When creating a website for your business, a great domain name should be your first priority. Take a moment to think of your favourite brand, How long does it take you to find their company website?

Is theirs the first name that comes up in a Google search? If it’s a well-known brand, they probably have an easy-to-find website with a memorable domain name.

Domain names identify you on the Internet to your customers and prospects. It’s not a stretch to say that a great domain name is the first step towards a great website because a good domain name will tell your visitors exactly who you are and in some cases exactly what you do. Now that you know this, what should you do?

You should spend some time brainstorming a good name for your website and make sure you go with the best possible choice. Make sure you purchase your own domain name from a domain name registrar and not use any type of free domain you’d get from a free website or blog.

And while domain names can be changed at any time, doing so could have a negative impact on your brand and your SEO. Choose the best possible name from the start and stick with it.

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We want to make your search for a domain name an easy one, that is why we have put together some tips to help you make an informed decision.

Choose the best domain name

Choosing the best domain name for your business might not be an easy task, it is an important part of your online marketing strategy. That is why domain names should be unique and easy to remember so your customers and prospects can easily find you online.

Your domain name should reflect your core products or services. As many of the obvious names are already taken, it’s important to make sure your name stands out. When trying to pick the perfect domain name for your website, here are some tips to keep in mind;

• Keep it simple – Customers expect speed and convenience, especially when they’re searching for a product or service. Keep your domain name short and easy to type, remember and refer others to.
• Use common keywords in your domain name – Always consider SEO. Use your business’s main keyword phrase(s) in your domain name to help your site’s ranking on search engine results pages (or SERPs).
• Make it relevant to your business – Your domain name must be relevant to your products or services. At the same time, avoid locking yourself into a box if you’re considering expanding your offerings.
• It doesn’t have to be a “.com” – The most commonly used and recognized domain extension is .com. However, search engines treat other domain extensions, such as .net, .site or even .club, the same as .com. Create an exact match domain (a domain that includes the exact keywords you want to rank for) and the search engines are likely to rank it higher than a domain name that’s less descriptive.

Conduct a domain search with your registrar/web hosting company. You can also get ideas, brainstorm, and find available domain names using a domain name generator.

When you choose a registrar, look for a simple domain set-up that does not demand any technical skills. It should also offer easy domain forwarding to any existing website, a good number of subdomains to customize your site and enough e-mail aliases (e.g. name @ example.com).

The ability to have real-time monitoring to make sure your website is up and running is also desirable.

Domain Privacy and Protection

If your domain is the same as your brand name, it is important that you trademark it to protect your business. Trademarks provide legal recourse if a person or business infringes on your brand.

A domain privacy plan protects against identity theft, prevents domain-related spam, and deters domain hacking. The cost of protection is usually the same as the domain name itself.

If you are willing to spend some extra cash like ten to twenty dollars per year, your registrar might add the following services for your website;

• Locked protection against personal information exposure.
• Masking personal details in the Whois directory.
• Prevention of domain-related spam.
• Deterrence against domain hijackers.
• Protects you from stalkers and harassers.
• Includes a private e-mail address that can be forwarded to you, filtered or blocked.

Many domain name registrars will even offer privacy protection for the life of the domain or at least the first year.

More advanced services suitable for businesses (e.g. credit card protection, Certified Protection seals, “deadbolt” domain transfer protection) are available.

Renewing your domain

Now that your website is up and running, do not forget to renew is when the time comes for it. Domain names are rented rather than purchased. The more domain names a registrar has under its management, the greater the operating costs.

ICANN, the international governing body of domain names, wants to ensure that businesses can accommodate for this inflation over time.

Most registrars offer automatic annual renewal for domains. Automated renewal ensures you don’t lose your preferred domain name and won’t have to worry about remembering to renew it every year.

Changing your domain name

If your business is going through a rebranding or if you want to capitalize on SEO opportunities, domain name changes can be beneficial. You can change your domain name whenever you like, and most registrars offer a process to migrate from one domain name to another.

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Redirecting traffic to social media

A redirect automatically takes a user from one URL to another. 301 redirects are typically used to make sure users end up in the right place.

This redirect tactic may be used by a business that has purchased a domain name but doesn’t have a website set up. In this case, they could redirect their domain to a social media page.

While this strategy is a good solution for companies who don’t yet have a website to go with their domain, redirecting to social media isn’t a long-term solution. Having your own website enhances your brand’s credibility and allows for greater control over your content. Setting one up should be a priority.