| As prices have never been so low, you may consider | | | | Keywords are the words that web users enter in the |
| buying multiple domain names as a cost-effective | | | | search box of the search engine to retrieve |
| option to drive more traffic to your website. | | | | information on a specific subject. |
| When it comes to choosing a domain name, there | | | | The current trend is for web searchers to enter a |
| are two schools of thought. You can either elect to | | | | string of keywords or keyword phrase rather than |
| register a domain name based on | | | | single keywords e.g. a person may look for 'free |
| 1- a new or existing brand name e.g. business name, | | | | family tree', 'decision tree software', 'artificial |
| trademark, product brand name or | | | | Christmas tree' instead of 'tree. This practice provides |
| 2- one or more keywords that you perceive will help | | | | less search engine results but of better quality. |
| your target market to find you. | | | | Similarly, website owners are creating generic domain |
| Both methods have their pro's and con's. | | | | names made of a string of keywords to reach their |
| (For this article, to avoid filter penalties, my domain | | | | target audience e.g. Paylesscarrental/, |
| name examples will start with a Capital letter and end | | | | Collectorcartraderonline/ and Carbuyingtips/. |
| with /.) | | | | Pro's |
| Domain name based on BRAND | | | | On one hand, generic keywords domain names may: |
| The web is populated with unusual and recognised | | | | - Generate instant results with drive-in traffic from |
| domain names e.g. Google/, Amazon/ and Yahoo/. | | | | search engines. |
| Naming your domain using a new or existing brand | | | | - Attract qualified prospects looking for your |
| name can be a powerful and rewarding long-term | | | | keywords. |
| strategy. Developing a brand name from anonymity | | | | - Communicate and position instantly your site's |
| to stardom is any marketer's goal. | | | | benefits and core values e.g. Justfreestuff/, |
| Pro's | | | | Best-home-mortagage-loan/, Indoorgardensupplies/. |
| A branded domain name may | | | | - Improve search engine ranking. (The use of |
| - Attract attention for its originality and for being | | | | keywords in the domain name is a strategy which |
| catchy e.g. Yahoo/ or Dogpile/. | | | | you cannot rely on to increase your search engine |
| - Stand out from competition e.g. compare Google/ | | | | ranking: it is only a very small part of search engine |
| with Searchengine/, Searchengines/ and | | | | optimisation.) |
| Bestsearchengine/. Which one stands out? Sorry, no | | | | Con's |
| price for this easy answer. | | | | On the other hand, generic keywords domain names |
| - Facilitate direct search. Repeat visitors can guess | | | | may: |
| your name and type it in the address bar or location | | | | - Be perceived as boring, lacking in imagination and |
| field and find you directly, bypassing competitors. | | | | sometimes dubious. |
| - Encourage brand recognition. Each time people are | | | | - Require more effort to remember. This could lead |
| exposed to your domain name, it reinforces your | | | | to domain names being misspelled e.g. Barnesandnoble |
| brand. | | | | or Barneandnobles/ or placed in the wrong sequence |
| - Increase credibility and loyalty. In general, people | | | | e.g. Homefinancialservices/ or Financialhomeservices/. |
| prefer to be associated with a brand name rather | | | | These common mistakes have prompted shrewd |
| than a generic name. If price is not a consideration, | | | | business people to piggy back on popular websites |
| wouldn't you prefer buying Chanel branded sunglasses | | | | e.g. Ezinearticle/ benefits from spelling mistakes of |
| from Chanel/, Eyesave/ or Sunglassesportal/? | | | | customers from EzineArticles/. |
| - Promote viral marketing. It is easier to refer | | | | - Restrict the usage of the domain name. A long |
| someone to a domain name that you can remember | | | | string of keywords does not look good on offline |
| and spell without difficulty. | | | | promotional material. |
| - Provide flexibility. Your domain name can be used | | | | - Be wasted if you don't choose your keywords |
| on business cards and offline promotions. | | | | carefully. It is important to research the words used |
| - Protect your intellectual property. Get in first before | | | | by your customers and not rely on your assumptions. |
| someone names their domain with your product | | | | Jeff, a Printer, had optimised his site for |
| brand, business name or title of your book. | | | | 'self-publishing' only to find that self-publishers were |
| Con's (for new brands only) | | | | searching for printers using keyword 'printing'. |
| A domain name using an established brand name may | | | | The best of both worlds: consider complementary |
| not encounter the problems below. A domain name | | | | domain name strategies: |
| based on a new brand may: | | | | 1. Create a short, easy to remember brand name |
| - Be difficult to choose. Selecting a name to convey | | | | using keywords e.g. Diabeticgourmet/, Netdoctor/ or |
| instantly business core values and benefits of | | | | Houseweb/. |
| website is a very difficult task. | | | | 2. Purchase a few domain names made up of |
| - Need time, money and effort to break through the | | | | keywords and have them pointing to a main branded |
| online noise and be recognised. | | | | domain name. This strategy requires you to buy an |
| - Necessitate a strong unique selling proposition. | | | | URL forwarding option when you purchase your |
| - Require an arsenal of internet marketing tactics e.g. | | | | domain name. A word of caution: if you overuse this |
| linkage strategies and search engine optimisation to | | | | tactic, Google may respond negatively to these |
| improve the search engine ranking. | | | | 'sneaky redirects'. |
| Domain name based on KEYWORDS | | | | |