It’s a representation of your brand online that will be referenced in everything you do, from digital advertisements, to social media posts, business cards and car decals.

Getting a top-notch domain name is one of the best marketing investments you will ever make – and understanding this at the start of your business journey will help your brand set itself apart online.

Over the 20-years since Webnames was founded, we’ve helped register more than a million domains and yet, the fundamental best practices around searching for a domain name haven’t changed that much. What has changed is there are now more than one thousand different domain extensions (the part after the “dot”) to choose from, a thriving secondary market of registered domains available for sale, and a much busier, louder, more competitive world wide web for businesses.  

To help you navigate today’s domain landscape and choose a perfect domain name for your business, we recommend following these tips.

10 Tips for Finding a Memorable and Effective Business Domain Name

1. Begin with a good old fashioned brainstorm

With nearly 400 million domains already registered, the more creative ideas you can throw up on a whiteboard, the more options you have to play with in a domain search. Get a group of your favourite creatives together and start bouncing ideas, jotting down the names that make an impression.

2. Your domain doesn’t need to match your business name

Finding an exact match domain to your business name can be extremely difficult  – and it’s also not necessary (although it is preferable). Tesla, for example, used the domain telsamotors.com from 2003 to 2017, when it finally acquired tesla.com.

Make a list of prefixes and suffixes that you could append to your business name to increase the available options just like Tesla did with the word “motors”.

3. Prioritize brand impact over being literal

When it comes to your domain, aim for something distinctive. What exactly do we mean by that?  A brandable name makes an impression, whereas descriptive names typically do not.

A great example is Triangle.com, Canadian Tire’s reward program. They could have gone for CanadianTireRewards.com, or something similar, but it’s not nearly as evocative in terms of marketing, not to mention that it’s a mouthful to say and a lot more to type.

4. Tread lightly when it comes to keywords

Using keywords in domain names used to be a go-to SEO tactic years ago, but over the last decade, Google has made algorithmic changes to deprioritize websites that feature keyword rich domains but aren’t otherwise high-quality in terms of their content.

Today, the prevailing wisdom is to use keywords only where it makes sense to do so. Remember that point above about appending a relevant prefix or suffix to your domain for more options? This can be a good opportunity to insert a relevant keyword.

Are you targeting a Canadian, or international audience? If you’re doing business in Canada, .CA is preferred by Canadian shoppers.

Are your services local in nature? If so, consider optimizing for local searches by adding in a placename, like your city or province.

5. Shorter is better

The average length of a domain is about 13 characters – that’s 1 character shorter than “canadiantire,” 6 shorter than “womensenterprise”, and 5 characters longer than “webnames” by way of example.

Shorter is desirable for good reason. Not only are short names easier to type, spell and remember, but they’re also more likely to be shared in their entirety as links without being shortened. This helps to increase your brand’s visibility.

It’s also important to note that shorter domains are easier to navigate to directly on mobile – which comprises nearly 40% of all web traffic in Canada. We’d suggest aiming for something shorter than 15-characters before the “dot.”

6. Make it easy to pronounce, spell and type

Easy to say names create positive associations and enhance memorability. Before you register anything, always say it aloud. Does it roll off the tongue? Would you remember it if someone said it to you? Would you know how to spell it?

And speaking of spelling, what does it look like typed out as a domain name? Many seemingly great names fall flat when they get compacted into a single string with no spaces.

Regency Technologies is a perfect example: their original domain name years ago was itscrap.com (aka IT scrap) and it still forwards to their website regencytechnologies.com today, so they don’t miss out on any of that original type-in traffic.

Other things best to avoid are doubled-up letters and hyphens, which can be tricky to type correctly and read. If you decide to embrace some creative spelling, a la Fiverr.com or Flickr.com, be prepared to spell it each and every time you say it.

7. Choose the right extension(s)

All domain extensions are more or less equal when it comes to their innate SEO worth – and that’s because what really matters is the content and optimization of your website.

That said, most SEO and marketing experts still favour extensions that are trusted, recognizable and intuitive to your audience like .COM, or in Canada a .CA domain as its’ preferred by Canadians. The challenge is that long established extensions – .COM in particular – have far less availability, so it can be challenging to find a great domain that is available for registration, rather than listed for sale by its owner.

We also recommend exploring new and less well known TLDs that align with your business, for example .app, .eco, .store, .site, .realty and .quebec – just to name a few. Not only are these extensions increasing in popularity and familiarity, you’re more likely to find a short and highly relevant name in them. 

8. Consider buying a domain in the aftermarket instead

Don’t underestimate a domain’s value as a business and brand asset – and be open to spending some money to acquire something great. 

If you resign yourself to a second-rate domain that’s available instead of the one that you really want, you will feel that disconnect in all of your branding and marketing efforts – and if your business doesn’t work out, you can always resell a high quality domain.

When you do a search for a domain, you’ll typically see variations related to your search listed for sale in the results. There are also domain name marketplaces and auctions that you can browse.

For a few thousand dollars or sometimes much less, you can acquire a domain with great branding potential. It’s an  investment on par with a digital ad campaign or a no-frills direct mail campaign to a couple thousand homes, but one with far greater long term impact.

If you do decide to buy your domain, we recommend using Webnames’ domain broker service. For a modest fee you’ll receive a detailed report about that domain’s history, an expert assessment of the asking price or an accurate valuation of the domain if it’s not listed for sale, and of course expert, confidential negotiation to help you acquire it.

9. Avoid using names trademarked by others

Conduct some due diligence to make sure that the name you register as a domain is not under trademark or copyright by another party. If you’re doing business in Canada, a good place to start is by searching the Canadian Trademarks Database.

Also, keep in mind that owning a trademark does not entitle you to the matching domain if it’s already registered.

10. Act swiftly when domains are available

We’ve had a lot of customers over the years come back after a few days of mulling over different domain names to find the one they wanted registered by somebody else.

Most domains are inexpensive, so if you like something, but are not 100% sure about it, you should consider registering it anyways. It’s a low cost insurance policy and you don’t have to renew next year if you don’t want to.

We hope that these tips help you to zero-in on and acquire a domain name that helps your brand stand-out and your business thrive!

The post How to Choose the Perfect Domain Name for a Business appeared first on WeBC.

At Webnames, we’ve seen a lot of our customers pivot in the past few months to launch a side hustle, ramp up their freelancing or consulting work, and bring previously shelved business ideas back to life. Others have found us through our free 1-page website initiative for small businesses impacted by COVID-19. They understand that registering a domain name, setting up professional email, and developing a website are non-negotiable requirements in 2020 in order to get found online and establish credibility. Despite this understanding however, getting a website launched remains a major stumbling block for so many entrepreneurs even though it’s never been easier to do so. Why is this the case?

Over the years we have observed that many DIY small business owners, freelancers, and entrepreneurs significantly overestimate what they need for a successful web presence, especially when they are just starting out. This frequently leaves them bottlenecked and with no website at all.

Just like you need to learn to walk before you can run, developing the perfect website is a journey that takes time. There’s no rule out there that says you need a 5, 10, 20-page website, a blog, an online store, etc., out of the gates. What you need is what works for you—and for consultant, freelancer, side-gig or brand new business idea, a single-page website is a great way to start getting discovered, build trust in your brand, project a professional image, and bridge the gap until you can develop that dream multi-page website down the road.

Right about now you might be thinking, but it’s not as if I have no presence online—isn’t having a Facebook Business Page / Instagram profile / Google Business listing good enough for now?

No, it’s not. A sparingly populated Facebook or Instagram with no linked website account will not convince potential customers of your legitimacy, and as popular as social media platforms are, not all your prospects are on social media. Many people might actively use only one channel, while others are increasingly opting out of social media altogether due to privacy concerns. Most crucially, your social media accounts and the content you create there ultimately reside on an external platform that you don’t own or control the experience of.

When is a single-page website a good choice?

We’ve witnessed how planning a website can spark anxiety in consultants, freelancers and aspiring small business people with endless to-do lists, limited time and a desire to ramp things up quickly. Identifying requirements and mapping out a structure can feel overwhelming, nevermind developing search optimized content for multiple pages and implementing a suite of marketing tools.

The good news is that single-page websites are low barrier way to get online and a great choice for a variety of scenarios and use cases, particularly:

Pivots –  From making spirits to making hand sanitizer, coordinating events to content writing, COVID-19 has driven companies and individuals to pivot directions and lean into side-hustles.  Single page websites are a perfect way to test out the viability of new business ideas or expand the reach of an existing side hustle by making it discoverable to a wider audience. It’s a low cost, low effort, low risk investment to test the waters or soft-launch something new.

Personal and professional profiles – What do people see when they search your name online? A Google search is the first thing a prospective client or customer will do to assess your credibility. Whether it’s a simple online business card, a portfolio of your different projects, or a slightly more expansive professional profile like this example, having a personal website with your own domain and matching professional email gives you control over how you show up online and allows you to build a brand for yourself in ways that aren’t possible with a LinkedIn profile.

Single products or services – One-page websites make great, dedicated landing pages for selling a product or service of narrow scope. The page can even be built in advance to promote a product ahead of its release, then transition over to become a gateway for purchase. By keeping the focus on the product with few distractions or exit points, a single-page website can also lead to increased conversions.

Procrastinators and Perfectionists – When it comes to launching a website for a new business idea, a good plan executed now is always better than a perfect plan perpetually delayed. A one-page website is something you can get up in a matter of hours, allowing you to generate awareness for your business and start building search authority right away, instead of at some future date.

Benefits of a single page websites

Now that we have covered some scenarios where single-page websites work well, let’s take a closer look at some of their advantages.

Intuitive user experience – Single-page websites tend to promote a linear flow with a clear beginning, middle, and end, which makes their messaging easier to comprehend and well suited to a singular focused purpose. Their minimal navigation also means more scrolling and less clicking, qualities that UX studies show are both more intuitive and preferred by users.

Higher user engagement + increased conversions – The pared back user experience and focused nature of single-page websites has also been shown to increase user engagement. Calls-to-action, buttons and links to social media are upfront and easy to find, which in turn can increase conversions – for example, completions of a contact form – of up to 30% or more.

Better mobile experience + device compatibility – Multi-page sites can be challenging to navigate on mobile devices. They require more clicking and tapping, actions that can be difficult on smaller screens and a range of different devices. Also, single-page websites typically load a lot faster, something Google pays a lot of attention to when ranking a website.

Higher page authority – Links are one of the biggest factors that determine how well a website ranks. One of the benefits that a single-page website has going for it is that every link it acquires will point to the main URL. Single page websites can also be an effective way to target a specific audience using a narrow keyword focus.

Easy to build + maintain – If you’re running multiple businesses or have both a job and a side-hustle, it’s likely you don’t have a ton of spare time to spend updating a multi-page website. If you build your single-page website with a clear goal in mind, carefully considered content, smart layout, great images and focused calls-to-action, you’re going to have minimal upkeep to content with.

Ready to get online with your own domain name and single-page website, for free?

Entrepreneurship is equal parts inspiration, creativity, hard work and opportunity. While the first three factors are largely within the control of an individual, opportunity often depends on circumstance and privilege. This is why organizations that work to level the playing field for groups which historically have not had equal access to opportunities—be it women, visible minorities or LGBTQ people—play an incredibly important role helping diverse businesses succeed.

To do our part to support the small business community and diverse businesses, Webnames.ca has launched an initiative to provide a free .CA domain name, single-page LitesSite website and professional email account to Canadian small businesses, entrepreneurs, and freelancers that need one for one full year—no strings attached!

To learn more, claim this limited-time offer and launch your own single-page website visit webnames.ca/litesite-for-women-biz.

Want to learn more about building your own website?

Check out these recordings of webinars on building a website and growing your traffic, which we hosted in partnership with Webnames.ca in fall 2020 >>

The post Why a Single-Page Website Might be All You Need—And How to Build a Great One appeared first on WeBC.