Starting a business is a tough task. What makes it tough is a long list of things that need to be done. Every little thing needs attention to detail. When almost all is done you want to make your presence felt. Forming marketing strategies and finalizing budgets are signs of getting closer. In the midst of all this, the need for a website has been at the back of the head all along. You need a website for your business.
Why? The question that pops up. Everyone may not be able to see your business. A website will not only mark your presence on the internet bit also be an advertisement of your own. This address needs to be printed on the hoardings. Your social media pages will direct traffic to it as well. This website will essentially be a virtual extension of your business.
Now that you realize that a website is a need, you need to decide a name for it. This name is what is commonly known as a domain. Fit your business name is not the solution.
Here are a few tips to choose the right #domain name while keeping it catchy, real and relevant. Click To TweetKeep it Catchy
Like everything else, choosing a domain is tricky. You want your domain to be memorable. A name that is catchy. A name that a customer can really remember and use in a text, over a phone call or in a conversation.
Why is it necessary? Research by McKinsey & Company shows that 20%-50% of all purchase decisions are influenced by word of mouth. This is why the domain needs to be something that a client can remember. A name that is not easy to forget. Like a song or a beat that is hard to push out your system.
Keep it simple
While you chase a catchy name, keep it simple. Double meanings, difficult abbreviations, hyphenated words, etc. are all distractions. In the brainstorming session try and think from the customer perspective. Think how hard the name is to spell, type and to look up into Google.
A difficult name leads to a hard time finding you over the internet. A complex name discourages customers and reduces traffic.
Keep it short
Keep the domain name catchy, simple and short. You can have the most catch domain name. It may also be simple. There is no point of all that if it is not short. Let’s say you run a fast food joint. Certainly, “johnssubsshackandsliders.com is catchy and descriptive. What you need to notice here is the fact that it is too long. Customers will find it hard to type, or they can also be simply lazy to type it all. You can switch it to “johnsdeli.com.” This makes it all you need it to be; simple and short.
The internet is like a huge store. A bunch of information and things to look out for. In this crazy long list, you need to come up with something that is simple and does not need a lot of searching.
Make it pronounceable
We know that a major part of the sale comes from word of mouth. How does that work? A friend visits your deli and loves the taste. Your friend will then tell you about it. You try and love it. You tell it to your friends, and the next thing you know, all of you decide to visit them together.
Sounds great, right? For the word to go around the town, the name needs to be simple and pronounceable. If one cannot say it, they cannot talk about it. No talk no word of mouth and the potential traffic will be directed to a more pronounceable domain. Before you actually decide a domain, pronounce it. Have your family and close friends pronounce it. If it is easy to say, you may have the right option.
Make it obvious
So far the name has to be simple, catchy and short. The list has a few more thing that you need to look into before you decide on a name.
Have you heard someone say, subtle hints don’t count? If not, let it be the first time. The visitors need to understand what type of page they’ll land on. This is important and gives you an advantage to your business.
Goals of your website and business
Got the last five suggestions? We hope you considered and then worked on them. You should now be on your way to deciding a great domain name.
All things said and done; you should also take into account the real need for the website. We understand with so many details to look into, one can get off track and miss something. Don’t worry; we’re here to walk you through the process of deciding a great domain name. The next thing to look at is the nature, purpose of the website. The name should align with the business that you do. If there is something additional that the website offers, its inclusion is a plus.
Choose your extension
The next thing in line is choosing an extension. Your options are: .com, .net, .biz, .org, .brand, .me and many more. With all these options, you have a confusing yet important decision to make.
There is a wide variety of general top-level domains (gTLDs). We’ve made a list of a few important ones for you:
| Extension | Stands for | Used for |
| .com | Commercial | General commercial purposes |
| .info | Information | Informational websites |
| .net | NETwork | Technical/infrastructure websites |
| .org | Organization | Non-commercial and non-profit organizations |
| .biz | Business | General business purposes |
| .me | Blogs or personal websites | |
| .brand | Can be anything e.g. .burger, .food etc. | Can share exactly what you do |
Think about keywords
Keywords are an integral part of SEO. If you run a media-related business, customers may look into “media companies” or “media houses.” Having “johnsmedia.com” will certainly be helpful.
The keyword helps in the cognitive recognition of your brand. With this domain name, everyone knows what John does, what the website is about and what to expect.
Pinning it down the name can narrow the horizon. What? How? Say you sell cakes and have a domain, cakejohns.com. In the future, you want to add other bakery items as well. Now, your website only talks about cakes. Having bakerjohn.com surely sounds better now. Look for a broader name that does not narrow down the horizon.
Time to conclude
Why have a website is a different debate altogether. Choosing the right domain is the topic at hand. We’ve shared our thoughts with. Don’t think these are the only things to consider. There are others thing to look for as well. The list can be never-ending. Following this list of suggestions will certainly narrow the options for you. If you have suggestions of your, do let us know!