Why Your Business Needs a Powerful Domain Name (and How to Choose One)

When you meet someone in person, you have less than a minute to articulate why your business exists and what it is you do.

This is your elevator pitch…

If you don’t nail your elevator pitch, whoever it is you are talking with will lose interest, stop paying attention, and likely forget most of what you just told them.

Our short-term memory has a tiny capacity, and information retention is vulnerable to the next distraction that comes along.

In the digital world, where distractions are even more prevalent, your window of opportunity to grab someone’s attention is even smaller.

So, when trying to convey the meaning and identity of your brand in the online world, you need to create a short and memorable experience.

It all starts with your domain name—the beginning of your online elevator pitch.

What makes for a great domain name?

If your domain name is so fundamentally important in conveying the meaning of your brand in a digital world, what makes a great domain name? How do you ensure this unique online identifier for your business is memorable?

Here are some best practices to follow:

• Your domain name should be short, simple, and memorable. Remember, you only have a few seconds at best to catch someone’s attention, the simpler your domain name is, the easier it will be for someone to remember.
• Your domain name should convey meaning. As well as being memorable, your domain name needs to help people better understand your business. It’s no good if people remember the domain name but have no idea what it is you do! For example, the domain name “mycounselor.ONLINE”is both memorable and descriptive:
  
• Your domain name should be an extension of your brand. Your business name, the logo, colors, tagline, purpose, values, and product or service all contribute to the way your brand is perceived. Your domain name is another important cog in this ecosystem that will be closely associated with brand strength and recognition. Take this clothing boutique, for example, the whole domain name is “the brand name + .ONLINE”:
  
• Your domain name should support marketing campaigns. Effective domain names support the delivery of marketing campaigns, rather than hindering them. Having a unique and memorable domain name improves engagement during campaigns such as contests and other word-of-mouth marketing efforts.

Your domain is the face of your business in the digital world, don’t underestimate its importance.

How do you choose the right domain name?

Given the importance of your domain name and its influence on branding, memorability, and customer engagement, how do you go about choosing the right one for your business?

Here are 3 important things to take into account when choosing a domain name:

• It’s search-engine friendly. Using keywords in your domain name is one way of telling search engines what your website is about, and helping it better rank in search engines. While keywords in domain names are less important than they used to be, for small businesses, it’s a 2% advantage that is worth looking at.
• It’s easy to pronounce and spell. When you tell someone your domain name, you want them to easily remember it and be able to simply type it into their browser later. If it is too complicated, or hard to pronounce and spell, it makes more challenging for someone to find your business if they are relying on verbal recognition. Put your domain name through the“Radio Test.” Consider the domain name “lifetools.ONLINE”, for example, it’s extremely easy to understand, pronounce, and spell:
  
• It’s paired with a suitable domain extension. Domain extensions such as .ONLINE, .FUN, or .STORE can be a great way to help your business stand out. They are also more memorable, add meaning to your domain name, and aid in building your brand identity.

The benefits of choosing a .ONLINE domain name

The .ONLINE domain extension gives your brand a global appeal, as the word ‘online’ is understood across borders. This global recognition establishes relevance and trust with your ideal customers. Rather than being just another .com in a giant sea of other .com’s, you can create your own unique identity with .ONLINE.

Here are some of the primary benefits of switching to .ONLINE:

• It gives you a short and unique domain name.
• It establishes your presence online.
• It allows you to have your desired domain name with no compromise.
• It helps your business stand out from competitors.
• It gives you brandable short links.

I could go on…

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