In 2019, Jannick Malling, co-founder and co-CEO of HelloPublic.com, decided to rebrand his company to Public.com. Following this change, he reported on X that he experienced a 2-3 times increase in conversion rates for digital ads and a 50-100 times increase in conversion rates for traditional advertising spend.
Choosing a relevant domain name for your brand’s website might not seem like a big deal at first, but it’s crucial in shaping your brand’s online presence. By using your domain name as a branding tool, you can directly impact your brand’s visibility, recognition, and overall perception on the internet.
Here’s what you must know about domain branding if you’re a brand launching your online business through a website.
What Is Domain Branding?
Domain branding refers to the process of using a domain name strategically to build and reinforce a brand identity online. Your domain name should be a unique and memorable web address that represents your business or organization. It should also help you effectively establish your brand in the digital world.
Your domain name also acts as your online address. Therefore, it should be distinct and reflect your brand’s name or key identity. For example, if your company is called “Pet Paradise,” having a domain like ‘petparadise.com’ strengthens your brand identity.
Characteristics of a Good Domain Name
By December 31, 2021, about 438.4 million domain names were registered, a big jump of 117% from the 201.6 million domains registered by December 31, 2020. Among all these domain names, the ones that really catch attention usually have certain characteristics that make them easy to remember and great for branding.
Following are some of the key characteristics of a good domain name:
- Easy to Remember: A good domain is easy to remember. Short, catchy names are ideal because they stick in people’s minds more effectively. A short and easy brand name will help in building brand recognition and recall.
- Relevant to What Brand is Offering: Your domain should relate to what you do or offer. If you sell organic products, having “organic” or “eco” in your domain name can instantly communicate your niche to potential customers.
- Have a .com Extension:Â The .com extension is widely recognized as the gold standard for domain names. It offers a sense of trust and legitimacy to businesses online. When customers see a website with a .com domain, they often perceive it as a more reliable one.
- Consistent with Branding Strategy: Lastly, your domain name should align with your overall branding strategy. For example, you should match your domain name with your business name, logo, and other marketing endeavors. This would help to create a cohesive brand image.
What Are the Benefits of Domain Branding?
In a study by Clutch in 2023, almost all consumers (97%) judge a business based on how its website looks and its web address. This underscores the importance of picking up a good domain name that matches your brand and helps people trust your business online.
Apart from establishing the integrity of your brand, other benefits of domain branding include:
1. Helps Build Credibility and Trust
A strong domain name that matches your business name or reflects your industry can make your business appear more credible and trustworthy to customers. When people see a professional domain, they are more likely to feel confident in engaging with your brand.
2. Improves Brand Recognition
A memorable domain name helps with brand recognition. When customers easily remember your web address, they are more likely to revisit your site and recommend it to others. A memorable domain name strengthens your brand identity in the minds of consumers.
3. Better Search Engine Visibility
Choosing a domain name that includes relevant keywords can improve your website’s visibility on search engines like Google and Bing. Therefore, more potential customers can find your site when searching for products or services related to your business.
4. Promotes Global Reach and Accessibility
A well-chosen domain name can expand your brand’s reach globally. By selecting a domain name that is easy to remember and relevant to your business, you can attract customers from different parts of the world. Consequently, your customer base will broaden and your international visibility will further improve.
5. Helps with Brand Protection
Securing a unique domain name helps protect your brand from competitors or individuals attempting to use similar names online. By owning your brand’s domain, you prevent others from misrepresenting or diluting your brand’s identity on the internet.
How to Build a Brand with Domains?
Big brands and businesses often invest significant amounts of money to acquire specific domain names for strategic marketing. For example, in 2016, Elon Musk made headlines when he bought Tesla.com for $11 million. This purchase was key for Tesla Motors (now Tesla Inc.) because it helped them strengthen their online presence and brand recognition.
Understanding the importance of domain branding helps brands and businesses establish a distinct online identity and strengthen their marketing efforts. Let’s see how you can also build a credible online brand or business using domain branding.
- Choose a Relevant Domain Name: Select a domain name that reflects your brand name, core values, or industry. It would be best if you chose a domain name that is memorable, easy to spell, and relevant to your business. Avoid using complex or generic names that could confuse customers.
- Consider Different Domain Extensions: While .com is the most popular and widely recognized extension, you may also want to consider other extensions, such as .net, .org, or industry-specific extensions (.tech, .store, etc.), based on your brand’s niche.
- Consistently Use the Domain Name: Use your domain name across all online platforms, including social media profiles, email addresses, and marketing materials. Consistently using your domain name reinforces your brand identity.
- Optimize Domain Name for SEO: You must incorporate relevant keywords into your domain name to improve search engine optimization (SEO). This can help your website rank higher in search results, thus driving more organic traffic to your site.
- Protect Your Brand: Register variations of your domain name to protect your brand from cyber-squatters or competitors. You can also register common misspellings or similar domains to prevent confusion among customers.
- Create a Professional Website: The journey of creating a reliable brand on the internet does not end with registering a relevant domain name. You must build an uncomplicated and aesthetically pleasing website that reflects your brand’s personality. The page loading speed, navigation, mobile responsiveness, etc., must also be optimized.
- Build Trust and Credibility: Use your domain to establish trust with customers. Include security features like SSL certificates to secure transactions and protect customer data. Display customer testimonials, certifications, or awards to build credibility.
- Monitor and Adapt: Finally, regularly monitor your domain performance, analyze traffic metrics, and gather customer feedback. Then, you can make necessary adjustments to your domain strategy to optimize results and improve your brand’s online presence.
Wrapping Up
Building a brand with domains means strategically using your website name to create a strong presence online. With domain branding, you can make your business credible in the digital world.
Also, customers are more likely to trust and remember a business with a professional online presence. Therefore, by choosing the right domain name and consistently using it, you can stand out in the crowded online marketplace.
Crazy Domains is your go-to destination for all things domain-related. You can trust Crazy Domains to search and register a new domain, transfer an existing one, or renew your current domain name.
What’s more, Crazy Domains provides 24/7 customer support to assist you with any queries. Plus, you can enjoy up to 20% off on bulk domain purchases!
Chat with us now to learn more.
