For new start-ups looking to establish their online presence, choosing a strong domain name is critical. Your domain name is the most essential part of your online brand; it’s ease and memorability will be what helps attract users and connect them to your enterprise. Keep your domain name short and relevant to your business and you’ll be well on your way to online success, just like the companies listed below. As well, don’t forget to register your name for the maximum amount of time available to ensure it doesn’t get taken by another endeavour.
Do you remember when Ask.com was called AskJeeves.com? Or when Facebook.com started out as TheFacebook.com? Even large enterprises and multi-million-dollar corporations will agree that branding matters – so much so that they went on to change their domain names years after launching, even if that meant purchasing an existing domain at a high price. They did this to attract a broader search by focussing and compartmentalizing their own brand, taking out that which was superfluous to what they were offering, all while better utilizing the keywords their target market was searching for.
PayPal is another company that changed its domain name due its vagueness, and made certain users suspicious. Social media giant Twitter, who tried to be cheeky and launch as Twttr.com found that this hip and highly specific domain took too many users off guard, so they added the vowels back for ease and to streamline the brand. What they did do however is keep the previously registered domain and redirect to the new one for users who became accustomed to typing the version without the missing letters. If possible, businesses should register other similar sounding domains too so as to maximize on their website traffic.
There are lessons to be learned from the giants who found changing their domains would be the best option, like steering clear of redundant or unnecessary words the first time, ensuring your name reflects other aspects of your brand and doesn’t go over the heads of users, and avoiding ambiguity. After all, you want your users to know it’s you when they’re searching.
For the best hosting solutions in Canada be sure to find a secure hosting service that will also help to make registering your domain name easy, so you never have to worry about losing it. HostPapa is one affordable web host that includes domain registration in all their packages, and even allows you to choose from a variety of endings from classic endings like .com, or .ca for those looking to target Canadians, as well as .tech, .cloud, or .club to give your site a unique touch.
Learn from the pros and find that right balance of specificity without being obscure, relatability while remaining clear and precise, and always ensure you’re thinking of branding from the user’s perspective as well. What is most likely to stick with them? What will attract them in the first place? Then, when you find that perfect domain, hold onto it; don’t allow it to slip through your fingertips and force you to start from scratch.
