The right domain name can boost your marketing efforts and give you the upper hand over competitors by improving your online presence. Invest in premium domain names as they bring more value to businesses than regular domains. They’re typically easy to remember and understand, which boosts their marketability. Here are mistakes to avoid when choosing a domain name:
1. Using Numbers
Some businesses use numbers such as “2” and “6” instead of actual words to shorten their domain names. While this may appear like a good idea, it may cause frustration for clients who don’t know whether to type the numbers or spell them out when searching your website. They may get errors in their browsers or unintentionally visit the wrong sites, causing you to lose out on potential sales.
Using numbers also complicates domain names. This is often the case when a domain includes multiple numbers, as one may not remember the order in which they fall. Play it safe by choosing domain names that only use letters. Only consider choosing premium domain names with numbers if your business name contains the numbers, as clients will likely already know the correct spelling.
2. Choosing Inappropriate Domain Extension
A domain extension or top-level domain (TLD) is the combination of letters that come after a period in a web address. Common domain extensions include .com, .org, .net, .gov, and .co. Visitors can guess what your site offers by looking at your TLD. People often associate the .com extension with for-profit businesses, .org with non-profit organizations, .net with tech-based companies, .gov with government sites, and .co with commercial ventures like companies and corporations. Choosing a .org extension when offering professional services like accounting and bookkeeping can confuse your clients. Always confirm whether your chosen TLD aligns with your business’ offerings.
Some people also make the mistake of choosing TLDs directly related to their products or services, like .cafe and .lawyer. Using such TLDs can be risky as many people don’t know them. Potential clients will likely type your name and add common extensions like .com or .net. This may lead them to other sites, causing you to lose organic traffic. Invest in domains with popular extensions that are familiar to your customers.
3. Adding Special Characters
Using special characters like hyphens can be as detrimental to your domain’s memorability as adding numbers. Hyphens complicate domain names, as it can be difficult to remember where to put them. Clients may be confused about where to put the hyphen.
Choosing domains with hyphens when there are similar options without them can also lead to lost sales. Clients may be more likely to type your domain name without hyphens when searching for you. This can increase their chances of landing on a competitor’s site. To make your website easy to access, opt for a hyphen-free option.
4. Using Homophones
Homophones are words with the same pronunciation but different meanings. Examples include hear/here, new/knew, and sea/see. Avoid domain names with such words, as they can confuse site visitors. Only consider them if it’s easy for visitors to deduce the appropriate spelling from your products or brand name.
Spell your domain name in the most common way whenever possible. If your brand name uses a homophone, consider getting both domain names to avoid losing new clients who may be unfamiliar with your unique spelling.
5. Not Assessing the Domain’s History
Choosing a domain name with a questionable history can affect your business. A domain flagged for black hat SEO practices may prevent your SEO strategies from being successful. A domain whose past owner conducted unethical business practices may affect your chances of success, as clients may associate your business with theirs.
Protect your brand by checking a domain’s history. You can use certain lookup tools to find a site’s history. These tools can show a domain’s past owners, servers, and registrars. For a comprehensive history report, work with a reliable domain broker.
Choose Premium Domain Names To Avoid Mistakes
Premium domain names are valuable investments as they can make it easy for potential clients to find you. They also appear more credible than regular domains and have excellent SEO potential as they’re often short and keyword-specific. Work with a reputable domain broker today to find the right premium domain for your brand.
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