An often overlooked but vital component of a great web site is a great domain name. However, how one goes about selecting a great domain name may not be obvious so here are several key elements.
Tip #1 - Make it memorable.
The most important aspect of choosing a name is ensuring that your audience will remember it. A memorable website name is short, easy to spell (no hyphens), and has a hook. Short names have an added aesthetic benefit, are easier to fit on logos, and make better brands. However, short and simple is not enough. Tools dot com is easy to forget. Cars dot com spent a great deal of money on marketing to overcome that fault.
Tip #2 - Make sure it is unique.
Clarity is important in the short and long term. A domain name becomes synonymous with the business it represents. A website name that is easily confused with another is no better than a forgettable name. A name that cannot be trademarked is far less valuable than one that can. A business can lose rights or lose the domain name outright if it is similar to a brand that is or becomes trademarked. Uniqueness ensures that you keep what you invest in getting your URL.
Tip #3 - Target the expectations of the audience.
A great website name asserts professionalism and best case informs its audience the type of business it represents. At the very least, the name should not detract from the business image. Froogle dot com may work for a shopping site but might undermine the respectability of an accounting firm. Be aware of your audience. In the U.S., people regard.com domains as being more professional than the less common domains.
Your domain name is your brand name. Taking great care in choosing it will pay great dividends.
No comments:
Post a Comment