For your new website, Choosing the perfect domain name is essential. The first stage in creating an online brand is where most beginners stumble. It's more complex than it seems to choose an SEO-friendly domain name. It necessitates much thought and time.
If you choose the wrong domain name, you might lose search traffic and money, or, in the worst-case scenario, Google could flag your website as spam.
But do not fret. I protect you.
In this post, I'll give eight tips to help you choose an SEO-friendly domain name for your new website.
If you don't yet have a website, Read this How to Start a Blog tutorial!
What is a domain name?
Your website's name on the internet is known as a domain. It is the URL that visitors type into their web browsers to access your website.
The initial part of a domain name—before the dot sign—is referred to as the domain, and the latter part—following the dot sign—is the domain extension. As an example, “as-educate.com” is a domain name where “.com” is the extension and “as-educate” is the domain.
You must choose the domain name and extension for your website when you register a domain name.
Why is your domain name so important?
- It defines your brand:Â A good domain name raises brand recognition and retains clients.
- It adds credibility to your website:Â Your domain is the first thing your visitors will see. A proper domain name gives your website a professional appearance.
- It increases the click-through rate:Â A proper domain name may enhance the click-through rate (CTR) and search traffic.
Let's take a look at how to choose an SEO-friendly domain name for your new website.
How to choose an SEO-friendly domain name
1. Use top-level domain extensions
Before you buy a domain, you should determine which domain extension is best for you or your organization.
There are over 1,000 domain extensions accessible in the domain name system, making it difficult to choose one.
According to W3Techs, the “.com” extension is present in more than 51% of all domain names. Other common domain extensions that you may use include “.net”, “.org”, “.edu”, “.info”, and so forth.
Here's an example of a top-level domain (TLD):
“.com,” “.net,” “.org,” and “.edu” are the most popular domain extensions.
However, I strongly advise choosing the.com domain extension if you want to start a blog, business, or any other lucrative website.
You may have noticed that when we hear the name of a website for the first time, we frequently go to the website with the.com extension. This is due to how well-liked it is.
You may be wondering if using a dot com domain has any SEO benefits. The domain, not the extension, is the only factor that counts in a domain name if that is what you are asking. These extensions were developed to distinguish between various website types.
For example:
- .com: This domain extension is used for businesses or websites that are profitable. Take, for example, Apple.com.
- .net: stands for “networking,” and it was designed for network-related domains like slideshare.net.
- .edu: This extension is most often used by educational websites. For instance, Harvard.edu.
- .org: The.org extension is commonly used by non-profit organizations such as Wikipedia.org.Â
Now you know what kind of domain extension is best for your website. If your website is intended to generate revenue, go with the.com domain. If you are still unsure about which extension is best for you, you can read about the differences between.com and.net domains in an article.
Here's where the issue arises.
Since the dot com extension is so well-liked, it seems that all the desirable dot com domain names have already been registered. In this case, you should consider creating new domain names or using.net or.org.Â
2. Go for brandable domain names
Ever ponder why several well-known websites consistently seem higher in search results than a brand-new website? The solution is that each website is a brand rather than merely a website. “Brand signals” are used by search engines like Google to show content from reputable websites.
What, though, makes a domain name memorable? There are several variables that are involved, such as
- A unique, specific name that may be used to build a brand is Google.com.
- It's quite simple and easy to memorize.
- It is simple to pronounce.
- It stands out from its competitors.
For instance, “Apple.com” seems to be a more recognizable domain name than “TheNewBrandApple.com.”
Adding relevant keywords or arbitrary suffixes might help you think of new names, but keep in mind that the new domain should sound like a brand, as we previously explained.
3. Keep your domain name short
Try to keep your domain name as short as you can. Short domain names are easy to remember and pronounce.
You'll notice that the majority of popular businesses, such as Google, Amazon, Twitter, Facebook, and so on, have short names.
A survey found that 12 characters or less are the typical length of a domain name. Keep your domain's length between 6 and 14 characters, as advised.
The domain name “as-educate.com” has precisely 10 characters.
4. Avoid hyphens and numbers in your domain name
It's usually preferable to stay away from hyphens and numbers when selecting a domain name for SEO.
Numbers and hyphens make it more difficult to pronounce.
Take Apple.com as an example.
Apple.com is a short and easy-to-pronounce domain name. Apple.com sounds more like a brand than anything else.
What if the domain name had hyphens or numbers, such as “Apple.com” or “Number1Apple.com”? The firm obviously could not have grown as quickly if that were the case.
Therefore, in choosing a domain name for your new website, keep it simple and avoid hyphens and numbers.
5. Make sure it’s easy to type and memorable
Finding a simple domain name that is easy to remember is crucial for online success.
Users find it incredibly challenging to type in domain names with complicated characters, such as jjkmysitee.com. They find it quite hard to remember.
Consider that if your users wish to return to your website, they will be confused by your domain name, and if they type it incorrectly, they will go to another website. not to mention that you will lose visitors and money if you proceed in this way.
Just think of the domain name selection process for popular websites or businesses. Google, Facebook, the BBC, Twitter, Yahoo, etc. are a few examples.
They all have the property of being easy to spell in common.Â
6. Don’t use repeated letters
A further consideration while purchasing a domain is to avoid using repeated letters. Keep things simple at all times.
What I mean is this:
Compare “flowershop.com” and “floowershoop.com,” two domain names.
Because it's simple, the first one, “flowershop.com,” is a solid domain name. Repeated letters may be seen in “floowershoop.com,” the second domain name.
Now, although having distinct looks, both domains sound the same. Visitors will often type your domain name incorrectly and go to another website if it has repeated letters.
The majority of desirable domain names have already been purchased. However, just because your business falls under the same category doesn't mean you should use the same brand name and duplicate the letters.
7. Use domain name generators for new domain ideas
It should come as no wonder that the majority of desirable domain names are already taken.
Fortunately, there is a way through which you can generate thousands of domain names. A domain name generator might be useful in this situation.
In essence, a domain name generator automatically adds the most popular and relevant suffixes.
NameCheap is an excellent domain name generator tool. Use this tool to generate an unlimited number of domain name suggestions by following these steps.
8. Add a keyword to your domain name
If you are acquainted with search engine optimization (SEO), you are aware of the significance of keywords.
For instance, you typically include the keywords on a page of your website in the title, the meta description, the URL, and numerous times throughout the content.
Why not add a keyword to your domain name then?
It doesn't specifically assist with SEO, but by increasing the number of clicks on your listing, it could increase search traffic. A suitable domain name that includes a keyword would be “webdevs.com,” for instance, if you are a web developer.
Make a list of a few domain names that might be appropriate for your business before registering one. If necessary, you may also use a domain name generator tool.
Additionally, if you can, register your domain using the most well-liked extensions I have already covered. Keep in mind that someone else will register the domain if you are late.
Bluehost – Get a FREE domain for a year
One of the greatest web hosting providers, Bluehost, powers more than 2 million websites globally. They are likewise formally endorsed by WordPress.org.
Typically, a domain costs $14 for a year, and web hosting is between $11 and $14 per month. If you're just starting, it is rather costly.
Fortunately, Bluehost gives customers a 60% discount on hosting options. For a free year, you can register a domain with Bluehost. They offer a wide range of top-level domain extensions, such as .com, .net, .org, and.info, among many others.
Their hosting package offers unlimited bandwidth, a free SSL certificate, and other features.
Conclusion
Choosing a domain name is difficult. You must keep a lot of factors in mind. Your search traffic will increase, and you may quickly build a brand by choosing a catchy domain name.
I've included eight tips in this post to assist you in choosing an SEO-friendly domain name for your new website. It's your time now.
WPMyWeb.com‘s creator, Jyoti Ray, is a guest author. He writes about topics including affiliate marketing, WordPress, hosting, and blogging.
