For your positioning in search engines, for your communication, the Domain Name is one of these elements of significant importance. A true standard of your company and your site, it can also impact your SEO.
How to choose? Should we give priority to keywords? Which extension to choose?
The following article is going to disclose few tips to consider when deciding to choose a domain name.
Which extension to choose?
If .com has long been the preferred extension when buying a domain name, this is no longer the case.
The first reason is that now there are dozens of them:
- geolocated, such as .fr, .it, .bzh or .paris;
- related to an activity such as .org, .store or .site;
- more exotic like .wang or .xyz.
Secondly, because Google grants an important to the extension. Indeed, it seems logical that a .fr site is more legitimate on French results than a site with a German extension for example.
Moreover, from a commercial point of view, if the target is The United States, it seems relevant to favor .us rather than a domain name en .it (Italy). Otherwise, it is highly likely that this will impact the conversion rate.
On the other hand, for a multilingual site, the choice of extension is more delicate. You can buy more geographical extensions and redirect your visitors according to their origin or opt for a .COM.
What is the optimal length of a Domain Name?
The maximum length for a domain name is more or less than sixty characters, depending on browser compatibility. Yet few have so many letters.
Indeed, an excessive length goes against even the prerequisites of any good ndd:
- be easily pronouncable by the user;
- be easily memorizable by Internet users;
- refer to your brand, name or industry;
- be exportable (pronunciation, evocation, memorization abroad).
Shorter, it is therefore easier to type, memorize and share. Regarding natural referencing, it is recommended not to go beyond 12 characters.
What to choose: brand or domain name consisting of keywords?
The image returned by your domain name is very important. Depending on the strategic direction you want to take on the web, you will need to favor a brand name or an ndd consisting of keywords.
Why choose a domain name made of keywords?
For many years, SEOs and web specialists have been striving to buy domain names composed of targeted keywords. EMDs (Exact Match Domain), domain names that correspond exactly to the expression targeted in search engines (example: cheap-coffee.com). The objective of such a technique was then to increase the click-through rate from search engine results, but also to optimize the positioning of the future site on the targeted queries.
This SEO technique actually worked for a while. However, the scope of keywords in a domain name is now much smaller, due to the integration of many criteria that are much more impactful in terms of visibility in search engines.
Why choose a brand?
Conversely, brand-oriented domains are built around the trade name or a variant of it. They can be easier to remember and find when typed in Google. Moreover, their identity is stronger and perfect to avoid confusion with a competitor.
Do I have to buy a domain name that is blank or with seniority?
If you start a new business, you can either:
- order a new domain name. You start from a blank sheet. The SEO work is longer, but totally mastered
- buy one that already has seniority (deleted domain, expired domain, etc.) to take advantage of the SEO advantage that Google has granted to online sites for several years.
The advantage of a domain name already used is that Google promotes seniority in SEO and the trust it places.
The disadvantage is that a domain name of this type is generally more expensive or even much more expensive than another that has no history.
This is not the case though at iMark.us our premium domain names prices are the cheapest in the market.
Domain Name: with or without a dash?
The hyphen or the dash, sometimes appears in some domain names. From a strictly SEO point of view, the presence of such a sign within a domain name is not problematic in itself.
On the other hand, from a marketing point of view, it can:
- pose a problem for Internet users who are increasingly accustomed to unmunioned domains. When they have one, it can make them more difficult to remember. Word of mouth or an audio advertising campaign may then have a lesser impact.
- help avoid confusion with a competitor and be more explicit about your activity.
In general, it is recommended to reserve both versions, which allows you to redirect your traffic to either domain name if necessary.
For how long to reserve a domain name?
Google tends to favor well-established sites in its results or sites that plan to be well established. Reserving your domain name in advance for several years is a positive signal toward future SEO.
Which registrar to choose?
A registrar, is an online company specializing in the sale of domain names. This can be separate from the hosting provider, even if the majority of web hosting specialists also offer this service.
While it is obviously more convenient to have the same contact person, the choice of a different registrar or even based outside The United Sates Of America does not affect your natural SEO.
In any case, the support of a professional in choosing a domain name relevant to SEO and for the future of your company is entirely possible and recommended. Contact our teams of SEO consultants to explain your projects, they can then guide you on the best domain names at your disposal and how to guide your project for better SEO.