Purchasing a dental 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 the best dental 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? The best dental domain names can be easily spelled and recalled. Avoid using slang like “u” for “you”.
Example: www.mississippianadentalpractitioner.com could easily be misspelled. Try something like www.MIdentist.com
Don’t: Get Overly Cute
If you try to come up with something unique or fun, just make sure it won’t be easily forgotten.
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.
Do: Use Your Dental Practice’s Location
Consider putting the name of your city to make it easy for local clients to remember. Remember that you can abbreviate to keep it brief.
Do: Use an Appropriate Extension
These are at the end of your website URL, such as .com or .net. These extensions have specific uses, so make sure to choose one that works for your firm.
While you don’t need a website for each domain, it’s recommended to purchase your domain name across all the extensions to protect your brand. Below is a cheat sheet:
- .co : an abbreviation for company, commerce, and community
- .info : informational sites
- .net : technical, Internet infrastructure sites
- .org : non-commercial organizations and nonprofits
- .biz : business or commercial use, like e-commerce sites
- .me : blogs, resumes or personal sites
Example: www.theseattledentist.com is preferred over www.theseattledentist.co or www.theseattledentist.us.
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.bestsouthwestdentist.com and use www.southwestdentist.com instead.
Don’t: Forget Due Diligence
Make sure the domain you choose is not trademarked or copyrighted to avoid any legal issues. 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: The Research
Sometimes you might have a domain name in mind that has already been purchased, but is up for resale.
You can always consider buying a dental domain name that is for sale, but keep in mind that this can be an added expense. You might want to consider other domain names to avoid additional spending.
Keep in Mind – Domains with Dental Keywords 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.
When it comes to starting a new dental practice, or updating your existing website, choosing and creating a great domain name is key.
Follow these simple steps to choose an effective domain name! Once you have your perfect pick, it’s time to get a perfect website to make it come to life.
If you have questions about buying your new domain name, feel free to contact one of our website consultants at 888-932-3644.
