Seven Important things you should know about domain names

Your domain name is vital to your business, yet because the cost of renewing a domain name is not extravagant, it is often forgotten until it lapses, or is bought by others or simply isn’t directing your potential customers where they need to be. 

Here are some important facts about domain names

The Domain name you choose is vital to your business.

As more and more business’s hone their online presence to match, or surpass the brick and mortar shop, the domain names is your online moniker.  It is where your online business lives, where your brand is promoted and where a client will find you.  Choosing a domain name that is simple, logical and reflects who you are is essential.  If you choose an unknown acronym, a hyphenated word, numbers or a term which is rarely used for your business, you may not direct traffic to your site and have to spend time and effort changing the name.

Domain Name Extensions Matter

A domain extension refers to the .com, .ie., .co.uk at the end of your name.  You can never go wrong with a .com. However, if you are conducting business in a particular county, it is good to have the extension for that area.  A.ie is the preferred extension for Ireland and is only given when you can prove that your business operates on the island. A.co.uk is particularly useful for Irish businesses who deal with the Northern Counties or Mainland UK and is not difficult to purchase.  A localised dimension is always useful.  Many businesses are now choosing the more unusual extensions of .live, and even. Ninja!  It probably won’t increase traffic and a good old .com, .net .ie are the best bet for most companies.

Domain Privacy is Important

Thanks to GDPR, it is now difficult for anyone to get the owners name of a domain.  Anyone can do a (WHO Is Link) search and find if a particular domain name is taken, but thankfully, they can no longer get names, addresses etc.  This does not prevent the odd scam email getting through to ask for monies to ‘promote’ your domain online. As always be vigilant and if the email is not from a trusted source, contact your Domain Registrar.

Avodi Domain Squatting or Cyber-squatting

Domain or cyber squatters purchase domain names and try to sell them at inflated prices to those that really want them. Popular brand names and occupations are their forte. Stuff like accountingonline.com and carwashing.net., but they also wait for domain names to lapse due to non payment and grab them quickly.   Often putting nasty sites up using the brand/domain name to force businesses to buy back their name.   Avoid cyber squatters by securing all the top level domain names for your brand and ensuring your update annually.

Domain names influence SEO.

Domain names do impact on SEO. A domain name that starts with one of the main industry or brand keyword will always be a boost for SEO, but it Is just as important to have a good website, with up to date and lively content.   Having the right domain name can accelerate search engine placement.  Consider location based domain names to boost traffic, e.g., galwayplumber, donegalcakemaker etc.

Does the Length of a domain name matter?

In general, keep it simple and keep it short. There is no restriction any one can purchase a name of up to 12 letters, but according to the ICANN group, the ultimate length for a domain name is eight characters  long.

Ownership – Own your own domain name

Take care when purchasing your domain name that it is registered to you, the business owner, not your employee who may leave, or your web designer or IT manager (a common mistake).  If someone else owns your domain name, there are things you can do to reclaim dominion over it and we have it all written for you already.