by Bruce Hoover
Domain names are as important to websites as attractive covers are to books. An interesting domain name never fails to attract web surfers to click through and check out. If you think that putting all your innovativeness into the domain name will make it better, you are mistaken. Why does this happen? The answer lies in the keyword. If your domain name is innovative but not search engine optimized with keywords, the search engines will not be able to index it. In other words, your domain name must be appealing as well as crafted for the search engines. Read this article to understand how both these can be achieved.
Your first objective is to find a search engine optimized keyword that you can use in your domain name. Use a keyword analyzer to get this done. You will able to find such tools by searching on popular Internet engines. Think of a sample keyword that tells about what your site is and enter it into the tool. The keyword analyzer will give you many different versions for the single keyword you used. Choose those keywords from this list that describe more about what your website is about. A rule of search engine optimization is to use low competition keywords because they increase your chances of getting found. Now, you can begin thinking about your real domain name.
A lot of the domain name companies on the Internet will let you know if a particular name is available. If not obtainable, you will at least get some recommendations. Put in your keyword first; this will help you make better use of this tool. If at all the keyword is not available for use as the domain name, you will be given other suggestions. Think favorably about the domain names that have the keyword and end with .com. In case this is not present, think creatively. By putting in filler words in the domain name, you may be able to find an available option that still keeps your keyword.
Three interesting fillers you can use are ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’. You get a good domain name, and you also get it indexed because the search engines will simply ignore such buffer words. Use numbers at the end of the phrase. Any number like 80 or anything else will do. Below we describe what you must do if you get all else but not the .com suffix.
In some cases, another extension does not matter, especially if the keyword is immensely popular. You may think of extensions such as .org, .biz and .net. It is possible for you to use a national or state-wise extension if a global or local website is the same thing for you. You can well understand that it is much wiser to be on the first page in the Indian Google than to be on the 86th page in the American Google! You don’t need to know rocket science in order to design a domain name that’s suited for the search engine purposes as well as for the users.
In Closing
Only 10% of the success of your domain name depends on your intelligence. The rest depends on the keyword analyzer tool. The last straw, when nothing else works, is to resort to the extensions.
by Bruce Hoover
Domain names are as important to websites as attractive covers are to books. An interesting domain name never fails to attract web surfers to click through and check out. If you think that putting all your innovativeness into the domain name will make it better, you are mistaken. Why does this happen? The answer lies in the keyword. If your domain name is innovative but not search engine optimized with keywords, the search engines will not be able to index it. In other words, your domain name must be appealing as well as crafted for the search engines. Read this article to understand how both these can be achieved.
Start by researching for a search engine optimized keyword that can be a part of your domain name. A keyword analyzer is the tool that can help you do this. You will able to find such tools by searching on popular Internet engines. Think of a sample keyword that tells about what your site is and enter it into the tool. The analyzer tool will display several options for this sample keyword. Choose those keywords from this list that describe more about what your website is about. You’re site is better search engine optimized if you use a long tail keyword because there will be fewer webmasters who will choose them. Now, you can begin thinking about your real domain name.
The company that provides domain names will let you know if a particular domain name is available. The domain name service will also suggest alternatives if the one you put in is not available. Put in your keyword first - this way you can better use this tool. You will get other recommendations if this particular keyword is not available to use as the domain name. You must definitely consider any suggestion that has the main keyword and a .com suffix. You will have to use your creative mind to think of options if this is not present. By putting in filler words in the domain name, you may be able to find an available option that still keeps your keyword.
Most people use ‘a’, ‘an’ and ‘the’ for such filtering purposes in their domain names. Search engines will overlook such words. Therefore, your domain name gets optimized and also remains better in the visitors’ memories. Use numbers at the end of the phrase. Any number like 80 or anything else will do. If you get everything but the .com, this is what you must do.
With a very popular keyword, it does not matter if your extension is .com or something else. You may think of extensions such as .org, .biz and .net. Another trick is to use a state or country extension in the domain name. Consider this if you do not lay more stock with the difference between worldwide or local marketing. It is much better for your business if you are number 5 in the Italian version of Google than if you are number 500 in America’s version of Google. It is not complicated to have a domain name that serves well for your visitors as well as for the search engines.
In Closing
Only 10% of the success of your domain name depends on your intelligence. The rest depends on the keyword analyzer tool. The last straw, when nothing else works, is to resort to the extensions.