Why is it Not Advantageous to Buy Certain Domain Names?
Why You Shouldn’t Buy Certain Domain Names?
Buying a domain name is one of the first steps to starting your own website. It’s also a very big decision because this is the domain name that potential customers will use every time they want to visit your website. Choose wisely, and your domain name could actually improve the positioning of your entire brand.
In most situations, buying a domain name is a very simple process. But there are times when it’s simply not advantageous to purchase certain domain names because they can actually work against what you’re trying to achieve as a company and as a brand.
Our website designers have helped hundreds of companies find success through strategic domain selection, so we’ve put together some quick guidelines on what types of domain names to avoid:
Domain Name with Trademarks
You definitely don’t want to choose a domain name that incorporates a trademark. Some people used to do this on purpose, hoping that they could someday cash in on businesses that would pay a pretty penny for the name. Although this worked a few times, it’s not the best strategy anymore and will only lead to your company going through hassle and confusion. It’s always best to set yourself apart from all other brands as best you can.
Words That Are Hard to Spell
While your customers might be impressed by your vocabulary, no one wants to type a series of complicated words into a domain name — or even just one. This is actually a general rule in business. You don’t want to name your company something that’s difficult for people to spell.
In other words, if you’re an endocrinologist or chiaroscurist, you might not want to use those words as part of the domain name. This is one of those times where “Keep it simple, stupid” should definitely be followed.
Domain Names with Numbers
You might think it’s witty or cute to use a number in your domain name, but you’re just asking for trouble. Most domain names don’t use numbers, and the last thing potential customers want to do is guess whether or not they should type out the word “four” or use “4” instead. If they type in the word “four” and your name doesn’t come up because you used the number instead, they’re not likely to try again.
Very Long Domain Names
There’s a reason why companies like McDonald’s Corporation only use McDonald’s.com as their website address. Even businesses that get creative and use a phrase instead of their company name know not to take it too far.
There’s no general rule, of course, but we’d suggest that you limit your phrase to maybe three or four words. Five, if it’s really easy to remember. Sure, momthisismywebsitelookimabigboynow may be funny, but it hurts us to even type it out, especially since domain names appear without any separation.
Domain Names with Hyphens
Even if your business name contains a hyphen for some reason, people aren’t likely to type in the hyphen as part of your website address. Using hyphens in your domain name is similar to using numbers. You’re basically asking customers to guess what your domain name actually is. If you’re afraid that some people will type in the hyphen, then purchase a second domain name with the hyphen and have it redirect to the URL without one.
Similar Names to Other Sites
You always want to make sure that potential customers go to your website instead of someone else’s. This is why you need to avoid choosing a domain name that’s similar to other sites.
In some cases, you might discover that your domain name that ends with .com has a .net equivalent.
Or perhaps they use a different TLD (top-level domain, the final section of a domain name), such as.org or.tv. And you also want to stay away from names that are similar to well-known brands.
Domain Names with a Bad History
With illegal activities going on everywhere you look on the internet, it’s possible that the domain name you’ve chosen has a bad history. It may have been used in the past for spreading malware or scamming or phishing.
Or it may have been involved in a trademark dispute or other legal entanglement. To avoid any problems, it’s a good idea to check the domain registration history just to be safe.
Contact P3 Agency for Help with Buying a Domain Name
P3 Agency is the leader in digital marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and web design in Clearwater and the surrounding Florida communities. If you have any questions about purchasing domain names for your business or would like a free marketing assessment for your business, give us a call at (727) 474-9064 today.