It only takes 10 seconds for people to form an impression of your brand…
How are you ensuring that the first impression is a positive one?
With new brands being created every other minute and “brand noise” reaching unprecedented heights thanks to social media, first impressions count more than ever.
If you fail to leave a lasting impact with your first impression, the opportunity to capture the attention of that individual may be lost forever as they move onto the next shiny thing on their smartphone.
So, how do you grab attention? How do you develop a positive first impression for your brand?
One of the best ways to do so, which is greatly underutilized, is to create a unique and memorable domain name.
What are domain names?
A domain name is the unique identifying name that you choose to register for your website. It’s your address on the web. It’s where people can find your business and how they first interact with your brand. The primary component of your business identity in the online world and is, subsequently, a critical cog in your brand development.
Traditionally, domain names were limited to suffixes such as .COM, .NET, and .ORG. Today, however, there is a whole gamut of industry-specific and highly memorable new domain extensions available which you can capitalize on. What are new domain extensions?
You may be wondering; “What’s wrong with a traditional domain extension, such as .COM?”
Well, on face value there is nothing glaringly wrong with a traditional domain extension. However, as with many things, they have become very limiting.
For starters, there are barely any short, succinct, and memorable .COM domain names available for you to purchase. So if you go down the .COM path, you may need to get a name which is long, overly complex, or misaligned with the name of your business.
As well, .COM domain names are outdated and lack a customized edge. When people see a domain name like “yourbusiness.com” they skim straight past it. It lacks punch and memorability. With a new domain extension, you can create a creative name that is memorable and on-brand, something that catches people’s attention and has a lasting first impression.
There are now hundreds of new domain extensions which fulfill a range of specific purposes and help you stand out. Some examples include; .FUN for entertainment, .PRESS for publishers, .TECH for technology companies, .STORE for eCommerce, and .ONLINE for all things digital and “online” first.
The growing availability of new domain extensions has opened up an unmissable opportunity for modern businesses to choose an online identity which contributes to the strength and memorability of their brand.
Some examples of websites on these new domain extensions include:
- louder.online, a global digital marketing agency that makes their clients’ voice “louder online”
- viacom.tech, Viacom’s tech-focused portal
- urbandictionary.store, the official storefront of the pop-culture website
- freedom.press, a website for Freedom of the Press Foundation which has Edward Snowden on its board of directors
How are businesses benefitting from new domain extensions?
Ok, so these new domain extensions “look cool,” but how do they benefit your business?
Here are some of the primary reasons businesses are moving to this trending form of domain name:
#1. Name availability
With so many variations available, you won’t need to compromise with your domain name; thanks to these new extensions. Previously, businesses would awkwardly put an extra letter, number, hyphen, or pointless word on their business name to secure a .COM domain name. This approach diminishes your online brand identity and makes the domain less memorable. Instead, pick a new extension and get a domain name that represents your brand.
For example:
- online (available)
- com (taken)
#2. Passing the verbal test
New domain extensions are better at passing the “Radio Test.” When someone hears your domain name verbally it is quick and easy to remember and enter into a web browser. This is especially important as voice search continues to gain popularity—your domain name needs to be easily searchable using voice assistants such as Alexa and Siri.
For example:
- lisenradio-online.com (wrong spelling and hyphen make it less searchable)
- online (clean, simple, searchable)
#3. Targeting niche markets
Customizing your domain name so it targets a specific type of customer can be extremely powerful. For example, you could have a unique domain name extension for a product category, interest group, or social cause. Of course, all of these extensions can point to your primary website, but the insights you can gain from personalizing the domain experience could be exponential.
For example:
- tech – indicates it’s a tech website
- fun – indicates it’s a lighthearted website about culture
- online – indicates it’s my online identity
- online – indicates it’s an online payment service
#4. Being memorable
I’ve touched on this point several times but it’s important to reinforce it as a key benefit of domain name extensions. A powerful domain extension is both more brandable and more memorable when compared with traditional domains. They are typically shorter in length, easy to say verbally, and less likely to be misspelled by users. This considerably improves the value of word-of-mouth marketing.
For example:
- online (shorter) vs www.keepyourhealthincheck.com (long, confusing)
- online (memorable) vs www.yourpetsphotography.com (forgettable, confusing)
#5. Establishing an identity
Your domain name must communicate something about your business to potential customers because it is usually the first point of contact. Naturally, people will associate your domain name with your identity as a business—so why not use a brandable extension?
For example:
- breakinto.tech, where the business name is Break Into Tech
- louder.online, where the business name is Louder Online
#6. Simplifying promotions
The fact that your domain name is short, memorable, and easy to remember when verbalized, makes it perfect for promotions. For example, let’s say you run a contest or giveaway to raise brand awareness and capture leads. New domain extensions still have a “new car smell” about them, which means they often create buzz and interest simply because they are something unique.
For example:
- online as a redirect to https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07P3J564G
- online as a redirect to https://aws.amazon.com/
Ready to get your new domain name?
So, if you are looking to build a cutting-edge, memorable brand online and stand out from the clutter, explore the power of new domain extensions such as .ONLINE that is versatile and has a global appeal. It’s the ideal domain extension for businesses that are online-first or taking their offline businesses digital for the first time.
Your domain name establishes your online presence.
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