More and more startup companies are aiming to reach the top of the market pyramid. With this, the need for authenticity and uniqueness also increases. If you are also at the starting line and want to be sure that your company will be noticed, you should think about quite a few important things in advance.
An idea, clear goals and a good strategy are just the beginning. After these are a number of tasks to check off, one of which is your brand name in the digital world. In order to present your brand to the desired audience and gain and most importantly keep their attention, it is necessary to strategically choose the website name or domain.
However, why this can be a difficult task and what are those 5 important details when choosing a domain that determine the future success of a site, we will look at in this article.
What is a domain and why is it important?
For startups in the digital age, choosing the right domain name is the first step to building an online business and is critical to future success.
The domain is a key element of the brand identity of any company. It is the first thing consumers will be introduced to and part of their customer experience because of the impression it leaves on their minds.
In addition, choosing the right domain has an impact on internet visibility, brand perception, site accessibility and even SEO results.
Domain types, selection, and verification
Hundreds of thousands of new domains are registered on the Internet every day, and because of this, finding the right name is far from a simple task. Good domain names are often already registered by other users. And even if they are not, with the dynamics of today’s world, in a minute they might as well belong to someone else.
It’s good to consider and plan carefully the choice of the type of domain name. On the one hand, it must correspond to the name of the company and be presentable and professional, and on the other hand, the option with its future change would represent an extremely complex and risky task for the business.
Types of domains
Domains consist of two main parts – the name (for example “Google”) and the extension (for example “.com”). The .com extension is one of the most common, recognizable and desirable, followed by .net, .eu, .bg, .info, and more.
Each has its own meaning. For example, .org is short for organization and .net is short for network. Extensions such as .gov from government, .edu from educational, and .mil from military are specialized for government, academic, and military institutions.
Thus, according to the purpose of the site and the extension, we can choose among the following types of domains:
Global Domains (gTLD) – The generic first-level domains managed by the ICANN organization: .com, .edu, .gov, .int, .tv, .net, etc.
Country Domains (ccTLD) – Also top-level domains, but managed by IANA. These are extensions that can be used by individuals and companies with a business presence in a specific location, for example, our native domain .bg. (Bulgaria), .de (Germany), .es (Spain), .uk (England), etc.
Sponsored Domains (sTLD) – These are the extensions that are provided to private organizations, such as .jobs, .mobi, .asia.
Brand TLD – Brand extensions bearing the company name, such as .youtube and .android.
New general domains (new gTLD) – Precisely due to the growing demand for suitable domain names, more new extensions with a more specific niche character have been added, such as .club, .food, .sport, .store, .lifestyle, .my, .markets, .tech, .blog, etc.
Internationalized domain names (IDN), or in other words, Cyrillic domains, allowing the insertion of characters other than Latin characters, are also gaining great popularity and success in our region. This can be an attractive and successful method for a start-up company to boldly step onto the Bulgarian market scene, distinguish itself, and achieve the sought-after uniqueness. Also with a Cyrillic domain name, registering a .com extension would be many times easier to achieve. For now…
Domain selection and verification
The selection and registration of the appropriate domain are done through the so-called companies “registrars”. Their sites also have tools for checking (search engines) free names.
It’s important to be demanding about this step of the project implementation because the domain name can bring both great advantages and great setbacks.
Here are five important details that can help you choose the right domain for your startup.
How the right domain can contribute to the success of a startup
It may seem like a small piece of the puzzle, but a domain plays an important role in the success of any business. It is part of its brand identity, influences its online presence, and helps build trust with customers. Here are some of the best basic principles to follow when choosing a domain:
Short and easy to remember name
One of the most important rules when choosing a domain is to make it easy to remember and spell. Customers should be able to effortlessly type the site address into their browser or share it with others.
No special characters or numbers
Domains that contain complex words, symbols, or numbers can create spelling difficulties and reduce traffic to the site. Especially when translating more specific letters from the Bulgarian alphabet such as „й“, „ц“, „ч“, „ш“, „щ“, „ъ“ and others, the spelling is often difficult and confusing.
In case the business operates locally, an option would be to use a domain in Cyrillic or with a .bg extension. This would give an advantage in local searches, as search engines will associate the site with a geographically defined audience.
Brand identity in the online space
A well-chosen domain should be closely related to the company name or reflect the main product/service. If it is related to the niche or goals of the business, it contributes to a stronger brand identity and helps customers build trust in the company.
SEO optimization
A domain name can play a role in search engine optimization (SEO) in many aspects. While search engines like Google focus primarily on the content and quality of the site, the domain also matters in how search engines categorize and rank the site. If the domain contains keywords related to the main business or service, it can help it rank better in search results.
With the new extensions, this type of classification and targeting is strengthened and extensions like .store, .sport, .music, etc. enable many businesses to find the right name and optimize searches directly to the site.
Domain as a strategic asset
If the startup manages to build a strong brand, the domain can become an integral part of the business identity and even increase its value. In some cases, famous domains sell for millions of dollars because they are strategically important to specific niches.
In addition, a properly chosen domain can be seen as a long-term asset of the company and in the sense of protection from competitors who may try to use similar domains to redirect traffic. Registering different variants of the domain (e.g. with different extensions or in different languages) is not a big investment, but it would help to avoid possible future losses.
Why working with professionals is important
Online presence is extremely important and a website is often the first point of contact with customers, partners, and investors. Therefore, the domain name should be easy to remember, associated with the brand, and reflect the uniqueness of the company. If the domain is short, clear, and contains keywords related to the product or service, it can improve SEO results by helping potential customers find the business more easily through search engines.
Of course, if all this is new and unfamiliar, collaborating with SEO specialists and marketers is always a good idea and ensures that every detail of website creation is covered. If you are on the verge of starting your business and need a complete build, market, and promotion of your product or service, the StartUp Pack is an opportunity to get everything in one place.
Whether it’s a company site, an online store, a landing page, an advertising campaign, or a personal blog, CreateWeb’s team of professionals is ready to help with the entire site development and subsequent technical support.
