Hawaii SEO – Tips in Choosing the Right Domain Name for Your Website (Part 3)
When you think Tips in Choosing the Right Domain Name for Your Website (Part 1) and Tips in Choosing the Right Domain Name for Your Website (Part 2) are already enough. Wait a minute because part 3 is still coming your way!
There are more tips to consider and read about them below:
6. The shorter, the better.
As a general rule, it is best to keep the length of your domain name short. In fact, the shorter, the better.
According to a data provided by DataGenetics.com, the most popular domain names, on average, are around 12 characters in length. So, ideally, go with names with 6 to 14 characters. This data reiterates that you should always keep the domain names short and concise.
For sure, the shorter domain names are not available and they are probably sold for hundreds — even thousands — of dollars. If you cannot find a short domain name, make it, at least, brandable or memorable. Hawaii’s SEO www.stevemapua.com is only composed of 10 characters.
Nowadays, it almost impossible to come up with a one-word domain name. You can try to add a word or two into the mix. Two-word combinations are great website names. Just look at popular sites like BuzzFeed.com, LifeWire.com, TechCrunch.com, and many others.
Another tip is to never use an acronym as a domain name. Unless, of course, you are CNN, people will not easily remember the letters of your website. If you choose a longer name, people will have a hard time memorizing it. So, you should find the right balance. The name should be both short and memorable.
As I have mentioned earlier, keep it within 6 to 14 characters. Longer than 15 characters are hard to remember. Moreover, if it is longer, people are more susceptible to making mistakes and typos along the way.
7. Check if you aren’t violating any registered trademarks.
Once you have figured out the name of your website, it is now time to check for any trademarks. Within the U.S. territories, you can check www.uspto.gov/trademark and search the existing trademark database.
This is a good practice to do because it could be a stumbling block for your website in the future. Of course, you would not want to use a trademark that has been registered. Also, it is best to check social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook if the names are already taken.
You can also check trademarks.justia.com if there businesses already using your desired website name. To securely build your brand, it is best to do a cross search among different websites so people can easily find you.
If there’s one thing to avoid, those are the legal disputes and issues. Never use a name that is already registered. Stay away from trademarks!
To be sure, you can use a site called Knowem. Search your desired name and it will inform you if the domain name you want is available across different social media platforms. You will easily know if the name is claimed or not. If it is indeed taken, you can decide on another name.
Last part on Tips in Choosing the Right Domain Name for Your Website (Part 4)