Introduction
Picking the right URL is essential for online business. You want it to be easy to remember and hard to steal. But how do you get it right from the start? First step is to look it up. Almost every domain seller has a domain search function. So, before you get all excited, make sure your chosen URL is available, preferably at a reasonable cost (less than R150).
Buy it quick
As soon as you register your business name and copyright your logo, park your domain. You don’t want to be extorted later. When it comes to choosing your domain name, *YourBusinessName.Com* is the most intuitive choice. But if that’s unavailable, you could try *YourBusinessNameOnline.Com* or a descriptive suffix, like *YourBusinessName.Biz*. The longer it is, the harder it is to remember, which means customers could misspell it and get spammed. Longer URLs are also easier to hijack because subdomains can sneak in. Keywords enhance page ranking. Just be sure it’s the right keyword, and that alternate spelling / pronunciation doesn’t misrepresent your message e.g. Kitten.com vs KitTen.com (Kit10.com is better, for clarity’s sake.)
Location, location, location
At least one of your URLs should be local (in our case, that’s .co.za). It helps you rank higher on regional search engines, making it easier to gather walk-in customers. More tips to remember:
- No alternate characters – ordinarily, hyphens, numbers, and slashes can make your URL harder for prospect to remember (and type), so avoid them when you can.
- Memory trigger – being unusual, quirky, or entertaining can make your domain stand out. You’re more likely to remember BandName.Rocks than TopHouseBandInPretoria.Com.
- Check your extension – options include .com, .biz, .family, .org, .net, .info, and literally hundreds more, so choose with care. It influences customer perception and evokes professionalism.
- Own your brand – buy variant suffixes and common misspellings of your URL. For example ClubTen.za and Club10.za. Redirect them all to your primary domain. It lowers the chances of domain-ransoming scams.
For more advice on domain names and other things web-related, call Cloud.co.za today.
