Choosing the Right Domain Name

Can’t seem to choose a meaningful and appropriate domain name for your website? Few elements hold as much importance as the domain name, which is why it’s important to choose the right one. Rushing through this process by registering the first unused name you come across may not be the best option.

But how exactly do you choose a domain name?

Brandable Domain Name

A good domain name should be brandable and easy to remember. Rather than using generic keywords, for instance, choose name that’s entirely unique. This can be your actual business name (assuming you own a business), or it can be something entirely different. The bottom line is that you need a domain name that’s brandable; otherwise, you’ll have an uphill battle when trying to promote your website.

Dot Com

There’s some belief that Google ranks dot com domains higher in the search results than other extensions. However, Matt Cutts recently went on record by saying that Google treats all domain names the same, regardless of extension. While that may be true, it’s still recommended that you choose a dot com domain, simply because they are easier for users to remember.

According to a study conducted by Interbrand, 94% of consumers recalled a dot com domain, whereas only 7% recalled a new domain extension. That’s a pretty substantial difference, attesting to the power of dot coms. Of course, dot coms aren’t always available due to their popularity, so you may have to settle for a different extension instead. If possible, though, stick with a dot com so visitors will remember your website with greater ease.

Avoid Numbers and Hyphens

Generally speaking, you should avoid the use of numbers or hyphens in your domain name — unless it’s a part of your band name. Using them in your domain name will only add further confusion to users who type the URL into their web browser. To prevent this type of headache from occurring, stick with letters and only letters when choosing your domain name. Also make it easy to type by not intentionally misspelling words.

Keep it Short

The length of your domain name will also play a role in its success (or failure). According to Gaebler, the top 5 most popular websites have an average domain length of just 6 characters, whereas the top 10 websites have an average length of 6.1 characters. Going further down the list reveals that the top 1,000 most popular websites have an average domain length of 7 characters.

However, most small businesses aren’t lucky enough to get by with a short domain name such as “Amazon.” You might need to include a keyword which tells users right way what your website is about.

What About the Registrar?

Not all domain registrars are the same, so consider which one you choose when registering your domain name. GoDaddy is arguably the most popular, but it’s not always the best choice. While they offer exceptional customer support, GoDaddy tends to cost more than other registrars. NameCheap is an excellent registrar that offers consistently low prices and free privacy protection. The free privacy protection alone is reason enough to choose NameCheap over GoDaddy.

Have any other tips for choosing a domain name that you would like to share with our readers? Let us know in the comments section below!

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