The Internet is an ultra-competitive universe and domain names are no exception! Digital Marketing Agency Mohali Chandigarh
In this article :
- Some basics to better understand what a domain name is
- 12 tips for choosing the right domain name
What is a domain name?
First of all, let’s go back to the basics for a moment. What is a domain name?
Below is how the URL of a website is structure.
The domain name is what is after the “www.”.
Who manages the domain names, and how is it organized? Here is a brief overview:
- VeriSign Global Registry for .com and .net
- Public Interest Registry / Afilias for .org
- Afilias for .info
Registrars are accredite by ICANN. These are service providers such as hosting providers, web agencies, etc. It is with them that we take the steps.
12 tips for choosing the right domain name
When you plan to create a website for your business, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali the choice of domain name must be one of the first things to think about.
So how do you choose the right domain name? What to think about?
Consistent with its activity
Above all, your domain name must be representative , it must correspond to you and be consistent with your activity. No need to go on crazy things, it must make sense .
You have different options, the most common of which are:
- Use your surname/first name: marydesign.fr or alexdupont.fr (fictitious examples)
- Your brand name/company name: youlead.fr
- Use a keyword representative of your activity: justine-nutritioniste.fr or soplombier.fr (fictitious examples)
Short and easily remembered
Think about the use of your domain name. It should be short enough to make it easier to memorize.
Then imagine yourself saying it during an oral exchange with a client, or on the phone with a prospect. Is it audible? Is it easy to remember?
Also pay attention to its spelling, it must be simple enough to avoid typing errors.
Remember: your image is at stake with your domain name.
Domain name and SEO
Does the domain name have an impact on natural referencing?
Some say yes, others no. What is certain is that this question is much less topical today. Do not bet everything on the insertion of keywords in your domain name, you could be disappoint. Instead, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali opt for a well-thought-out domain name and focus especially on optimizing the natural referencing of your website. This strategy will be much more effective.
Use of hyphens
Dashes are to be used sparingly , but they can be useful. They make it easier to read . Be careful, do not abuse it! Don’t forget that a user must be able to write your URL from memory .
For example, if you are a nutritionist in Orléans, your domain name could be nutritionniste-orléans.fr. Another example, you are a photographer and you want to use your first name: alice-photographe.fr
No special characters
Semicolons, question marks or exclamations, #, accents…
All special characters are to be avoided , some are even prohibit. The idea is to avoid all parasitic elements that could complicate your domain name.
The numbers
They are not deprecate. But they should be used with common sense. Numerals are sometimes not recommend for oral use. One can wonder whether to write the number with the numbers or write it in letters.
They can sometimes be used to create a variant of a domain name, because the one you chose is already reserve. Do not bet either on the number of a department to boost your natural referencing. It’s not efficient.
Check the meaning of the chosen words
Also be sure to check that the words used in your domain name do not have a completely different meaning in another language. This advice is mainly for companies that have a multilingual site , avoid puns and words with multiple meanings.
Translate your domain name into several languages before reserving it.
Check that your domain name is available
We’re not going to hide it from you, with domain names, it’s first come, first serve.
There are so many sites on the web, your first choice of domain name might already be reserve by someone else. A tip, make a short list of possible domain names for your business. So you can have several options.
A few tips :
- Look at Google search results on keywords related to your business.
- Look at what your competitors have chosen.
- Check that there is no risk of confusion with another domain name that belongs to another entity.
To check the availability of a domain name , you can go to:
- namebay.com
- gandi.net
Unfortunately, if you have tried your entire list, but everything is taken, you will have to find an alternative.
It could be interesting to reserve several domain names. To avoid unpleasant surprises, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali Chandigarh it is sometimes necessary to ensure its rear.
Some even reserve domain names with classic typos that Internet users make to be sure they can capture this traffic.
The choice of extension
The extension is used to give a geographical indication to search engines. For example, for a business in France, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali we will favor the .fr. If your project has an international scope, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali Chandigarh we will rather choose the .com.
There are a very large number of extensions:
- .fr
- .com
- .biz
- .net
- .org
- .gouv
You can also find extensions that associate your site with a region or specificity. For example: .paris, .blog, .bzh, .corsica, .chirurgiens-dentistes.fr etc.
The choice of provider
It’s not easy to navigate the jungle of domain names
Who says domain name, says hosting. Your website must be “hosted” on a server, and that too must be chosen! For your website to be published on the internet, your domain name must be attach to a hosting system. The host is the one that stores your site’s data on a server and then sends the information to web browsers .
You have different possibilities to reserve your domain name :
- We can reserve your domain name in one place and choose a different provider for your hosting.
- You can also use a host that offers a domain name reservation service.
Know that some web agencies can help you and even relieve you of this task. This is what we offer at Youlead, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali Chandigarh we take care of your hosting and your domain name .
Renew your domain name every year
One thing to know, we are not talking about buying a domain name, we reserve it for a fix period. If you want to keep a domain name as long as possible, you will have to be careful not to miss the renewal date. In which case, your domain name risks falling into “the wrong hands” or simply being taken over by someone else.
In general, the domain name is to be renew every year . It is possible to subscribe to automatic renewal with the host, which can relieve you of a burden.
Should a domain name be protected?
The domain name market is fierce, they can be the target of hacking or cybersquatting. Cybersquatting, for example, consists of registering domain names corresponding to brands or companies in order to capture Internet traffic that is normally intend for them. (source JDN). When you reserve your NDD, it is not protect by intellectual property. It is also quite difficult to protect it effectively.
Good to know: it’s better to keep a domain name, even when you close your company. Indeed, someone can very well recover a domain name and use it by taking advantage of the notoriety acquired by the website. For example, you own a gîte, Digital Marketing Agency Mohali Chandigarh you gave it a name and this same name was used to create your domain name. One day, you decide to stop your activity, you no longer manage your site and let the domain name fall into the public domain.