Easy Steps to Choose the Perfect Domain Name for Your Small Business

Choosing a domain name is one of the first steps when you're designing your new business’ website. But what should your web address be? This process shouldn’t be as difficult as choosing your business’ name! Selecting the right domain name is easy and is a process we can all manage. There are a few things you need to know about domain names before you hit ‘buy’ on that domain purchasing website.

Your websites domain name is the address that users will type into their browser search bar to find your website. It is also the address that search engines will observe and file when finding results for a particular online search. They are offered at many different price points from several different providers. The domain name is exactly what follows the www. and what comes before the .com (or any other webpage ending you may choose). Think about it like this, the domain name is like your address, it lets people find your house. So, what type of address should your small business choose?

Did you know that you can register your website under multiple domain names? There are two different types of domains that are available today – business name based and keyword based.One of the factors for search engines is based on how relevant your domain is to the keywords being searched. The more relevant your domain name is to the keywords, the higher your ranking on search engines.

Business Name Based

Just like the title implies, this type of domain name is essentially your business name. It can be written as is, or shortened into an acronym. This is the most popular way for your existing clients to find you. This also helps referrals locate your business' web address with ease. (example: www.DonDentistry.com )

Keyword Based

Keyword Based domains are often used as a secondary domain, that when entered into a search bar, brings the searcher to your website, just like your primary (business name) domain. This type of domain name is more in-depth and requires expert attention. There are thousands of keywords that can be applied to each business based on: city, province, street intersection, services offered, type of service, or the fact you may be the best at something. (example: www.BestDentistInToronto.com )

On different websites you may have noticed that some end in .com, .ca, .net, .edu, etc. This is called the Domain Name System of the Internet. This suffixes are used to segregate the different web-pages in the online world. Some are related to the sector your business may be in, so choose wisely. For example, .edu is reserved for educational institutions and .org is reserved for organizations. On search engines like Google, different websites receive different hierarchy as related to their ending. The top tier web-pages are known as the .com’s. Search engines place these pages ahead of the web-pages that use other endings because they believe the .com to be more trust worthy. Since you can have more than one domain name pointing to your website, we recommend making the primary domain a .com and then the secondary domains be any other available abbreviation.

Some of the most popular domain endings used for small business websites are:

• .com
  
• .ca
  
• .net
  
• .info
  
• .biz
• .org

Joesbusiness.com isn’t the only domain that your business can have anymore. There are so many different options, the possibilities are endless! But sometimes, choosing the right domain name isn’t such an easy task - especially if you have a common business name. There are already 311 million registered domain names that include a wide variety of businesses and personal websites. If you're creating a new website, or are looking to revamp your old one, we have a few tips and easy steps to help you choose the perfect domain name for your small business.

A Quick Note:

Domain Names and Business Names can be two different things. Just because your business name is Joe’s Trade, it doesn’t mean that your domain name needs to be joestrade.com. Feel free to be creative and choose something original!

Make it Easy

Your main domain name should be easy to remember and easy to spell. If you have a long business name, one of the best solutions is to make your domain name into an acronym. With the acronym, you use the first initial of each word in your business name. For example, Joseph’s Super-Duper Industrial Trade Shop becomes jsdits.com. When creating your acronym, be aware of other acronyms and what they stand for. You don’t want your professional business address to be lmfao.com or wtf.org. Take to Google and search your acronym quickly before you register it.

Be Searchable

Like we previously mentioned, keyword domains are the best way to attract new customers. Users are able to find you if they are searching for something generic online. Having your business be linked to your location or specific industry is important. Get creative and use proper domain formats.

Use Keywords

Having secondary domains that use keywords can help boost your online presence. We recommend using the most common keywords to your industry, as well as cities, landmarks, and regions to enhance your websites rank. For this example, we will use Joe’s Dentist as your business name.

• Joes dentist in city
  
• Joes dentist in state
  
• Dental Office in city
• Dental Implants in city
• Type of dentist in city
  
• Invisalign in city
  
• City dentist
  
• State dentist
  
• Type of dentist
  

Then, each of these domains will be followed by one of the previously mentioned suffixes (.com, .biz, .ca, .net, .org, etc).

Not sure what keywords you should be using? Check out our blog post on SEO to learn all about keywords and where to find the best suited ones for your brand. Click HERE to read the full article .

Don’t Seem Spamy

There are certain words and phrases that can portray your website in a negative way. Try to keep it simple and use short titles and keywords in your domain name. Some things that look like spam are:

• Hyphens
  
• Specific Acronym (toes.com, might not be the most professional business domain name)
  
• Numbers
  
• Certain Words (anything related to hate speech, homophobia, racism, or pornography)
  
• Not readable (sdfnbsdjn.com, what could they possibly be in charge of?!)
  

The final step in the domain name selection process is connecting your new domain name to your webpage. After you purchase your domain name from one of the many providers, you will then need to configure it to your website. You will need to purchase a web hosting plan and configure it to your domain name.

Once you have configured the domain name to your webpage, you can then begin to create your website. Your small business website is meant to be the perfect reflection of your brand. The complete look and overall user experience needs to translate to online searchers that:

• Your business is professional
  
• Your business can perform the necessary tasks
  
• And that YOU should be trusted over your competitor
  

Not up to the difficult task of selecting a professional domain name & designing your website that translates your brands mission to your clients? Don’t worry, we gotchu’. Dr. Marketing offers a wide range of services including domain registration and transfers.

Choosing the right domain name for your small business website can decide whether or not new clients find you. It's imperative that you create a domain name that is easy to spell and search for. When you're choosing your domain name, remember that you don’t need to choose just one. You can optimize your website by purchasing multiple domain names and pointing them to various pages throughout your website to help drive traffic.

Here at Dr. Marketing, we are completely in charge of everything for your website. Our system allows our staff to seamlessly integrate your website to the domain names. We then work with you to design a website that makes your customers go, WOW!

Interested in learning about what Dr. Marketing can do for your website? Give us a call to by clicking the button below.