One of the many things to think about when creating a new website is your domain name. Questions are often raised as to whether a brand name should be selected, or if it would be better to go for something which could target keywords. In this article, we’ve included our top 4 tips for an SEO friendly domain name.
Our Top 4 Tips for an SEO Friendly Domain Name
Make Sure It’s Branded
Generally, it’s bad branding to have a company name which doesn’t match the domain name of your website. Using a branded name for a website will help people find your website more easily when they hear about you and try to search for you via a search engine. Consistency is always key, and will help you grow a memorable and strong brand. However, if a branded domain isn’t an option, having a domain which targets specific keywords can be an option if it’s executed well.
Make Sure It’s Well Branded
There’s a difference between branding and good branding. Make sure that your brand, which includes your domain, is memorable, unique, and catchy. Take time to think about what it looks like when written down, how it sounds, and how relatable it is. Avoid odd spellings and lots of hyphens or numbers. Keep it simple but focused. Again, think of explaining your URL to a stranger of your brand. How fun would it have been for the employees of ‘Flickr’ to spell out their brand after the first hundred times…
Keep It Optimised, Without Being Spammy
If a branded domain name isn’t’ available, keywords can be a good option to consider. If we went back 5 years, experts would have suggested having a URL filled with keywords, which would rank you high in SERPs effortlessly. Google has clamped down on this form of keyword stuffing, and now rely on accessibility and usability of the URL as a key ranking factor, meaning the easier it is to read for humans, the easier it will be to read for search engines.
Consider Your Future
Our final piece of advice would be to ask yourself where you hope to be in 10 years. Your URL and branding for ‘citytoursdundee.com’ may be perfect for capturing your audience now, but 10 years on you may have expanded to new locations, where the URL won’t attract users or search engines towards your new services.
Ultimately, SEO and domain names go hand-in-hand. But so does SEO and engaging an audience. Finding a domain name that can appeal to users and search engines matters hugely, don’t just choose a domain but take the time to choose the right domain. For more information or help in choosing a domain name, contact the team at mtc. who will be happy to assist!