It is fair to say you don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. Especially where branding is concerned! The Internet is littered with companies which have changed their branding only to confuse their clientele. As a result, they see a drop-in traffic and often fall by the wayside. There are a number of useful criteria you can use when selecting the right domain name to build a brand. We will take a look at the options available when acquiring a domain name and linking this with your hosting.
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Your brand is your key to the door
In effect your brand identity is your key. It unlocks a raft of clientele, ever increasing sales and above all makes a lasting impression with visitors. If you can place your brand in a position where people will remember it, then remember your website and land with a degree of trust, you are halfway to a successful online business.
Selecting the right domain name
If you use the likes of Google to search for advice on domain name branding you will come across a raft of different ideas. Many of these articles will go off on a tangent. Though some will cover specific areas, there are basic rules when looking at branding and domain names. Aside from the fact you should ensure your proposed brand name is not over complicated, hopefully easy to remember, you should also consider the following factors:
1. Move with the markets and new TLDs
Those who follow the Internet will be well aware that as well as gTLDS we have recently seen the release of a raft of new TLDs. When you consider there are now domain extensions such as .accountant, .cash and many more, it is not difficult to see how this can enhance brand identity. Structured correctly this can be a great brand value attribute because in an instant your visitors can see what you do. True, .com domain names will always be the hierarchy and the royalty of domain name extensions, but instant recognition is important.
It is imperative that you keep up-to-date with the new TLDs, with ways and means of protecting your brand name/company name. Some companies prefer to acquire more descriptive TLDs, which they will direct back to their original .com website, while others will do the exact opposite. There is no right or wrong in this scenario and the power of redirecting domain names certainly comes to the fore.
2. Cover your back and purchase ‘.com’
As we touched on above, the dot com gTLD will forever be recognised as the main domain name extension. It seems to release an air of authority. It encourages a degree of trust. But most of all, it is ultimately seen by many as THE domain name extension. There are of course other variations of gTLDs but for many people .com will always be the base, the foundation and the origins of any online business.
There are well in excess of 130 million domain names with a gTLD. This can make it very difficult to acquire your preferred name. The problem is that if you decide against acquiring the .com version of your business/brand then the success of an alternative TLD will simply make the .com variation more valuable. In essence, others will be able to piggyback on your hard work and branding – the .com variation will always be more valuable to you than anybody else. It is also vital that you consider whether the .com version of your chosen brand/company name is available before committing yourself to significant investment and time.
Far too many companies do this the opposite way round, decide on a brand name and build a business, only to find the website address is taken. There is then the argument that they have come too far to start again!
3. Negotiating with professional domain name investors
In a perfect world, you build a brand/company and the .com domain name variation is available. You acquire it for just a few bucks, direct it to your web hosting account and hey presto, you are up and running. Unfortunately, the vast majority of recognisable branding domain names will have been registered. Therefore, you may find yourself having to negotiate with a professional domain name investor. These are individuals who have been around the block, been there, done it and are wearing the T-shirt. They are experts at squeezing the last dollar out of a domain name. If this was acquired before you registered your branding/trademark there is little you can do. However, why not try beating professional domain name investors at their own game?
There are third parties who you can approach that have experience in acquiring much sought-after domain names. As soon as you open up to a domain name investor and show them how much you need the .com variation you are moving into a whole new world. You should consider working with valuation companies and domain name negotiators to play down the obvious value attribute. The potential seller will never know you are the buyer and therefore this can weaken their poker hand. Remember, many of these domain name investors are hardened investors, often void of emotion and literally just out to make as much money as possible.
UK hosting providers
A few trusted UK hosting providers, like this one provides assistance, simplifying the process of acquiring a new domain name. No matter what capacity required for websites hosting in the future we can put together a package specifically for you. There will be occasions where website domain names have been taken. If this is the case there are a few options to help you with the process of finding the owner. In the event you already own your domain you can transfer it to a more powerful and sturdy hosting network. Many people would be surprised to learn how easy it is to transfer a new domain.
A leading UK hosting providers will be capable of looking after your hosting, backups, SSL certificates, SEO, domain name renewals and much more. Finding the perfect domain name for your brand and your business is a major step. An important step, we might add. You also need to find a reliable UK hosting provider. One capable of offering multiple websites hosting capacity, so you can deliver to your customers.
Summary
You need to be careful and take your time when choosing the right domain name to market your brand/company. Brand identity is important; many believe gTLDs are also vital while not forgetting a reliable UK hosting provider. Focusing on acquiring the right domain name while signing up to substandard websites hosting capacity is commercial suicide. You need to take it stage by stage but remember all elements are important. The brand name may attract potential customers. However, the value attribute of a fast server and a quick loading website should not be forgotten.
If one link in a chain is broken, compromises the chain. It is no different with websites.
