Choosing a Domain Name - Be sure to get it right
Published: 10th of January 2007
With an average of over 13,000 new domains (.uk) registered
each month in the United Kingdom alone, choosing a domain
name is one of the most important aspects of starting
a new online business.
As such, there are two distinctly different approaches
to choosing a domain name with a view to promoting an
online business and, as is the case with so many other
aspects of web promotion, the matter about which approach
is ‘the right one’ is hotly debated within
the global nerd community.
The different approaches to registering domain names
can be summed up as follows:
- The Brand Domain Name
IceGiant.co.uk is a perfect example of a brand domain
name. The idea here is to choose a name which is
short, snappy and easily remembered by visitors
and prospective
clients who come across the company’s advertising.
- The Keyword-Rich Domain Name
The theory behind keyword-rich domain names is
to use as many important keywords as possible
when choosing a
domain name so as to gain a natural advantage in
search engine listings.
A good example of a keyword-rich domain name would
be Cyprus-Property-Sales-Resales.com.
The pros and cons of both approaches
Whilst a brand domain name is easily remembered and as
such works well when a company relies on the prospective
client typing it into their browser as a result of offline
advertising, advocates of the keyword-rich domain name
would argue that it handicaps a site where natural search
engine results are concerned since search engines will
take these keywords into account in their overall assessment
of the site.
There can be no doubt that a keyword-rich domain name
provides a small advantage to a site’s search engine
rankings, but this is tiny when compared to all the other
factors which affect its position.
Indeed, if a site features plenty of well written, informative
content and clean code, any keywords embedded in its domain
name become largely irrelevant.
Then of course there is the fact that a prospective visitor
is far less likely to remember a long string of keywords,
especially if these have been separated by the ever popular
dash.
When was the last time you bothered to manually type a
URL like
www.already-long-domain-name-stuffed-full-of-keywords.com
into your browser’s address bar?
Rarely if ever would be my guess.
In recent years, many new online businesses have taken
a 100% web based approach.
This is to say that all their marketing and advertising
efforts are aimed at search engines, industry directories
and other internet based outlets without any consideration
being given to traditional media such as newspapers, magazines
and even such basics as business cards and compliment
slips.
By taking a balanced approach to both site design and
marketing strategy, you will largely negate the need for
choosing a domain name chock full of keywords.
Always remember that Content
is King and W3C Compliance is essential.
Competent Web Design ensures a search engine friendly
site
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