Best practice approach when registering a new domain name

It’s an ever-increasing problem – what domain name do you register for a new business? Or rather, what’s left to register that’s either not already being used or being cybersat.

The other issue is the naming process. So, first of all, let’s dispel a big myth.

Some years ago, Google used the words it could read in a domain name as an indicator as to what the website. Let’s give you an example of what we mean with something relevant to us: www.websitedesigner.co.uk. Google valued this and the flood gates opened. A literal torrent of sites, both genuine ones and spammy or phishing sites all getting registered with the naming protocol all containing words that described what you did and where you were. As the main service title domains diminished we then we started to see the rise of longer domains that contain locations: www.leightonbuzzardwebsitedesigner.co.uk.

Google could also read this and work out where you were, along with what you did.

For a time, this allowed a lot of websites that jumped on this naming bandwagon to propel up the standard natural search results.

However, because Google nowadays operates on the basis of ‘if it’s easy to do or cheat, it will have no value. It’s easy to register a domain name and it’s easy to fill up your website with loads and loads of spammily-worded content – So Google won’t rank you higher for doing it. In fact, you are more likely to get penalised.

So, what do you do when it comes to choosing the right domain name for your business and how do you get one that’s not been registered?

There are other things to consider – things that are a little more human.

These aspects relate to two things: spelling and memory.

Let’s address the first: spelling. The education level in this country isn’t bad. However, with app and text lifestyle, people generally don’t worry about spelling and find a quicker way to type – dropping letters from words.

With that in mind, making the domain easy to spell is important.

The next thing: memory. It’s easy to remember shorter stuff. Fact. However, there are very few short domains available that aren’t for sale with a 6-figure price tag. So keeping it as short as possible is the key. People on the move, seeing bus or train adverts, on the TV etc – all have an impact on getting the domain embedded in peoples’ memories.

Now, on to some other things that also play a big factor when it comes to picking that all-important domain name – all of which impact on site traffic, ‘SEO’ and ultimately, sales or enquiries through your website.

1. Memorable

The epitome example is www.webuyanycar.com – they wrapped a jingle, a funny advert all around a domain name that describes what they do. The actual company name is not called this – they’ve gone for a ‘trading name’ that best describes what they do. We see a lot of people with domains like: www.londonbuildingservicesltd.com. They’ve added the ‘ltd’ to the end of the name under some misguidance that it needs to reflect their actual company name, and as you’ll read in the following points, the shorter version wasn’t available but failed to be creative.

2. Think of the future

Does it have scope to include future services? Also a growth-limiting name – brand at the outset is fine (even if unknown) but what happens if you want to sell the business – the name of the site will be less desirable to a buyer. Let’s take the example of something very personal to us. Aubergine is the brand name and one that has, over 14 years, become synonymous with web and graphic design. This year we are formalising our long informal partnership with Willson Web Design (www.willsonwebdesign.co.uk). They have provided SEO and Google Adwords services for us for years but also have their own web design client base. However, the name does not reflect all that they provide and with the majority of the service being more Search/Google related, having ‘web design’ in the name is an example of the limits.

3. Make it pronounceable

This goes back to our spelling thing – people verbally mentioning your site on the radio, on TV or in person. You’ve got to be able to say it and have a really good chance of spelling it right when searching for it in Google (or Bing if you’re an American). Very often we hear local radio adverts for companies that have committed to radio advertising (well done). But have a series of partners’ names that are impossible to know how to spell.

Radio airtime: wasted.

4. Keep it short but not too short

We go back to our bad spelling beef. Now, before we start on this one, yes, we acknowledge there are a few branded sites out there that have made a success of the bad spelling approach. The most notable one is Tumblr. But that aside. Good practice, given that people have spell checkers and Google’s corrective feature takes over, is to spell it correctly. Dropping vowels keeps the URL short, but makes it difficult to guess unless you choose to register lots of permutations.

5. .com vs .co.uk

Go with a TLD (top level domain) and not an unknown or lower-level domain suffix like .co (Colombia) or .tv (unless you actually are a TV station and can’t find the .com. It all goes down to habit and memory. People just remember .com and .co.uk more than the other ones. If the .com or .co.uk aren’t available – be creative with the name see point #9 below).

6. Don’t use other peoples’ name or brands

You’ll be making a timebomb of a legal problem from the start. No mistake, no messing. Just to drive the point home, if you sell sports shoes and trainers, don’t, under any circumstances, register www.niketrainersforsale.com – Nike’s lawyers will squash you (and quite rightly) quicker than Usain Bolt can run 100m. Additionally and referring to my point #2, think of the future. You may not always sell the Nike brand and have to shift over to, say, Reebok. That’s your online brand and SEO over.

7. Keep it intuitive without being spammy

Give them a good indication what you’re about but don’t overdo it – make sure the URL doesn’t look like the entire alphabet. Twice. Here’s an example:

Bad:    www.leightonbuzzardwebsitegraphicdesigner.com  (this is the way Google used to get tricked. Not any more)
Good: www.yourlocaldesignagency.com

8. Use broad keywords but not over-the-top

Keep the name intuitive so that users can see what’s the website is likely to be about in a search result listing.

9. Be creative with the name

If what you want isn’t available, add to it or be creative. Here’s a couple of examples:If you want www.audiovisual.co.uk but it’s not available. Try www.theaudiovisualcompany.co.uk by adding the extra words means that you can keep the brand identity and still be descriptive without a mega long URL.

10. Don’t get hung up on it and spend big money with a domain broker

If you set your heart on a specific domain name and it resolves on one of these big sites that list the domain for sale, be careful. Firstly, there are a lot of cybersitters out there that use the domain to just generate advert display and click traffic – they have no intention of selling the domain. The other camp are those that will require you to put in a ‘bid’ that usually needs at least 4 figures (or more).

There are a few companies out there that are genuine, albeit commanding silly money in fees, but there are also 10x times as many phishing sites and under no circumstances ever buy one of these domains with your credit or debit card. All-too many times we hear people say ‘I bought this domain the other day – paid £800 for it but it’s great – it’s abc.com – couldn’t believe it was available and cheaper than I thought.

You’ve guessed it. They’ve paid big money to someone that was never owned by the seller in the first place and they have just been duped.

We’ve gathered a few good domains over the years for projects that, for various reason, never got off the launch pad. We’re making these available to buy at a reasonable and affordable level – have a look here at our domains for sale if you’re in the market for a new business domain name.