should try and understand how to choose domain name before you actually start thinking about it.

Check for Availability Right Away

As mentioned earlier, domains are being registered at a rate of three every minute. So, there is a risk that the domain name that comes into your mind might be gone by the time you get around to registering it. What you should do is go online and check for availability right away (www.active-domain.com). Even delaying this task for an hour can lead to you missing out on it and force you to start the process of choosing a domain from square one. Also, if the domain name is available, register it right away.

Is it Social Media Friendly?

Last, but not the least, you need to check whether the domain name you intend to use is available on social media. You might be able to carry out SEO for the domain name, but social media marketing can turn into a hassle if it is already under use. Checking this beforehand ensures that you can promote your brand using your domain name on social media websites. This allows you to use it through all your accounts.

No doubt that you have to pay more attention to the web design, logo and visual content of your website but the domain name is as, if not more, important. So, get the help you need for an easy WordPress set up in less than 10 minutes.