The domain name is the key to winning online marketing. The most powerful and important part of any website you create is your domain name.
Your site’s URL (or web address) can be anything: “example”, “suchandsuch” or even plain-text link in a news article – it simply must point to something that actually exists on the Internet.
However, when coming up with a domain for your company’s website, make sure that you choose one wisely because this will have an impact on how people find your site, whether they’re looking for content or products/services from your business.
Today more than ever before people are turning to their computers and phones as their primary means of communication with businesses around them; making your domain name the key to winning online marketing.
What you should know about your Domain Name
Your domain is a representation of who you are and what your business strives for.
It’s critical that it includes keywords important to your company so that people can find you when they’re searching on Google, Bing, or Yahoo.
The right domain also helps protect against cybersquatters – unscrupulous individuals who buy domains with popular names in order to extort money from trademark owners by selling back at inflated prices (or worse).
When buying a new domain make sure it’s easy to remember and provides all the information someone needs about your product/service without having them click through several pages first.
In general, always try to keep as much of your domain name as possible to the actual words that are most important in order to ensure a good search rank.
Domain Name Types
A “domain” is an Internet address, or URL (web site address), which identifies one specific location on the World Wide Web for computers and people accessing it online via web browsers.
There are many different types of domains, but this article will focus primarily on two primary types – country-specific and generic top-level domains – along with some other helpful tips about choosing a domain name.
The following table illustrates how different countries have their own national TLDs (.us, .co,.cn) while others use generic TLDs like “.com.”
In general, these distinctions allow you to find your site easily based on what country you’re in.
Country-specific TLDs:
If you are not located in Kenya, the United States, Canada, China, or any of the other countries with a specific national domain listed then it’s likely that yours will be country-specific domains like “.KE” or “.CA”
This has both advantages and disadvantages for businesses looking to get found online.
On one hand, there is LESS competition because there are still unexplored opportunities.
This means that anyone can register them.
At the same time, they clearly defined boundaries giving business owners more flexibility when choosing their web address.
Generic Top Level Domains(GLTD)
.com – The most common domain extension for websites and the best option if you’re looking to build up a global presence.
.org – A nonprofit organization website or blog is likely to use this generic top-level domain as it’s intended for organizations that are not primarily commercial in nature, such as nonprofits or charities.
“.edu” – This type of TLD is specifically designated for academic institutions like universities or colleges which may be confusingly similar to .gov domains meant strictly for government agencies and organizations working on behalf of their nation-state governments (e.g., US Department of Education).
Generally speaking, these types of sites can vary from research departments at major universities around the world to school districts in countries where English language instruction is not the primary language (e.g., Sweden).
“.biz” – The domain of choice for small businesses, startups, and entrepreneurs looking to get their name out there quickly without costly marketing campaigns or paying too much upfront.
“.info” – A relatively new TLD that can be used as a generic top-level domain for website owners who don’t want to advertise what type of business they are in with anyone specific extension.
.tv” – This TLD is a common choice for online TV and movie streaming services, but can also be used by any business that would make sense to have “TV” at the end of their web address (e.g., YouTube).
The Right Domain Name Matters
A domain name is basically just your website’s Internet address on the World Wide Web, so it really matters what people are searching for when they see you in search engines like Google or Bing.
A good domain will help businesses get found easily because it’s memorable with no potential mistypes and contains all the information someone needs about your product/service without having them click through several pages first.
But not all domains are created equal and choosing one wisely might help you get ahead of your competition.
There are a few things to consider when choosing the right domain name for your business and website:
Do I want my company’s main website address at the end?
What is my company based in or geared towards (for example, if it’s selling software then “.com” might be best)?
And what suffix should I choose (.org,.biz, etc.)?
The first thing that matters most about picking out a domain name is how easy it will be for people to find you online – which means having both “brandable” words as well as ones that include keywords related to what type of products/services you offer.
For example;
Someone looking for an air purifier may find a company with “airpurifier.com” as their domain name more easily than someone who has just “cleankids.org.”
Keywords are important, but the most important thing to consider when picking out your domain is what you’re trying to say about yourself – where do you want people to think of YOUR business?
Brands need identity and personality whether it’s for an individual or group so make sure that whatever domain suffix you choose reflects how YOU want to be seen in the world.
When choosing your website address there are some general guidelines:
.edu domains should only be chosen by academic institutions (e.g., universities) or organizations working on behalf of government agencies (US Department of Education).
If neither applies then “.org” is the best choice. .gov domains should only be used by government agencies or organizations working on behalf of their nation-state governments (e.g., US Department of Education).
If neither applies then “.com” is the best choice for any type of business that sells products, provides services, and isn’t primarily nonprofit in nature (i.e., it’s a for-profit company).
If you have a specific industry that your business falls under (.org) then this will become more clear what suffix to use but if not, ‘.com’ works pretty much universally when talking about businesses that sell things online – which most do these days!
Nowadays there are so many TLDs available at least one option for almost anyone looking to start a business.
Choosing the right domain name can be as simple as picking out your favorite ‘.com’ suffix or it could take some research to find one that’s perfect for you.
