Domain Names and SEO

Domain names can and do play an important role in the world of SEO. Chances are you already have a domain name but if you are starting up a company you need to choose a domain name that will help your brand achieve the recognition you want with both the public and the search engines. If you are buying a domain purely from an SEO point of view (microsites, affiliate sites, etc.) then getting the right keywords in your domain name will definitely help you in your goals. Good domain names are hard to get your hands on these days as most exact match domain names have long since been registered.

Choosing a Domain Name

When you set out to buy a domain name there are a couple of things you should look at before taking the plunge:

Branding

A “brand” is more than just a combination of hyphenated keywords (I would avoid such names). These sorts of domains have no branded value and people are most likely not going to remember your domain name. They also lack a sense of credibility.

It is a lot easier to build links to a branded domain name. Users and webmasters tend to take these domains more seriously than keyword-keyword-keyword.com, which tend to appear a little spammy. Often links to these sites get rejected or refused because they are frequently associated with low quality content.

Having a branded domain name will give you the advantage of being easily recognisable and easier to remember than your non-branded competition. If your domain name is short, catchy and unique then you have an increased chance of users remembering you and your company and typing in your domain into their address bar.

There is a downside to having a branded domain name however. You have to work that bit harder to get your name out there. Unless you have a substantial marketing budget no one is going to search for you as they will not automatically associate your name with your services/products.

Happily there is a way to get the best of both the branding and the SEO side of the coin.

Ranking Factors

From an SEO standpoint having a keyword in your domain name is a good idea but you need to turn this into something you can brand.

Using a formula such as keyword + term can yield great results. You simply take your keyword and add another word to the end of it; many companies have employed this tactic to great effect (SEOMoz, Travelocity, Flightsdirect, etc.). Generally people will have to include your keyword when linking to your site as it is part of your domain name plus your domain retains an element of unique branding.

This method of choosing a domain name also has another benefit, it creates intuitive domain names. When a user first hears or reads your domain name they should be able to make a pretty good guess at what it is you do and what type of content they will find when they visit you. This builds an element of trust when the user does pay you a visit and finds what they expected to find there. You may also see a better CTR in the SERPs with an intuitive domain name.

Here are a few tips I like to keep in mind when considering what domain name to choose:

• Keywords – When you first start the domain process you should already have a list of the keywords most important to your business. Once you have this list you can begin to think of things you can add to those keywords and see what works for you.
• Make the Domain Unique – Choose a domain name that is not spelt like or sounds similar to an existing website as this can really set you back in terms of recognition. Always do your research!
• .com or .co.uk domains – If you are serious about your business then you should only invest in either of these two TLDs. They are given more weight by the search engines than many of the other TLDs plus sites are seen to be “genuine” by users as other TLDs can indicate a lower quality website.
• Shorter is Better – Shorter names are easier to remember and easier for users to type in. They also afford you more room in the SERPs for your URLs.
• Avoid Hyphens and Numbers - Both hyphens and numbers make it harder for you to verbally tell someone your address. They also make your address harder to type into browsers.

If you do your research before you begin the domain purchasing process and follow these guidelines you should be able to save yourself a lot of heartache later on. If you make a mistake when choosing your domain the chances are you are going to have a lot of work on your hands further down the line.