Many people do not understand the importance of a good domain name.  If you are running a website, your domain should be established in the internet world, as well as in a printed format.  It acts as your identity, and is an integral part of any branding strategy.  If you have made the decision to try and establish yourself online, taking the time to find a good domain is an absolute must.

What makes a good domain? 

Generic

Apart from immensely improving your search engine rankings, your domain is a superb branding opportunity and could save you a fortune in marketing expenses.

Companies waste millions of pounds a year advertising domain names that people never remember. When you last heard a great radio ad, but can't remember the phone number, website, or even the name of the company? Clearly a memorable domain name would dramatically increase response rates to any form of off-line advertising.

It would be rather naive to think that people would remember your company name more readily than your product. Even the largest of household names use generic domains when promoting their websites.

E.g. B & Q's website address is diy.com

If your company name or the services you offer are hard to remember, doesn’t clearly state what you do, or the domain is already being used think of the benefits you can receive/achieve. E.g. lose weight, get fit, etc. Look for something that relates to your business. The very best domain name should be one you can guess.

Getfitquick.co.uk

Loseweightfast.com

Memorable

A domain name is not doing its job if no one can remember it.  Of course it would be great if everyone bookmarked their favorite websites, but the fact is that most people don’t.  For this reason, it is best to choose a domain that stands out and makes an impact.  Keep the name straightforward and easy to remember, avoid trying to be too clever with words and making it complex.

Bootcampuk.com

Short and Sweet

While the experts say that a good domain should be no more than 20 characters long, 10 characters are even better.  Having a long domain name will only complicate matters and confuse people.  Short and sweet is the key; if you go over the 20 character mark, you could end up burying yourself in the unknown corners of the web.

Fabfitness.com

A Good Extension

Extensions or TLDs (Top Level Domains) represents the three letters that come after your primary name.  There are several extensions available including .com, .net, .biz, .org and the list goes on.  Keep in mind that some extensions are reserved for certain entities.  For example, .gov is reserved for government sites will .mil is for the military.  As the most popular extension, .com is what you should strive for.  If you can’t find this TLD, then .co.uk or .net would be the next best alternative.

Spelling

When choosing a domain, try to stay away from names that are difficult to spell. You would be surprised at how many domain names are hard to spell if you've only heard it orally. Many people are poor spellers. Still others are poor typists. If you choose something more complex, your potential visitors could end up at a competitor’s site. You are better off with a short, memorable, logical, easy-to-spell domain name.

Avoid the Flash

One of the worst things you can do is try to glamorize your domain with fancy symbols.  After all, most web surfers don’t pay attention to symbols anyway, so even if you do pick something that is memorable, your over enthusiasm could still lead them to another site.

Be Unique

A good domain name is one that is unique, very descriptive and tells a story in just a few characters.  What this means is that the name should instantly strike an interest with visitors and potential customers by giving them an idea of what to expect.  For example, if the website revolves around your business, using your business name for the domain would be a good idea.  If you are marketing yourself rather than a brand, don’t hesitate to go with your given name.  Besides, you have a much better chance of securing a domain under your own name than anything else. The very best domain name should be one you can guess. If your business name is too clumsy, look for something that relates to your business.

Let us know what you think of these tips and advice. The team at OFS wish you all the best with your search and domain purchasing - let us know how you get on. Do you have any questions or comments? Feel free to leave them below and I shall get back to you a.s.a.p.

Final Tip - if you are seriously struggling to find a short, to the point domain name that is still available, try using the Google key word tool. This tells you words and phrases people use when searching. You can also type in your web address to see what people have typed in the search bar to reach your website. This may give you some new ideas and inspiration.

LINKS - Keyword Tool