It needs no explanation to the fact that Domain name is the identity of your company. It is how customers search, feel or engage with your website. It not only helps you generate free traffic to your site but helps you to be active in this online business war.
Many believe you only need to be creative (which is very true). However, there are multiple other factors that you need to take under consideration before registering your domain name.
We will go through all the factors and steps required to be followed for finalising and registering a domain name.
But before that, let us discuss the structure of a domain name, so that suggested tips make sense to you.
Domain hierarchy structure:
Everything you mention in a URL has a purpose. Each part of the URL plays a vital role in a user’s search experience online.
A Fully Qualified Domain Name, or simply FQDN, is the one having complete URL structure, consisting of Zero-Level, Top-Level, Second-Level and Third-Level Domain.
Let us explain the same with this URL: https://www.example.com
- .com – Top-Level Domain (TLD)
- Example – Second-Level Domain (SLD)
- A Dot (.) – Zero-Level Domain (Dot in between TLD and SLD)
- www – Third-Level Domain
You will also notice https or http mentioned at the beginning of some URLs. HTTP is nothing but Hypertext Transfer Protocol. “S” in HTTPS is for Security Layer and websites having this ensure a secured experience for the users.
6 Tips for selecting a domain name:
- Use the brand name in the domain: It is always best to include the brand name itself in the domain name. It allows a customer to memorize and relate a URL to your brand. It becomes easy for the user to search for your website if your domain has the brand name in it. For instance, as a user, you can guess the URL of Amazon even if you are not aware of the entire syntax.
- Choose .com as TLD: Do you want users to have a better search experience? Do you want them to land directly on your website? Then we recommend you to use “.com” as the TLD. It is the most common and default extension for online users.
However, if you want to localize your brand with certain marketplace or country, then you could go for Country Code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) extensions such as .co.uk / .in / .ca / .co.jp / .com.au, etc.
Commonly used TLDs such as .com, .org or .net are Generic TLDs (gTLDs). These TLDs are not country-specific and can be used in any part of the world.
- Be aware of Exact Match Domains (EMDs): In the previous article under “Free walk-in traffic” section, we suggested you use keywords in the domain name. However, be careful of Exact Match Domains, in short EMDs. In 2012, Google launched an update to identify poor quality sites with domains consisting of exact keywords used by the users. Improve the content quality on your site, and you need not have to worry about Google penalizing you.
- Processing Fluency: Always try to have a domain name that everyone can pronounce. Chances of errors at the user end reduce if the user can pronounce and remember your domain name correctly.
- Use a short domain name: “Bigger the better” formula doesn’t work here. The average domain name used worldwide is 6 to 12 letters long. A URL can have a length of 63 characters including “.com”. You may ask if the allowed URL length is of 63 characters, why you can’t use the space.
The answer is this example: getthemostsuccessfulandveryimpressivemarketingtoolfromabxyz.com
Above URL contains 63 letters. Do you think having such a big URL is good from the customer’s experience point of view? Would you as a customer remember such a big URL?
- Don’t hyphenate and use numbers: Avoid using hyphens or numbers in the domain name. Usage of hyphens and numbers reduces the credibility of your brand. It also leads to the perception of being a spammy website. Also, customers get confused with the spelling while typing in the URL.
How and Where to Register a Domain Name?
Once you have finalized the domain name that matches your brand, you can register it on several Internet domain registrars and web hosting sites. These sites have features to check the existing and suggest domain names as per your requirement. You can also buy and sell domains on these sites. If you are interested in a domain name which is already taken, you can opt to purchase it.
All these services are available only if you are ready to pay to these sites. Multiple other features get added with higher purchase plan. However, ONPASSIVE Ecosystem is a unique marketing platform which would be available in the near future for better domain registration services and that too “FREE OF COST”. Yes, you read it right. ONPASSIVE is set to be launched very soon with free digital marketing solutions, including domain registration service. No charges have to be paid by its FOUNDERs. Marketing tools would be made available for free only for its Founders.