When it's time to create a website the most important decision is likely to be the domain name. When the time comes, there are two general approaches that are used. One is to create a domain that matches, or comes close to, a search term used when searching the web for a particular product or service. The other approach is to create a branded domain name by using the company name as the domain name. Let's discuss both approaches and see which is the best fit for your business or customer.
Lets suppose that we want to create a website for a company called Henderson Auto that provides auto repair in Dallas, TX. Let's say we did keyword analysis and discovered that when folks search they use "Dallas auto repair" when looking for that service. We could use a exact-match domain or use the business name for our domain choice. If we assume we're not restricted to a .com choice, then combining a geographic position with a service works great. The address www.dallasautorepair.com is sure to get noticed for that phrase. In this case, since our domain name exactly matches a search, the customer website will see an increase to their search ranking. This is due to the relevance in the domain name searches being performed. Of course there are many variables used to determine your page position and this is only a single component.
There are also negatives associated with domain matching a search phrase or term. For one they're somewhat limited to the audience they gain. "If a customer with a matching name wants to expand and the new service may not make with the existing name," says Francis McEwan with a NJ Web Design Company. "It's also not possible to create a brand name with an matching domain." Also, domain names are sometimes associated with sites that display advertisements.
The choice also exists to create a non-matching branded domain name. For a company named Tiny Treats, the obvious choice is tinytreats.com, the name of the company. This creates a clear brand name for a customer who visits the site or wants to visit the site again. Think of companies who have huge branded domain names like Amazon or Google. These names have nothing inherently associated with the services they provide, yet they create a clear brand image. There are also methods of overcoming the non-matching nature of a branded domain name. Typically, a customer may create internal search-matching URLs. For example, tinytreats.com/nyc-cupcakes. Here the URL can still provide some search benefit but the domain still creates a brand name.
Creating a brand presence is usually what customers want to go with. However, don't underestimate how powerful a geography combined with a service domain name can be. Many customers find what they want on the web. They search for what they want and if you come up as a match or close, you may become more relevant. Of course the key is being relevant for your domain name as a close match. Often customers use a wide array of search terms and a directly targeted approach may fall short. It's also obvious pretty quick that most of the keyword rich domain names are already taken. Ultimately, base a domain name decision on the long-term goals of your customer.
Lets suppose that we want to create a website for a company called Henderson Auto that provides auto repair in Dallas, TX. Let's say we did keyword analysis and discovered that when folks search they use "Dallas auto repair" when looking for that service. We could use a exact-match domain or use the business name for our domain choice. If we assume we're not restricted to a .com choice, then combining a geographic position with a service works great. The address www.dallasautorepair.com is sure to get noticed for that phrase. In this case, since our domain name exactly matches a search, the customer website will see an increase to their search ranking. This is due to the relevance in the domain name searches being performed. Of course there are many variables used to determine your page position and this is only a single component.
There are also negatives associated with domain matching a search phrase or term. For one they're somewhat limited to the audience they gain. "If a customer with a matching name wants to expand and the new service may not make with the existing name," says Francis McEwan with a NJ Web Design Company. "It's also not possible to create a brand name with an matching domain." Also, domain names are sometimes associated with sites that display advertisements.
The choice also exists to create a non-matching branded domain name. For a company named Tiny Treats, the obvious choice is tinytreats.com, the name of the company. This creates a clear brand name for a customer who visits the site or wants to visit the site again. Think of companies who have huge branded domain names like Amazon or Google. These names have nothing inherently associated with the services they provide, yet they create a clear brand image. There are also methods of overcoming the non-matching nature of a branded domain name. Typically, a customer may create internal search-matching URLs. For example, tinytreats.com/nyc-cupcakes. Here the URL can still provide some search benefit but the domain still creates a brand name.
Creating a brand presence is usually what customers want to go with. However, don't underestimate how powerful a geography combined with a service domain name can be. Many customers find what they want on the web. They search for what they want and if you come up as a match or close, you may become more relevant. Of course the key is being relevant for your domain name as a close match. Often customers use a wide array of search terms and a directly targeted approach may fall short. It's also obvious pretty quick that most of the keyword rich domain names are already taken. Ultimately, base a domain name decision on the long-term goals of your customer.
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