If you want to learn how to register a good domain name for your website, then you must pay close attention to this post. In this post, I will share with you some of my personal experience, tips and tricks to register a good and catchy domain name, so your visitors can always find you fast and easy.
I will divide this post into two main parts. In the first part, I will talk about the important points you should consider when you’re brainstorming for a good domain name. And then, in the second part, I will share some great tips what you can do if your desired domain name is already taken.
Brainstorming a good domain name
Short and simple
You want to make sure your domain name is as short as possible, and also as simple as it can be. This is because simple and short domain names allow your visitors to remember, to spell, and to type your website URL easily. This will ensure you will get more return visitors in the future. For example, instead of choosing long domain name like www.learnhowtoinvestforbeginner.com, you should go for shorter one like www.investnovice.com.
Contain keywords (search engine optimized)
You should make sure your domain name contain keywords that you want to rank for in Google. Keywords are the terms, words, or phrase that people type into the Google search box when they intend to look for information. The more search engine optimized your website is, the higher the rank your website will show up in Google search results.
Of course, the matter of search engine optimization does not depend solely on having a keyword rich domain name. It also involves other elements like targeting correct keywords, link building, in-page optimization and others. Nonetheless, a keyword rich domain name still plays an important role helping your website to rank higher in the search results list. For example, if your keyword is “dog training”, then choose a domain name which contains the keyword such as www.dogtrainingtips.com, instead of www.mikepetblog.com. If you’re having trouble deciding whether to choose a shorter domain name or the keyword rich one, I would suggest you go for the keyword rich one. Keyword rich domain names will help you to gain targeted visitors more easily.
Reflects the purpose of your website
Your domain name should, in the first sight, tells your visitors what it is about. For example, www.dogtraining.com tells your visitors you provide information about dog training; www.icecreamrecipe.com tells others they can learn how to make ice cream in your website. I mention this because the most frequently asked question I get is not about the process to register a domain name, yet it is about how should they go for a unique name that will represent their symbol or brand.
For example, you want to create an online store selling dog training equipments and tools, and you want to brand your website as “Kerlex”, so you should go for www.kerlex.com or www.dogtraining.com? I would say the answer is dependent on how big is your marketing budget. Companies like Google, Yahoo, Nike have no problem choosing a unique domain name because they have plenty of resources to market their product. In a nutshell, if you want to just blog about dog training and earn extra money by selling related products, I would suggest you to pick the keyword rich domain name. However, if you’re very serious about building your brand and have huge budget for it, then follow your will and choose a unique name.
What to do if desired domain name is taken
Consider other suggestion given by your registrar such as Godaddy
Use a hyphen, for example www.dog-training.com
Add “secret” or “tips”, for example www.dogtrainingtips.com. Adding secret/tips can create a psychological effect and drives more visitors to your site because human beings like to learn something which is not know to a lot of people. For example, if you can only visit one website out of the following two, I believe you will visit www.investmentsecrets.com instead of www.investmentinfo.com.
Use www.nameboy.com. It will generate domain names based on the keywords you enter. Helps you to brainstorm faster.
In conclusion, always make sure your domain name is not too long, contains keywords, and reflects the purpose of your website. If your desired domain name is already taken, you can always follow the guide above to find a better one. If you insist to use the taken domain names, you can always put the name on back order or make an offer through registrars like Godaddy.com. Buying a domain name which is already taken is often more expensive compare to the one which is still available. Good luck with your great domain name!
