The choices we make in our everyday lives define us, from the clothes we wear and the food we eat to the places we live and work. Whether it’s our choice of transportation; to walk or catch a bus, or all of our favorite TV shows, choices are a big part of who we are as humans. Our daily choices go a long way to create an opinion of us in the minds of the various people we come across.
In the same vein, the domain name we choose for our business creates a persona in the minds of our online audience (be it subtle or otherwise). In light of this, we should consider several factors before choosing a business domain name. But before we discuss these factors in detail, let’s briefly look at the meaning of a domain name.
What is a Domain Name?
Some authority sites in the business and internet marketing world have already made successful attempts at defining a domain name and what it represents. Domain names are said to be unique internet addresses. It is your business’s online identity. It’s how you get found on this gigantic world wide web. Picking the right domain name is essential for customers to find your business online.
Choosing a Domain Name
Businesses that want to become more visible online must first get past the domain name selection stage. Although there are a ton of intriguing and appealing name options available, not every one of them is appropriate for your business’s domain. Using your registered business name might also not be ideal because there are just under half a billion registered domains, and chances are that someone’s already used it.
Aside from that, it is also possible that your chosen business name might not be SEO-friendly. This means that search engines might have trouble finding your brand’s existing name on the internet. Considering the hundreds of criteria that search engine algorithms use to determine page rankings and site authority, domain name choice is therefore crucial.
Things to Consider Before Choosing a Domain Name
First and foremost, the name you pick must be easy to pronounce and not so hard to remember. For the sake of TOMA (top-of-mind awareness), you do not want your potential customers to forget your brand’s name. The best way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to pick a name that’s as simple to remember as possible. An internet user is more likely to remember a fashion brand with the domain name “clothes.com” than one that’s called “buyniceclothing.org”.
Also, as a website that hopes to drive a lot of traffic, gain a good number of engagements, and secure a profitable number of conversions, your domain name has to end with a dotcom (.com) extension. A survey by WordPress has proven that 40% of all domains on the internet end in a .com. It’s therefore safe to assume that the average internet user expects your domain to end in a .com. According to a survey by Growthbadger, of all the extensions,.com has the greatest trust ratings. It receives a 3.5 out of 5. .net, another widely used extension receives a 3.2. Being dependable and trustworthy are essential qualities for business owners. If potential customers don’t trust your business, they won’t spend their money on your product.
Now that you understand the possible hassles in choosing the right domain name for your business, you need to consider ways to overcome them. One way is using domain appraisal tools.
Domain Appraisal Tools
With advancements in knowledge, developers have been able to build valuation tools that remove a lot of the guesswork when it comes to settling for a domain name. These are called domain appraisal tools. All you have to do with a domain appraisal tool is fill in your suggested domain name. The algorithms will provide you with all the information you require regarding the name you submitted, including its sentimental and commercial value, availability, and SEO friendliness.
Domain appraisal tools particularly stand out for their ability to give you a quote for how much it will likely cost your business to acquire a given domain name. Finding a domain name for your brand’s website is not enough; you also need to find out how much it will cost to purchase the particular name. The tool will also tell you how to reach the domain’s vendor.
If you are looking to sell an existing domain, the appraisal tool will help you estimate the value of your domain name based on the market price.
Business owners who use domain appraisal tools, such as the Saw.com domain appraisal tool have found them useful in deciding on a domain name for their businesses.