Easy Steps to Choose the Perfect Domain Name for Your Small Business
Choosing a domain name is one of the first steps when you're designing your new business’ website. But what should your web address be? Thisprocess shouldn’t be as difficult as choosing your business’ name! Selecting the right domain name is easy and is aprocess we can all manage. There are a few things you need to know about domainnames before you hit ‘buy’ on that domain purchasing website.
Everything You Need to Know About Domains
Your websites domain name is the address that users willtype into their browser search bar to find your website. It is also the addressthat search engines will observe and file when finding results for a particularonline search. They are offered at many different price points from several different providers. The domain name is exactly what follows the www. and what comesbefore the .com (or any other webpage ending you may choose). Think about itlike this, the domain name is like your address, it lets people find yourhouse. So, what type of address should your small business choose?
Did you know that you can register your website undermultiple domain names? There are two different types of domains that areavailable today – business name based and keyword based. One of the factors for search engines is based on how relevant your domain is to the keywords being searched. The more relevant your domain name is to the keywords, the higher your ranking on search engines.
Business Name Based Just like the title implies, this type of domain name is essentiallyyour business name. It can be written as is, or shortened into an acronym. Thisis the most popular way for your existing clients to find you. This also helps referrals locate your business' web address with ease. (example: www.DonDentistry.com)
Keyword Based Keyword Based domains are often used as a secondary domain,that when entered into a search bar, brings the searcher to your website, justlike your primary (business name) domain. This type of domain name is more in-depthand requires expert attention. There are thousands of keywords that can beapplied to each business based on: city, province, street intersection, services offered, type of service, or the fact you may be the best at something. (example:
www.BestDentistInToronto.com)
The Difference Between the Different Domain Name Endings
On different websites you may have noticed that some endin .com, .ca, .net, .edu, etc. This is called the Domain Name System of theInternet. This suffixes are used to segregate the different web-pages in the onlineworld. Some are related to the sector your business may bein, so choose wisely. For example, .edu is reserved for educational institutions and .org isreserved for organizations. On search engines like Google, different websitesreceive different hierarchy as related to their ending. The top tier web-pagesare known as the .com’s. Search engines place these pages ahead of the web-pagesthat use other endings because they believe the .com to be more trust worthy.Since you can have more than one domain name pointing to your website, werecommend making the primary domain a .com and then the secondary domains beany other available abbreviation. Some of the most popular domain endings used for smallbusiness websites are:
- .com
- .ca
- .net
- .info
- .biz
- .org
Choosing the Perfect Domain Name for Your Small Business
A Quick Note: Domain Names and Business Names can be two different things. Just because your business name is Joe’s Trade, it doesn’t mean that your domain name needs to be joestrade.com. Feel free to be creative and choose something original!
Tips for Choosing a Great Domain Name
Be Searchable Like we previously mentioned, keyword domains are the best way to attract new customers. Users are able to find you if they are searching for something generic online. Having your business be linked to your location or specific industry is important. Get creative and use proper domain formats.
Use Keywords Having secondary domains that use keywords can help boost your online presence. We recommend using the most common keywords to your industry, as well as cities, landmarks, and regions to enhance your websites rank. For this example, we will use Joe’s Dentist as your business name.
- Joes dentist in city
- Joes dentist in state
- Dental Office in city
- Dental Implants in city
- Type of dentist in city
- Invisalign in city
- City dentist
- State dentist
- Type of dentist
Then, each of these domains will be followed by one of the previously mentioned suffixes (.com, .biz, .ca, .net, .org, etc). Not sure what keywords you should be using? Check out our blog post on SEO to learn all about keywords and where to find the best suited ones for your brand. Click HERE to read the full article .
Don’t Seem Spamy There are certain words and phrases that can portray your website in a negative way. Try to keep it simple and use short titles and keywords in your domain name. Some things that look like spam are:
- Hyphens
- Specific Acronym (toes.com, might not be the most
professional business domain name)
- Numbers
- Certain Words (anything related to hate speech, homophobia,
racism, or pornography)
- Not readable (sdfnbsdjn.com, what could they possibly be in
charge of?!)
The Final Step: Connecting Your Domain Name to Your Website
The final step in the domain name selection process is connecting your new domain name to your webpage. After you purchase your domain name from one of the many providers, you will then need to configure it to your website. You will need to purchase a web hosting plan and configure it to your domain name.
Once you have configured the domain name to your webpage, you can then begin to create your website. Your small business website is meant to be the perfect reflection of your brand. The complete look and overall user experience needs to translate to online searchers that:
- Your business is professional
- Your business can perform the necessary tasks
- And that YOU should be trusted over your competitor
Not up to the difficult task of selecting a professional domain name & designing your website that translates your brands mission to your clients? Don’t worry, we gotchu’. Dr. Marketing offers a wide range of services including domain registration and transfers.
Choosing the right domain name for your small business website can decide whether or not new clients find you. It's imperative that you create a domain name that is easy to spell and search for. When you're choosing your domain name, remember that you don’t need to choose just one. You can optimize your website by purchasing multiple domain names and pointing them to various pages throughout your website to help drive traffic.
Here at Dr. Marketing, we are completely in charge of everything for your website. Our system allows our staff to seamlessly integrate your website to the domain names. We then work with you to design a website that makes your customers go, WOW!
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