Whether you’re launching a new blog or rebranding your small business website, think about every aspect that goes into a successful online venture. While everyone usually thinks about the web design and branding aesthetic, they often overlook one of the most important factors: the domain name. Here’s why picking the right domain name is critical for success and the top things to consider before picking one:
- Start strong: Be creative and meaningful when choosing your business domain. Think of a title that is easy to memorize, pronounce and spell. You also want to be professional, so pick a domain that sounds trustworthy and speaks to your products or services.
- Consistency is key: Pick a domain name that matches your business name. It would not make sense for your company to be called Brooklyn Bakery then have “brooklynbakesit.com” as your website URL. Furthermore, your social media accounts should also match your official business name as much as possible. Make it easy for your customers to find you online and social media.
- Keep it short: You want customers to easily find you, and you also want them to easily share your website with others. A domain that is short in length will make this a breeze. The shorter the domain, the more memorable and easier it is to type when they’re ready to search for your product or service.
- Skip the numbers and hyphens. One way to keep it short and simple (and specific) is to purchase a domain that only has letters. Numbers, letters and other symbols can be distracting or lead to misspellings, especially if your audience is logging in from a mobile device.
- Keep it local: If you’re serving a specific local audience, add your city, state or any relevant keywords that peg your business to the location. For example, WestportLashes.tel or NorwalkDryCleaner.tel.
- Get strategically creative: As mentioned, your goal is to launch a URL that matches your company name. For the sake of consistency, consider picking an alternative top-level domain (TLD) such as .tel. This will not only help you stay consistent, but in many cases act as a tool for stronger branding. For instance, many small businesses turn to .tel because it sounds professional and serves as a great platform for promoting and listing a local business.
- Act fast: As much as you want to be strategic, you also want to eventually take action as domain names get snapped up quickly. Once you select your domain name, go to your desired TLD platform to see if it’s available and register it. From there, you can start building the blog or business, with your on-brand domain serving as the foundation of your new online venture.