{"id":49,"date":"2022-01-18T11:39:35","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T06:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esignwebservices.com\/blog\/?p=49"},"modified":"2023-12-29T09:36:03","modified_gmt":"2023-12-29T04:06:03","slug":"characteristics-of-good-domain-names","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esignwebservices.com\/blog\/characteristics-of-good-domain-names\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Characteristics of Good Domain Names"},"content":{"rendered":"

Most business owners tend to spend more time designing the website and then use a generic domain name for it.\u00a0 While building responsive and engaging sites to uphold a brand’s image is necessary, domain names<\/strong> should also receive some attention.<\/p>\n

The businesses that usually fail to harness their potential are the ones with limited budgets. Instead, such companies hire cheap SEO<\/a>\u00a0companies with inexperienced service providers who have no idea about domain name features<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

What is a Domain Name?<\/h2>\n

The general definition states that it is an identification string that helps one understand a realm of authority, administrative autonomy, or control within the Internet world.<\/p>\n

However, in simple terms, it is the address of a site or server<\/strong> on the internet made for humans to understand and recognize.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s say your website is your house, then its address through which one would visit it is the domain name.<\/p>\n

A generic domain name example<\/strong> would be:<\/p>\n

\"Domain<\/p>\n

This domain name decides how your visitors will remember you, and you should select one carefully.<\/p>\n

So if you don\u2019t know how to choose a good domain name for your website<\/strong>, look for these ten characteristics as a guide to find one.<\/p>\n

1. Easy to Remember<\/h3>\n

The entire point is to ensure your visitors can recall your address should they want to after visiting your site once. To achieve that, your domain name must be simple and easy to remember.<\/p>\n

For example, one would remember \u201cmetaverse.com\u201d better than \u201cmtvrse.com\u201d. However, longer length has nothing to do with how easily one can retain this information. Rather it is the opposite.<\/p>\n

2. Short in Length<\/h3>\n

Short crisp names are better as one would remember a couple of words better than a long string of words. Moreover, it is less of a hassle to type shorter names, and there are fewer chances of one making spelling errors.<\/p>\n

However, according to BloogersPassion<\/a>, all the possible 3 to 4-letter names are already booked. In addition, the 5 letter domain names<\/strong> are also mostly booked with a few exceptions.<\/p>\n

This is mainly because professional web developers<\/a> understand how well short domain names<\/strong> can work. But since you also need to make it less complicated, you can make your domain name as long as 10 letters in no way go near the 20-letter mark.<\/p>\n

3. Easy to Spell<\/h3>\n

A great way to avoid probable spelling errors is by selecting a domain name that your visitors can easily spell.<\/p>\n

If you fail to keep the name significantly short, ensure it uses simple spellings that most searchers would know. So unless you are choosing a domain name for a personal website<\/strong>, avoid imaginative and foreign words.<\/p>\n

Commercial websites should be ones that their target audience is familiar with. Otherwise, they will end up on some other site when searching for your website.<\/p>\n

4. Has \u201cThe\u201d Keyword<\/h3>\n

Every website has a focus keyword around which its entire content and marketing revolves. So, why not make it even more apparent to Google and your audience by incorporating it in your domain name?<\/p>\n

Using the keyword will help your visitors understand what your site is about and predict its content. Also, it is one of the best SEO practices<\/a> that marketers use for better SERP visibility.<\/p>\n

So if you are asking yourself, “Why do I need a domain name for my business<\/strong>” it is because it offers a face to your site’s address.<\/p>\n

For example, this site’s domain name is “esignwebservices.com<\/strong>” where “web services<\/strong>” is the main keyword. Through this, one would easily understand that this website offers website-related assistance.<\/p>\n

5. No Hyphens and Numbers<\/h3>\n

Just like foreign spellings, using hyphens and numbers only further complicates domain names<\/strong>. In the case of hyphens, people usually assume there aren’t any and type the name without it and reach some other site.<\/p>\n

\"No<\/p>\n

On the other hand, numbers create confusion. People debate between spelling them and writing their numerical forms.<\/p>\n

Both of these issues reduce the chances of individuals finding your site by directly searching for them.<\/p>\n

6. Contains \u201c.com\u201d Extension<\/h3>\n

Unless you have a specific target location or you are a certain organization, always use a \u201c.com<\/strong>\u201d extension. Because every aspect of your website name<\/strong> plays a big role in its performance and effectiveness.<\/p>\n

\u201c.com<\/strong>\u201d is the most popular extension used by website owners. As of 2019, there are over 144 million domain<\/strong> names registered with the “.com” extension.<\/p>\n

This popularity has also made it the most familiar extension in the market. So, there is a high chance that individuals would simply assume your domain name ends with .com even if it doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

Hence, it is better to use it and prevent such instances.<\/p>\n

\"Benefits<\/p>\n

7. No Silly Spelling Errors<\/h3>\n

Using unusual spelling errors for common words would only further confuse people. Therefore, it is unnecessary unless you already have a substantial offline base that is familiar with your brand and its name.<\/p>\n

Also, since domain names<\/strong> do not have any space in between words, do not use phrases that might read differently once joined together.<\/p>\n

8. Isn\u2019t Trademarked or Copyrighted<\/h3>\n

Most established brands and enterprises trademark or copyright words that are associated with their business. So, after finding the perfect name for your domain, you should check whether some company has legal rights over it or not.<\/p>\n

This will save you from future legal issues that can lead you to change the domain name causing significant optimization complications.<\/p>\n

You can also consult an attorney to guide you through the name selection process and help you omit all the names that are subject to intellectual property issues.<\/p>\n

9. Magic Number Doesn\u2019t Apply Here<\/h3>\n

Not only using numbers, in general, is a big NO<\/strong> when it comes to website name suggestions, <\/strong>using them instead of words isn\u2019t a good idea as well.<\/p>\n

For instance, if a domain\u2019s name is \u201cni8owl.com\u201d there are multiple ways one might interpret it. Apart from its original spelling, people also might type \u201cnightowl.com\u201d or \u201cnieightowl.com\u201d both of which are of no use to you.<\/p>\n

So, it is best to write words as it is instead of such experimentation.<\/p>\n

10. It is Descriptive In Nature<\/h3>\n

Even if you fail to incorporate your site’s primary keyword, at least try and use words that describe it the best. Just like keywords, it will help searchers assess your website even before visiting it.<\/p>\n

This way, only individuals interested in what you offer will come to your site, reducing its bounce rate.<\/p>\n

For example, naming a site \u201cXYZinteriordesign.com\u201d will only garner traffic that is looking for interior designing assistance.<\/p>\n

Why is a Good Domain Name so Important?<\/h2>\n

It is a significant part of branding as it is one of the first things with your brand name that your audience comes across.<\/p>\n

Domain names<\/strong> give sites instant credibility and put them into the same online marketplace as their competitors. It helps your site feel like it belongs among the others with similar businesses as well as stand out with its uniqueness.<\/p>\n

When accurately selected, it can also communicate how serious you are about your products or services. Hence it is important to find a good one as you only get one chance to select one.<\/p>\n

Is Your Domain Name Same as the Business Name?<\/h2>\n

Since it is supposed to act as the primary address of your business online, it is best to incorporate the business name in it.<\/p>\n

However, it doesn’t always have to be the exact name. You can use its abbreviated version like “USC.edu” for the University of South Carolina.<\/p>\n

Other than that, you can add some descriptive words as mentioned earlier to convey your message better.<\/p>\n

But something that you should avoid is completely omitting the existence of your business name from it. This will remove the sense of association with the main brand. Furthermore, many might even think they have reached the wrong site because of that.<\/p>\n

Are Domain Names Still Important?<\/h2>\n

Over the past few years, these names have gone through a significant seismic shift. As a result, there are several generic top-level domains<\/a> (gTLDs), and with new extensions being introduced, there are more to come.<\/p>\n

So yes, they are still relevant, and it is because of three main things that are:<\/p>\n