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How to choose Domain Name for a Website?
1. The Art of Choosing Domain Names For Websites
Considering the fact that the domain name is an integral part of the website’s design and the
brand’s identity, choosing it could be an extremely challenging and daunting task. Apart from
that, its effect will be felt on every sphere during marketing i.e. SEO, SMO (Social media
Optimization), etc.
There is a lot to be associated with the name. After all, Shakespeare didn’t know what domain
names were for.
SCRIBBL, an Interactive & Creative Agency, offers you some really insightful tips on choosing
the domain name for your website:
Brandable Domain Over Keyword Domain
The foremost thing that a webmaster does is to pen down a list of keywords that have
higher chances of ranking on the search engines and have a positive influence on the
Click Through rates. Earlier, many would blindly buy the EMDs ( Exact Match Domains)
wherein they would buy the domain name ‘buyleatherbags’ to target the keyword ‘ buy
leather bags.’ This would help them attain a higher ranking as the domain name was
nothing but the keyword. Also, it being included in the anchor text would enable easy
linking to the site. However, Google rolled out its new update- The EMD update that put
to light the futility behind the theory. Both HighPosition Data and SEOmozdata
supported the same by illustrating the drop in the ratings for keyword based domains.
Since 2010, the EMD –domain name connection has been fading away. While this does
not mean that one has to intently avoid keywords in the domain name, it put forwards the
conjecture that keywords are not the ultimate factor that should be borne in mind while
deciding the domain name.
2. A .com Extension helps
It is a common assumption that everything on the internet has to exist with the .com by
the majority. Hence, choosing a .com extension is obligatory unless you are not worried
about the type- in traffic. And .com extension makes you a universal face unlike .uk or
.org. Google’s inclination towards .com is another substantial reason.
Easy to remember & Easy to type
In a nutshell, branding is all about perception. Hence, the domain name must be in tune
with the theme of the business and should create an impactful impression in their minds.
More importantly, it must be easy to type and spell. Avoid miss spelt and hyphenated
words. With one wrong spelling, there are high chances of a similarly named site
attaining your traffic. (Can you Spell Flickr? )
Keep it Short and Unique
A good rule of thumb is to have not more than 2 words. A good blend of two words like
Micro- Soft, Pinterest and YouTube could be an interesting proposition. Remembering a
long name or typing a dreary and lengthy name, could be a turn off.
Some tools that could prove to be handy and extremely effective during the process
include BustAName, DomainR, squrrl, 123finder.com, Wordoid, etc.