Your domain purchase is the first step taken in creating your new online business. The right domain name can help you achieve better search engine ranking and even brand your business but choose wrong and it could adversely affect your success.
Getting Specific Can Help
When buying domain names for a business it's a good idea to choose one that reflects your business' products or services. If your business is breeding poodles you'll want to choose a domain name that will tell those that see it that you're in the business of breeding poodles. For example, the name 'poodlebreeder.com' is a better domain purchase than a more generic 'dogbreeders.com'.
Long and Lean or Short and Sweet?
In the world of domain names there are two general categories which most domain names fall into. Some choose the route of a longer, more descriptive domain name, as shown above, while other business owners try and cash in on a short and catchy domain name. There are merits to both types of domain purchase if you use them correctly.
In short a long tail keyword is a string of related words put together to form a search phrase. Search phrases like "puppy potty training" indicate the searcher is not only looking to potty train their dog but that the dog is still a puppy. A business that chooses a longer keyword phrase such as this relating to their product or service stands a better chance of their website ranking near the top for that specific phrase.
Ranking well in certain niches can be difficult, especially in competitive niches. By finding a two or three word phrase related to your product or service which has slightly less competition but still gets many searches you stand a good chance of receiving targeted traffic to your website simply by choosing a specific domain name phrase.
On the other hand many successful businesses have made a name for themselves, literally, by choosing odd yet memorable one word domain names. Companies such as eBay or Twitter have branded themselves and made their unusual names synonymous with their services.
This domination of their respective niches isn't achieved by a smart domain purchase alone. A lot of effort must go into marketing for it to become a household name. While choosing a long tail keyword gives you an edge in the search engines initially many argue that a shorter and easier to remember name may pay off in the long run if you have the marketing talents to back it up.
What Not to Do When Buying a Domain Name
Finding a really good and available domain name is becoming more and more difficult each time another one is created and registered. In desperation for a suitable domain name some business owners make poor choices in their domain purchase that can adversely affect their business. The use of hyphens between words is one of the quickest ways to make your domain name look unprofessional, not to mention how much harder they are to remember or say aloud to potential customers.
While buying a domain name with a .com extension is highly recommended for businesses the benefits of a professional looking .com domain name is usually undermined when hyphens are thrown in. Instead you would be better off making a domain purchase with the acceptable .net or even .org extension instead.
It Gets Better with Age
While we as a society tend to covet items that are new and shiny when it comes to making a domain purchase you're actually better off buying used. By used I mean domain names that have expired but where already used for an existing website or business for at least a year. Google likes aged websites as they have earned their keep by sticking around. Also these older domains can often come with extras attached to them such as backlinks from other websites to the pre-existing website.
Google views web pages with backlinks and higher Pagerank, a rating system the search engine attaches to web pages based on their popularity and authority, as more worthy of higher search engine rankings. By making a domain purchase of an older, seasoned domain name your new business often reaps the rewards of the domain name without any extra work on your part. Yes, you still must market your new business as you would normally but you'll be getting a little extra help thanks to that aged domain name.
In the end it takes careful thought and research to come up with a domain name that will best suit your online business. Your domain name should make a statement, be it keyword orientated or short and catchy. Your domain purchase will be your business' face to the online world so choose carefully before hitting that "add to cart" button.
Getting Specific Can Help
When buying domain names for a business it's a good idea to choose one that reflects your business' products or services. If your business is breeding poodles you'll want to choose a domain name that will tell those that see it that you're in the business of breeding poodles. For example, the name 'poodlebreeder.com' is a better domain purchase than a more generic 'dogbreeders.com'.
Long and Lean or Short and Sweet?
In the world of domain names there are two general categories which most domain names fall into. Some choose the route of a longer, more descriptive domain name, as shown above, while other business owners try and cash in on a short and catchy domain name. There are merits to both types of domain purchase if you use them correctly.
In short a long tail keyword is a string of related words put together to form a search phrase. Search phrases like "puppy potty training" indicate the searcher is not only looking to potty train their dog but that the dog is still a puppy. A business that chooses a longer keyword phrase such as this relating to their product or service stands a better chance of their website ranking near the top for that specific phrase.
Ranking well in certain niches can be difficult, especially in competitive niches. By finding a two or three word phrase related to your product or service which has slightly less competition but still gets many searches you stand a good chance of receiving targeted traffic to your website simply by choosing a specific domain name phrase.
On the other hand many successful businesses have made a name for themselves, literally, by choosing odd yet memorable one word domain names. Companies such as eBay or Twitter have branded themselves and made their unusual names synonymous with their services.
This domination of their respective niches isn't achieved by a smart domain purchase alone. A lot of effort must go into marketing for it to become a household name. While choosing a long tail keyword gives you an edge in the search engines initially many argue that a shorter and easier to remember name may pay off in the long run if you have the marketing talents to back it up.
What Not to Do When Buying a Domain Name
Finding a really good and available domain name is becoming more and more difficult each time another one is created and registered. In desperation for a suitable domain name some business owners make poor choices in their domain purchase that can adversely affect their business. The use of hyphens between words is one of the quickest ways to make your domain name look unprofessional, not to mention how much harder they are to remember or say aloud to potential customers.
While buying a domain name with a .com extension is highly recommended for businesses the benefits of a professional looking .com domain name is usually undermined when hyphens are thrown in. Instead you would be better off making a domain purchase with the acceptable .net or even .org extension instead.
It Gets Better with Age
While we as a society tend to covet items that are new and shiny when it comes to making a domain purchase you're actually better off buying used. By used I mean domain names that have expired but where already used for an existing website or business for at least a year. Google likes aged websites as they have earned their keep by sticking around. Also these older domains can often come with extras attached to them such as backlinks from other websites to the pre-existing website.
Google views web pages with backlinks and higher Pagerank, a rating system the search engine attaches to web pages based on their popularity and authority, as more worthy of higher search engine rankings. By making a domain purchase of an older, seasoned domain name your new business often reaps the rewards of the domain name without any extra work on your part. Yes, you still must market your new business as you would normally but you'll be getting a little extra help thanks to that aged domain name.
In the end it takes careful thought and research to come up with a domain name that will best suit your online business. Your domain name should make a statement, be it keyword orientated or short and catchy. Your domain purchase will be your business' face to the online world so choose carefully before hitting that "add to cart" button.
About the Author:
Don't allow your business to suffer with a second rate domain name. Get a domain name that will boost your business. At Domain Zenith we have premium aged available domain names where you pick your price. Make us an offer on one today.
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