Domain Names boost SEO because of the power of Human Nature.
People like to type the keyword they are looking for, many type directly into the URL (& as typing.com is not required) to land on the site of a Premium Domain & the Business growing because of it strength.
Launching new products, brands, or starting a brand new business is difficult. Once you’ve dealt with the logistics of the situation, you have to start taking steps to establish your brand’s online presence. It all starts with a domain name, which sounds simple enough, but to do it right isn’t an easy task to execute. This is because of their potential to affect the traffic that visit’s your website and supports marketing efforts.
Its all about taking measures to ensure your business gains the traction it needs to stay afloat. Such results will stem from proper branding and engaging content, but as said before, it all starts with a domain name. To know their current impact on a website’s SEO, you first know some important details.
The Importance of your Domain Name:
You can not put your fate in the hands of others, social platforms do not substitute for your own Brand’s home – they compliment it.
Before Google made a drastic change to their algorithms in 2012, new businesses and websites were having a field day at generating traffic by simply using exact match keywords. If you don’t know what exact match keywords are, it’s basically the inclusion of the entire keyword or phrase into a domain name. This was a sneaky tactic that was previously used by some websites to gain more traffic without making the effort to actually benefit the visitor. This means it was simply click-bait. If you intend to gain a loyal following through good content, thank your lucky stars for such a change because otherwise, it would mean that spam-filled websites would be stealing traffic from those who deserve the click-through.
That’s not the whole story, though. Google hasn’t completely eradicated domain names that use such keywords, but has simply grown a preference for high-quality websites. This means that it’s still important to consider the relevance of choosing a domain name that’s SEO friendly. Keyword’s main benefit comes through the “type in” traffic that good keywords will inherently bring. It’s human nature, your type in the name of what you are looking for. What if you decide that exact match domains, not for you, what next?
Domain Name for SEO, What Are Your Objectives?
When considering you domain name for SEO & marketing, the objectives of your branding will significantly impact whether searching for that EMD (exact match domain) makes sense or to go the pure brandable route. Or, wait, maybe a hybrid keyword Brandable. Your brand goals are what will define the kind of search results you target. Informational, navigational and transactional traffic do differ from each other, but that doesn’t mean that your domain name can’t attract all three, so all should be considered in brand, domain name for SEO, and marketing strategy .
Be Brandable for SEO.
Choosing your brand name or an abbreviation will help people recognize you easily if they’ve had a previous experience with the website and want to look it up again. A domain name that contains your brand name will contribute more traffic that is powered by navigational searches. That means the user intends to find a specific website and no other. This is the real deal for some established brick and mortar brands, but is a reliable method for new startups too.
If you opt for this route, your domain name can do more for your business in terms of credibility. Don’t know how? Two words: Brand signals. These are little hints that allow potential followers and customers to understand that your business is legitimate and your website, high-quality. Of all brand signals, plugging your brand name into the domain is one thing that can lead to better results.
No Keywords? No problem
If you decided to buy a domain name with your brand, don’t worry about losing to competitors who heavily rely on keywords for their traffic. That’s because Google and other search engines can associate your brand with the keywords that you use for the content on your website. This allows search engines to direct users to the website which matches the content of their search.
You can argue that this works great for the most successful brands out there, but won’t have the same effect for newer and small-scale businesses. Actually, your branded domain name still has a chance because the content on your website will determine the quality and recommend it to users.
Using Keywords
If you’re still leaning towards using keywords in the domain name then that isn’t a problem. Using them in the domain name will result in a PMD or Partial Match Domain. If you have in-depth insight into the target population that your business aims to reach, then you should already what the terms or ‘keywords’ they use are. In such a case, your website can gain more traffic since users will feel like they can find what they need on a website that has a specific term in the domain name. It’s often, not usually, seen as a sign of being proficient in the field.
Domain Name for SEO, Extensions
Extensions trail at the end of your domain name and can have the effect of generating more traffic if you choose the right one for your business. In general terms, it’s always recommended to opt for a .com extension because they’re the norm and users are more likely to add a .com at the end even if they aren’t sure. Also, search engines favor .com extensions for being reliable and higher in quality. That’s because .com extensions are very expensive and only verified businesses would operate through them.
Another way to go is a country based extension such as .au, .in and .ca which can be beneficial if you’re more interested in garnering a local following. That’s because local residents of the country will see such websites be recommended first because it’s based in the same country. It’s also beneficial if you’re operating a business that is situated in a physical location because it’ll help more customers reach you.
Join our newsletter and get access to all member exclusive resources & updates. Use the form below and get immediate access, once complete.
