How to select domain names for SEO, brand marketing, URL optimization and user engagement
A domain name plays a critical role in the overall branding of a company or individual. The domaining industry exists on the basis of buying and selling names that have brand value potential and can help users identify the content or the topic based on the URL name alone. However not many domainers have utilized SEO to the max and have historically been using the direct request navigation method or type-in traffic to monetize, usually through parked pages that only contain links of advertisers.
Domaining is the act of registering or buying a domain through a registrar or the secondary market, with the intention of getting type-in traffic traffic and converting it into revenue. Domains are of great importance because not only do they identify your brand, they also are valuable virtual real estate which do not require a search engine to be found, since most traffic is derived from users typing in the domain name in the browser URL bar. More names receive more direct request traffic than others depending on the search frequency value of the keyword used in the domain name.
Unfortunately, direct navigation suffers from a stigma among advertisers and marketers. JupiterResearch estimates the size of the direct navigation advertising market was approximately $600 million in 2006, or about nine percent of the paid search market. To maximize customer acquisition, marketers must target a range of sources, including type-in traffic and direct search. Are you tapping into 9% of the paid search market because of your domain name alone? While direct navigation traffic is free, there will be an associated premium cost associated with buying a premium domain name. It is a long term investment akin to a logo. I always recommend companies and entrepreneurs to invest in both a great logo and a great domain name that represents what they are all about.
Want more reasons to a great domain name? Websidestory StatMarket research 2006 research indicated the obvious: the best-converting group is made up people who know what they are looking for and know where they want to shop to get it. These users arrive at a site via direct navigation, by typing in the site's name or using a bookmark. These kinds of users converted almost twice as well as those using search engine links, with a 4.23% conversion rate. What does this mean? it means that for every 100 people visiting, more than 4 of them convert to buyers. More analytically these are the conversions rates:
- Direct Navigation and Bookmarks - 4.23%
- Search Engines, including pay per click (PPC) - 2.30%
- Banner Ads and Content related ads (Other) - 0.96%
Descriptive domain names benefit from brand recognition effects without being a famous brand. Their generic nature and high search volume make them immediate brands because they offer the distinct opportunity to convey what the site product or service is or what it does. Remember that with paid advertising, when you stop paying so does your exposure. Would you rather invest in the long term success of your company or a quick fix based on the power of your advertising budget? The best solution is to use a combination of both.
Direct type-in traffic is the most used marketing tactic used by domainers to earn revenues but the value proposition to users is very low in today's more interactive and dynamic Internet. Static pages with paid links have zero search value and those websites are ranked very poorly by search engines.
The most effective use of a domain is to combine its direct request properties, and through SEO increase traffic through attaining ranking in the search engine results. Choosing the right domain name is one of the most important steps for a website owner:
How to choose the right domain name
Google, Bing and Yahoo all give weight to keywords found in the domain name. This fact thincreases the importance of selecting a good name at is keyword rich. Note that choosing an obscure name such as Google or Bing will bring you zero type-in traffic as well as cost you more to brand the name that users would take time to remember and associate with.
When choosing a domain name there are four main factors to take into consideration:
- Is it easy to brand?
- Does it stand for something that uses can associate with?
- How easy would it to get it ranked?
- Does it assist with link popularity?
Brand
In a crowded market, brand offers a point of differentiation and distinction. Do not use hyphens because the tendency is that users forget the using hyphens.
It is easier to build links to branded domain names. They are more credible and adds value to your content. Directory editors also link you as your domain name not just keyword links.
The downside of generic keyword branding is that it is more difficult to trademark and that it is harder to rank in the search results than an obscure name. if you use an obscure name, it is neccessary to build your brand organically and in all likelihood is an expensive value proposition since no-one would be searching for your obscure name unless they know about it.
Association and Search Frequency
Domains such as "movie.com", which contain the generic term "movie" have existing search frequency. The keyword query term "movie" has a global monthly search volume of 277,000,000 searches for the month of March 2010 on Google. The value of a domain is attached to four basic key performance indicators: the search volume of the exact phrase in the domain (size), the domain extension (.com is worth more in the secondary market), how lucrative that industry is (usually defined by cost-per-click terms) and potential. The greater the search volume of a specific keyword, the more type-in traffic that specific keyword-based domain receives. In regards to type-in traffic it is important to remember that .com enjoys higher direct traffic rates.
Ranking and Link Popularity
In search engine optimization, "off page" factors play a bigger role in search rankings than on-page factors. Your domain name becomes more popular when it gets linked to by other website. Link popularity refers to the number and quality of the incoming links that are pointing to your website. The basic idea is that websites linking to you consider your site important enough to deserve a link form their pages. Getting relevant links pertaining to your content and keywords earn credibility from Google, Bing and Yahoo and they reward you by increasing your rankings. If your keyword is included in the link that other websites link you as, then search engines assume that you are important for that specific keyword and rank you higher. In other words, if your domain was "movies.com" it would be easier to rank for the term "movies" because people would naturally link to you as "movies.com" which contains the exact match of the keyword the users are searching for.
Remember though. The domain name can win a battle, but not war in SEO. It helps to choose the right domain name from the start, even if you pay premium. It is your brand after all.
Related Articles: Making money in the domain name business: Secrets, advice and tips to domaining profit
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