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How to Choose an Effective Domain Name

Purchasing a domain name is the first step in setting up a new website, and when deciding what domain to choose, most people choose the first available name that crosses their mind.  What most people don’t consider are the repercussions of choosing an inferior domain name. 

To guide you in choosing your domain name, we’ve outlined the “do’s” and “don’ts” of choosing an effective web address:

Do: Make It Memorable

If a patient or prospective patient can’t remember your web address, how will they ever visit your website? Make sure your domain name can be easily spelled and recalled.

Example: www.doctormississippiana.com could easily be mispelled and forgotten. Try something like www.doctormdentist.com

Do: Be Brief

No one wants to type an extremely long domain name into their address bar. Keep your web address as brief as possible. This will also make it easier to remember.

Example: www.losangelespediatricandfamilydentisty.com is extremely long. www.LAPFD.com would be more effective.

Don’t: Choose Domain Names Other Than Dot-Com

When you purchase your domain name, you may be given the option to purchase the name with multiple suffixes, such as .biz or .net. You don’t need to worry about these other extensions; they’re unnecessary.

Example: www.thetemeculadentist.com is preferred over www.thetemeculadentist.biz or www.thetemeculadentist.us

Don’t: Infringe Upon Copyrights 

Whether intentional or not, infringing upon a copyright could result in unwanted legal fees. Research registered copyrights at Copyright.gov. 

Example: Disney has tons of copyrights. Do not try to purchase a domain name such as www.disneydentist.com that could potentially be confused with their brand.

Do: Avoid Useless Adjectives

Contrary to popular belief, injecting adjectives, such as “best” or “top” in your domain name doesn’t establish you as credible or authoritative. In fact, it tends to have the opposite effect, making Internet users more likely to question your trustworthiness.

Example: Avoid www.bestnorthwestdentist.com and use www.northwestdentist.com instead.

Keep in Mind – Domains Won’t Help SEO 

Regardless of what you’ve been told previously, Google has stated multiple times that there isn’t a fast track to improving your optimization with a domain name.  Purchasing a domain name infused with popular keywords and phrases has little-to-no effect on your optimization. You’re much better off choosing a domain name branded to your practice.

When purchasing a new domain, it’s important to keep these factors in mind, as they could result in more web traffic and could make it easier to establish a universal online marketing strategy for your practice.

If you have questions about buying your new domain name, feel free to contact one of our website consultants at 888-932-3644.