When creating a new website, one of the most important aspects to consider is the domain name. You need to think about your brand, business offerings, and search relevance. In this article, we will talk about the features of domain names and describe what factors to consider when choosing a domain name.
What is a domain name?
A domain name is the address where users can access a website. As an example, my website’s domain name is vtopesite.com.ua, which consists of the top-level domain .com and the country code .ua. “https://vtopesite.com.ua/” is the URL of the home page.
Should you consider SEO when choosing a domain name?
When you look at domain names, you want people to recognize your brand, your business, and what you offer. An SEO-optimized domain name should be relevant, brandable, and convey the purpose and content of the website.
It is not necessary for a site to have keywords in its domain name to rank well. Search engines are well aware of keyword stuffing in domain names and will filter it out.
Instead, you should focus on creating a brandable domain that best suits your business. While your domain name is an important part of your site, it alone carries little weight among ranking factors.
The Impact of Domain Name on SEO
While the domain name is not a major ranking factor, it can have a significant impact on SEO. Combine relevant and branded words to create a short, concise, and attractive domain. This will greatly increase your chances of ranking high in search engines.
However, using exact-match keywords can make your site look spammy and reduce your chances of ranking high. It’s all about finding a balance.
The right keywords used in your domain name can greatly increase your chances of ranking high in search engines. However, this does not mean that exact match domains will always rank first. In 2012, Google reduced the number of well-ranking exact-match domains in an effort to rid its search results of spam.
Do domain names help with SEO?
For a business owner, choosing a domain name is an important task, as it will become the company’s trademark. The right domain name can provide:
- increasing brand awareness;
- perception of trust and authority;
- positive user behavior that can impact search engine rankings.
What does it take to choose the best domain name for SEO?
If you want to get the maximum SEO value from your domain, you need to think about the balance between a busy domain and a well-branded domain; it’s all about sending the right signals.
It is known that Google can penalize exact match domains if the owner is not careful about how they manage the content of the website. So, while domain names should be focused on reflecting the brand, having an SEO-friendly domain can certainly help your efforts.
Old domain or new?
If you want to register a new domain, be sure to check if it has a history. Look in the web archive to see if it has been used before. There are enough services on the Internet for this. If such a domain has existed, then study its subject matter. If it is “gray” or “black,” you should not take such a domain. Your site will be considered spam or malicious by search engines similarly, if the domain had a business project from another niche. In this case, it will be difficult for you to advance because search engines have already assigned it a different subject matter.
The only case when it is worth taking a domain with history is when it previously hosted a trustworthy company from your same topic. In this case, you will “inherit” its reputation and link weight.
Top-level domains
Top-level domains (TLDs) are the most common domains with no industry or location restrictions. Designed for US-based sites, .com domains are the most popular TLDs today.
One way to optimize your domain for SEO is to use a country-code domain. These include .ua, .kz, .ca, etc. These domains provide the search engine with additional information that helps narrow down relevant results for the user’s search. ccTLDs help search engines understand the geographic location of your site and audience. However, registering such domains may require trademark registration.
For example, using “.com.ua” lets search engines know that your company is located in Ukraine. Using ccTLDs can significantly affect where and when your website appears on search engine results pages. If your website has a “.com.ar” domain name, it is highly likely that it will not be found by Ukrainian users for most search queries.
The same applies to thematic top-level domains (gTLD – generic Top-Level Domain). These include: .edu, .net, .biz, .name, .info, .org and others. Using gTLD domains tells search engines what type of organization or community such a site represents. For example, the domain “.edu” is used for educational sites, the domain “.biz” – for business structures, and “.pro” is used by specialists with a certain profession.
Does a hyphen in a domain name affect SEO?
I don’t recommend using hyphens in domain names. If the domain is two words, like “www.domainexample.com”, you might be tempted to separate the words with a hyphen for readability and make it “www.domain-example.com”.
The use of hyphens is correlated with spam and reduces the readability and fluency of a domain name. For this reason, it is not recommended to use hyphens in domain names.
This is a common practice for spammers to create “knockoff” versions of well-known, authoritative websites. The original domain name is already taken, so they register a hyphenated version to try to replicate the website and brand.
Both search engines and users will reject a hyphenated domain name. Often, such a domain is difficult to read. If possible, avoid using hyphens in your domain name.
Conclusion
When choosing a domain name, you should not focus solely on SEO. Choosing a domain name should focus on what the site offers. If the domain name accurately reflects your website and brand, that in itself is good SEO. Here are some top tips for choosing a domain name :
- Use your brand.
- Consider keywords that are both relevant and branded.
- Consider the location.
- Avoid exact match domains.
- Stick to original TLDs.
- Avoid ambiguity.
- Choose a domain name that is easy to remember.
- Be brief and concise.
- Avoid using hyphens.
Creating a domain name that will positively impact your SEO efforts involves focusing on branding that will appeal to users. When creating your domain name, think, “Would I click on this?” Because the first thing you should be concerned about is whether users will engage with your domain.
Gone are the days when you could rely on an exact match domain to rank well in search engines. Ranking well for relevant search queries comes down to much more than just the right domain. A well-designed domain name is just one small building block for a high-quality website. For expert guidance on this and more, consider working with a top SEO agency.