5 Tips for Choosing a Great Domain Name
You have great products, you’ve built a reputation for excellent service…logically this means people will flock to your website, right?
Wrong.
All of the assets listed above mean nothing in terms of online sales if your website’s domain doesn’t represent your business or enhance your brand. Customers need to be able to find you.
A URL that encapsulates your brand in a memorable way will start a lasting neural connection, and people will return to your site because they understand what you do. If your domain sounds irrelevant to your sector or clashes with your brand personality, people will struggle to take your online presence seriously.
The right name can elevate your brand quickly and have a huge impact on your business.
So how do you choose the right name?
1. First, select the right extension. Usually .com is always the best option if you can get it. If that’s not possible, try .net or org. – if they fit harmoniously with your brand. Plus, try your country’s extension if this is your primary market. If all of these are unavailable at a domain registrar such as names.co.uk, create a new one that fits your brand.
2. Choose a brandable name, not a generic one. So, as a comfortable walking shoe brand, a creative choice could be happyfeet.com and a generic one might be hikingshoes.com. It doesn’t have to explicitly state what your brand does. It could explain what your products can do for your customers, communicate the aims of your organisation or just be catchy, like funkypigeon.com.
3. Keep it snappy. The most popular domain names are 12 characters or less. Of course, many short names are already taken, so aim for 6-14 characters.
4. Easy to spell, easy to type. Test it out on a few people. If you need to repeatedly spell it out for them to understand, then it’s too tricky – simplify it.
5. Word of mouth. In order for people to tell others about your website, they must be able to pronounce it properly. Again, test this by writing it down and asking a few people to say it out loud. If they struggle, or they produce several different pronunciations, it’s not going to work.
The success or failure of your website lies in your choice of name. Consider your options and create something recognisable and inspiring.
