Entrepreneurs setting up a new business should be very careful in choosing the right domain name. Domain names help set the tone for your business. The wrong name can limit your traffic, or worse put your business in a negative light.
Here are some common pitfalls to avoid when choosing a domain name for your business:
Too Long - An overly long domain name is frustrating for many people. It feels like too much trouble to type, and can make a prospective customer less inclined to visit your site.
Even the customer who is determined to find you can be re-routed if your domain is too long. A longer domain name means a greater chance of making a typo. And a typo may mean that your customer is redirected to a site that is not yours, or to a ‘no such URL’ notice which makes them think you don’t have a website at all.
Confusing - In some ways, domain names are like vanity license plates. You have a short space for your message and you want to make it count. But if it is so convoluted that you have to puzzle over the meaning, this is not a good choice.
With domain names, someone should hear your name and have a pretty accurate idea of what is found there. If you sell shoes online, the domain name ‘wowgreatshoes’ would be a nice bet. The domain name ’shinyshinyshiny’ might be interesting or cute, but it does not say “we sell shoes.” Be clear, stay away from inside jokes, and don’t be clever at the expense of common sense.
Dashes - Avoid using dashes in your domain name. It makes recall trickier, and can make branding your business more difficult.
When people talk about businesses via word of mouth, they often won’t verbalize a dash and your potential customer will likely type out the domain wrong if yours uses dashes. Your competitors may set up sites that don’t have dashes, to skim off your potential customers who make the error of leaving them out. If your business is conducted solely online this is less of a problem, because people tend to copy and paste domain names - dashes and all - when browsing.
Refer to various other articles created by this same writer covering topics including hover lift slings and overhead cranes.
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