After two years of pandemic-fueled growth in the online sector, today, according to internet live stats, there are almost 2 billion websites in the world. That’s a lot of websites! It is no surprise then that selecting an appropriate and available domain name has become increasingly difficult.
Guide to Choosing an SEO-Friendly Domain Name
- Does a domain name matter for SEO?
- Does a domain name impact marketability?
- How domains can impact SEO performance?
- Which domain extension is best for SEO?
It is much more complicated to know how to choose a good domain for SEO or marketability when starting up a business than 20 years ago when almost every name you looked for was available to register.
So how do you find a domain name that is SEO friendly? Does a good domain name matter? And which domain extension is best for SEO purposes? Here are a few handy tips to bear in mind as you explore your SEO friendly domain name generator.
Does a domain name matter for SEO?
Of course. An SEO-optimised domain name tells people what the website is about and what they will find there. Your SEO friendly domain name is more like to appear on the search results page, and your site becomes more likely to be clicked. Having the right domain name can help you target your audience and accelerate your search engine placement. But it’s more than just keywords.
Does a domain name impact marketability?
Yes, here too. No matter how powerfully a domain name performs in a domain name SEO check, if the result is unwieldy and difficult to use in the broader marketing context, it can be counterproductive. Let’s say you do a domain name SEO check, and you find tropicalfishandacquariumssydney is perfect. You will soon realise that it’s too long for your store awning, too tricky to use in your radio advertising scripts and problematic for most marketing activities. Try putting tropicalfishandacquariumssydney.com.au on a business card in a font size that can be read. 
How domains can impact your SEO performance
It is not always straightforward to identify which domain is better for SEO. There are two ways your domain can impact your SEO and search rankings:
- Branding
- Keywords
Branded domains A branded domain contains your business name instead of your industry keywords. For example, Facebook.com, Pepsi.com, or Webcentral.com.au are all branded domains. Using your brand name as your domain name makes sense if:
- Your brand name is already established and recognised
- You have already started brand promotion and brand awareness
- Your brand is your name (such as .com)
- Your brand is unique
- You want your website to rank well in search results for your brand name
Keyword domains Keyword domains contain one or more industry-related keywords. For example, SydneyRealEstate.com or SydneyCarInsurance.com are keyword-rich domain names. Using keywords in your domain name makes sense if:
- It is possible to identify high-value keywords for your domain
- Consumers are not particularly brand loyal in your sector
- You do not have a strong brand presence
Which domain extension is best for SEO
Many domain name extensions are available to match your SEO-friendly domain name. If you’re an Australian business, you will likely settle on a .com.au extension or, if you are like our Sydney tropical fish business, the new shorter and more memorable .au domain name may be a better choice. Having an Australian extension for your business will boost your SEO rankings. For Australian searchers, the domain name ranking tools will show your website link before listing sites not identifying with the local market. If however, your business is targeting a more global market, then it may be better to register a domain with a .com extension. Asking “is my domain SEO friendly?” is important when selecting a domain. But it is also important to remember that the name has to work in the broader marketing context. Remember, too, that reliance on keywords may be a short-lived advantage until a competitor starts using another close derivative of that domain name. A branded domain can be more beneficial both in terms of SEO and marketing. However, building a brand name that is recognised and remembered can take a little time and money. One final tip: If you want to invest in building equity around your domain name, make sure you protect it from the activities of competitors and cybercriminals. In relation to domain name extensions, it’s often worthwhile making sure you register all likely domain name extensions to ensure your hard work in building a business in the online space is safeguarded. Sometimes having multiple domain extensions can make a lot of sense. Next time you go looking through an SEO friendly domain name generator, think carefully about how you will use your domain. It is important to be strategic. You want your SEO friendly domain to last as long as possible. If you need any information about domain availability or domain extensions, contact us – Webcentral is Australia’s leading domain and online service provider.
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